The Pattern Coach

Focused on the Sportsman, Intermediate and Advanced Pattern Pilot

Talk to most any pattern flyer and ask; "What does it take for me to become a better pattern flyer?", you will no doubt hear, "Burn more fuel" (or use more electrons!). The problem with this advise is that you will no doubt make the same mistakes over and over, reinforcing the mistakes. Here's a simple test: If you fly in contests and your scores remain about the same, you are not learning much from burning fuel. You are not alone. Many competition pattern pilots burn fuel by the gallons per week and never improve their scores. The next thing you might hear is, "Get a Coach", and this is where this software will be focused, on the Coaching. But the words, "Get a Coach" does not quite define it, you need a GOOD coach - the best one you can get. I think you would agree if you were to take a top FAI pilot and you practice with him for a week, you would learn more than taking your average local Advanced flyer and practice with him for a month. Sure, you need to practice, but you need to practice the right things and not make the same mistakes time after time. Unless you have a coach that is much better than you are, it will be difficult to improve quickly. Nothing takes the place of a good coach that tells you, in real time, what you are doing wrong. Just short of this is someone watching a flight with you (someone else flying), telling you what was wrong with THAT flight. This instructional CD will help you learn to fly better and increase your scores by watching common mistakes and hearing feedback on what was wrong, then SHOW YOU how to do it correctly. The following Pattern Training will give you proven ideas on how to set up, trim, and fly pattern. There are a few ways to do it right, and many ways to do it wrong.
Let's also agree, there is no 'perfect' pattern plane, as shown by all the successful pattern models flying today. Pick a model you like, build it straight, trim it well, practice what you learn here and your scores WILL increase. To help drive this point, a simple $150 Venus 40 ARF is capable of winning in Masters (against 7 other 10+ year Masters pilots) if you put in the time to practice the right things.
The information presented in these pages has worked well for me, I hope for you too!

Building the plane:

  • Build it right: hinge lines, surfaces, alignment
  • Control Horns: adjustment - make it track
  • Linkages: reduce slop

    Flight Trimming:

  • Setting CG
  • Setting Thrust
  • Thrust and CG relationship
  • Trimming the ‘loop’
  • Trimming the ‘stall’
  • Aileron differential
  • KE trimming
  • Straight level flight trimming
  • Throttle control – The throttle curve
  • Sequence ‘flow’

  • What you MUST learn

  • Maneuver Examples: what to do, what not to do (Videos)
    - Straight Flight
    - 1/2 Reverse Cuban 8
    - Straight flight out, 1/2 Rev Cuban 8, Straight flight back
    - Loops
    - 1/2 Cuban 8
    - One horizontal Roll
    - 4 Point Roll
    - Immelemenn Turn
    - Stall Turn
    - Slow Roll
    - Split S

  • Pattern Exercises (seeing the plane)

    - standing parallel to the runway - move head only
    - allows better 'box' start-stop points
    - use of expo

    Radio Control Aerobatics
    Maneuver Description

    		•  Advanced concepts:

  • Use of transmitter switches
  • Use of rudder dual rates
  • Use of rudder to throttle mix

  • Trimming: make your flying easier
  • Fine tune your pattern: sequence 'flow'
  • Contest Day: how it all works
  • Masters Pattern Video

  • Videos
    - wings level – always keep outside wing down
    - Sportsman sequence video
    - Exiting into level flight
    - The Procedure turn – taking your time – the ‘set-up’
    - ‘in the box’
    - Have a :flight preparation section
    o Aileron differential – setting

    EMC

    Run-a-Round