RC Aerobatics
If you are interested in flying radio control Aerobatics please click here to visit the New Zealand Radio Control Aerobatics Association (NZRCAA) website https://www.nzrcaa.co.nz/
Radio Control Aerobatic flying in New Zealand is broken into three areas of interest – Pattern, IMAC, and Classic. Pattern and IMAC are further broken into classes suitable for all levels of flying ability.
Pattern
Pattern Aerobatics is a specialised discipline of this fantastic hobby. It is all about flying purpose built aircraft which usually do not resemble full size through specific precision sequences of aerobatic figures. In Clubman anything goes in terms of aircraft, there are no limitations. So no matter if you have a 40 size sports model or a large scale aerobat why not have a go at Pattern. F3A is the International top level class of pattern aerobatics. In F3A the aircraft have to fit into a 2x2m box and weigh less than 5kg. There is tremendous skill and satisfaction in flying that ‘perfect’ flight so if you have never experienced this discipline why not go check out the next comp near you. See the event calendar for more details. For your first competition you should look at Clubman.
There are four pattern classes flown in NZ. Clubman is for those starting out (a 40 size low wing model is ideal) – this is flown to a local set of New Zealand rules. Then you can progress to Expert, and finally Masters and F3A which are flown to an international set of rules. The Clubman schedule is not difficult, but is a challenge to fly well. Come and have a go!
https://www.nzrcaa.co.nz/pattern/clubman-maneuvers-explained/
Classic Pattern
Classic is a new class for those interested in flying older, ‘classic’ pattern models designed and flown prior to October 1983 (the date of the last ‘non-turnaround’ World Championships). There is a new sequence starting in 2022!
IMAC
IMAC (International Miniature Aerobatic Club) is the organization that grew out of the interest of flying scale aerobatics. The group was founded in 1974 with 97 charter members. Their intent was to emulate the IAC, which was dominated by biplanes at the time, so the IMAC initially called themselves the National Sport Biplane Association. In 1976 the National Sport Biplane Association became affiliated with the IAC and became IMAC.
For IMAC, the only aircraft requirement for classes above Basic is that it is a faithful scale model of a known aerobatic aircraft. With all the Extras, CAPs, and Yaks out on the market, many fliers already had what was needed to be competitive, so IMAC membership grew steadily. From the late 90s to the present, growth was not only in membership, but also in the size of the airplanes themselves. It’s not a shock to see models 40 to 46 percent scale on the IMAC flight line. These large scale models are powered by twin-cylinder gas engines that are 9.0 cubic inches (150-200 cc) and produce close to 25 hp!
You might ask why so big and will they get bigger? For the first question, size does count. Big tends to fly and present better than small. But size alone does not make you a winner. Many contests still are won, even in the upper classes, by smaller aircraft flown by highly skilled pilots. For the second question, I would say we have reached the max size. Typically, 40 percent aircraft weigh 35 to 40 pounds, and this combination of power, weight, and size perform the best.
For more information, please contact:
Frazer: frazer@pbgsoftware.co.nz
Unofficial Facebook Page RC Aerobatics NZ