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Open Forum / Re: 2025 Nats Qualification Groups, scores and final reports
« Last post by Doug Moon on Yesterday at 08:37:26 AM »This discussion pops up from time to time and it makes no sense to add categories to our appearance judging.
I absolutely disagree with this approach 100%! This is a control line aerobatics event that requires us to build our own models. We need to be able to build our models to best perform the prescribed maneuvers. We do not need to be hamstrung into building something or adding something to the model that doesn't help it perform the maneuvers. Adding a cockpit detail or drawing lines on my plane does not make it fly better. If you want to do that and you can do it in a way that helps present your model positively for appearance judging and does not take away from its ability to perform please do so. I love a cool cockpit detail as much as the next guy. But in no way shape or form does it add to the ability of the plane to fly the maneuvers properly.
Realism? There is nothing realistic about control line stunt planes. They are so far out of scale its funny. I am not talking about war birds only either. If you want to build scale planes that can stunt go right ahead and do it. But I can guarantee you it wont fly nearly as well as your purpose built stunt plane. It simply cant. Don't impose a rule that would hamper flying in any way in order to get max static points.
Originality. Not only do I have to build some kind of a semi-scale plane to get max points now I have to come up with some original design that hasn't been done....good luck on that one. I have heard alot over the years about the Ron Burns planes and seen many pics and they are cool for sure his work was second to none. I have never heard that they flew superior. Remember what we are doing here, flying stunt.
Bob Hunt explained it to me back in the late 90s and it's the best I have heard to date. He touched on exactly what Robert talked about when a more complex model is placed for appearance vs a profile or a simple straight forward stunt plane. He said appearance judging in stunt is simply "the execution of the attempt" The judge doesn't care what color it is, how many engines it has on it, cockpit/no cockpit, what design it is, where it came from, how many times it's been done before, who's it is and so on. NONE of that matters. It is simply the execution of the attempt. This years concourse winner is a perfect example. It is an elegant stunt plane design with flawless execution on the attempt.
This is a contest to determine the over CLPA Champion, keep it that way.
I absolutely disagree with this approach 100%! This is a control line aerobatics event that requires us to build our own models. We need to be able to build our models to best perform the prescribed maneuvers. We do not need to be hamstrung into building something or adding something to the model that doesn't help it perform the maneuvers. Adding a cockpit detail or drawing lines on my plane does not make it fly better. If you want to do that and you can do it in a way that helps present your model positively for appearance judging and does not take away from its ability to perform please do so. I love a cool cockpit detail as much as the next guy. But in no way shape or form does it add to the ability of the plane to fly the maneuvers properly.
Realism? There is nothing realistic about control line stunt planes. They are so far out of scale its funny. I am not talking about war birds only either. If you want to build scale planes that can stunt go right ahead and do it. But I can guarantee you it wont fly nearly as well as your purpose built stunt plane. It simply cant. Don't impose a rule that would hamper flying in any way in order to get max static points.
Originality. Not only do I have to build some kind of a semi-scale plane to get max points now I have to come up with some original design that hasn't been done....good luck on that one. I have heard alot over the years about the Ron Burns planes and seen many pics and they are cool for sure his work was second to none. I have never heard that they flew superior. Remember what we are doing here, flying stunt.
Bob Hunt explained it to me back in the late 90s and it's the best I have heard to date. He touched on exactly what Robert talked about when a more complex model is placed for appearance vs a profile or a simple straight forward stunt plane. He said appearance judging in stunt is simply "the execution of the attempt" The judge doesn't care what color it is, how many engines it has on it, cockpit/no cockpit, what design it is, where it came from, how many times it's been done before, who's it is and so on. NONE of that matters. It is simply the execution of the attempt. This years concourse winner is a perfect example. It is an elegant stunt plane design with flawless execution on the attempt.
This is a contest to determine the over CLPA Champion, keep it that way.
