Golden State at Clovis CA

[John Miller]

Here it is saturday morning, 6:30 Am, and I'm getting ready to head over to the contest site. Weather is great. Yesterdays practise sessions at the Peoples Church site was super. What a great place to fly. It's located right in the eheart of Clovis, along a major street. It reminded me of flying in the school yards back in the 50's. Lot's of cars going by, some honking and waving as they passed.

There was the first casualty occuring when Mike Haverly's engine quit while exiting the clover. His great looking JD Falcon went in, but the damage was not as bad as it could have been. Mike says he'll have it repaired for the next contest.

I'll take some pics today, and try to post them tonight. 

[Randy Powell]

Sorry to hear about Mike. So where are the pictures?

[John Miller]

I took a lot of pictures, but forgot to bring the card readerr, so they'll have to wait until I get home.

Mike's in good humor, and was seen flying in Classic competition class with a great looking Tucker special that one of the guys let him fly. I wish I knew the name of the owner.

The weather was great, even a bit warm for this time of year. Winds were sometimes non existent, other times were slight, leaving many with a wish for slightly more to blow the slip stream away.

Here from memory are the results.

OT Stunt

Who else but John wright in first place.

2nd. Uncle Jimby

3rd. Jimmy Rhoades

Classic sportsman.

First let me set this up. This is the first time they have split the classic field up into two classes. Only a few intermediates showed up to fly, so the CD pulled the advanced pilots into the sportsman class, where they competed without appearance points to sort of even up the odds. It worked out well with about the same number of entrants in the two classes. Both classes flew together in front of the same judges, and the seperation was completed at the tabulating table. It went very smoothly. I think this all was a good idea, and worthy of study by all clubs offering Classic competition.

1st. Myself, flying the All American Eagle.

2nd and 3rd. I forget the names, but both were great guys, and fun to be around. They kept the pressure on too.

Classic Competition.  The experts.

1st, Gordan Delaney flying his All All American Eagle.

2nd. P. T. Granderson flying his Olympic

3rd. Mr. I'll beat you with a profile Firkins, flyinf his Excalibur.

The banquet was a great feed, a hall filled with some of the best people it's been my pleasure to associate with, and a bunch of absolutly gorgeous model being appearance judged.

Jerry Silver, the CD, did a great job and was ably assissted by many people working in the back ground. Jerry made sure each was recognised and thanked for the efforts. Several reports were given.

Doug Barton reprted on the ongoing efforts to secure a new site to replace the Woodland site, which will be lost soon. He reports some great efforts, with success in the future, and had a proposed site plane to unveil. If all continues to go well, ay become the premier site in the West.

Dave Fitzgerald made a report on the Worlds and some District 10, and Pampa business was discussed.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Doug Barton Sportsmanship award for 2008. This award has been previously awarde to some of the most notable, hard working, and giving people in our chosen sport. None, in my opinion are more deserving than the husband and wife team who were presented last night. My greatest, most heartfelt congratulations to the Striklands (sp) truely deserving in every way.

A post note. Sergey Belko's plane and flying was noted to be EXCELLENT.  I think he will do well today.

[Balsa Butcher]

Thanks for the report Gordon.  Sorry to hear about Mike's JD Falcon - that was a real pretty airplane.  Good luck to all.

[Clint Ormosen]

Mike's in good humor, and was seen flying in Classic competition class with a great looking Tucker special that one of the guys let him fly. I wish I knew the name of the owner.

I think that it was Bob Duncan's Tucker.

I got my a** handed to me all in all the events I flew. Still had fun though.

[john e. holliday]

Hey Clint, it takes guys like us to make the others look good.  See ya at VSC.  DOC Holliday

[Steve Helmick]

Mike Haverly and I just got 'ome from Clovis about 9am...drove straight through (about 15 hours), with Mike doing a lot of the steering chores. And yup,  we went by "In-N-Out Burgers" on the way out of Frezno to sample some of their wunnerful burgers (can't say much good about the fries, tho)...and to acquire myself a T-shirt "just like John Miller's"...'cept for being a couple of sizes smaller! 

Don't let Clint bamboozle you...he flies really well (for a young fahrt), and only needs some more trimming on his WU Chimpunk to whup up on John in Classic. 

The newest/last Pathfinder is a great flying airplane. John's was well trimmed and well powered, and we'll leave it at that! Gordan's (correct spelling) seemed to be very good, except for the triangles.

Kim Mortimore came down sick on Sunday, possibly due to the heat (low '90's with almost no breeze at all), and had to leave, so I was volunteered to help pull test and prod the Experts to step along.  Hope Kim has recovered already. Nice feller...steady worker....get a report into Stunt Hanger ASAP, Kim!

Phil Juarez apparently passed out while flying his Stilletto. I saw Phil walking on his own before we drove out, but his nice plane was rather battered by the experience. Phil had judged Intermediate (my competition) with Larry Fernandez for two rounds, and flown one round of Advanced, so I'm hoping it was heat related...tho that's serious enough. I'll look forward to reading about it in detail, and wish Phil a speedy recovery. Another hard working volunteer, stuck down while having a little fun... 

I can tell you that my brain was pretty well toast by the time for my second flight. I later found out that I placed 4th. I'll have to go through my stuff to find my score cards, but it was around 456 pts, I think, without appearance points. Didn't get whupped by a friggin' electric again, thankfully.

Met Stunt Hanger regular Greg Bahrman. Greg's a good guy, even if he didn't fly in the contest...arrrrgh! Only got to talk to Pete Cunha on the phone. Work intervened...dern it. Pete arranged for us to use the Woodland field as a practise stop on Friday AM. Thanks for your hospitality, Woodland/Davis Aeromodellers and best NW Skyraider's wishes for a great new field!

The heat no doubt affected many of us, but the very low winds caused some real issues. The JCT's fab PTG lost one of his smooth and slick Diva's to wake turbulance. If you haven't experienced this delight, please take my advise and be rilly rilly careful, lest your plane fall to the ground in similar fashion. I have to learn this "Dancing with the Stars" technique...mosey over to the downwind side of the pilot's circle, then step, step, step, toward the upwind side, to give the plane fresh air to fly in. It's not easy, while flying perfect loops and counting as they pass...<sigh!>

The Valley Circle Burners did a bang-up job of organizing this contest, the 30th Annual "Goldern (sic) State Stunt Champs"...BRAVO, Pip-Pip, etc. We had a great time, and recommend the event without reservation. We met the imposing Lingwood brothers, Lewis and Cleon...and the Anderson Brothers, and dozens of others...no sour grapes in the bunch! A very enjoyable weekend. I must say, it was a great weekend for me, tho next time I might ask Mike to drop me at the Sacramento airport for the return trip. Mike and I pulled out before the Advanced and Expert scores were posted, but we have hopes that Howard was up at the top of the pile in Expert. I watched his flight, and that of Sergy Belko, Ted, and reigning World Champ Dave Fitzgerald, and it was a bunch of beautiful work. Didn't get to see Brett fly.   Steve 

PS: This report was delayed by several naps while typing...

[Clint Ormosen]

Wow, I must have left before Phil Juarez's "incident". I hope it's nothing serious and all is well. Bummer about that beautiful Stilletto though.
I did see PTG's accident. Totally not his fault. The model just fell through a hole in the air and pancaked inverted. I could see him fighting the handle to make the turn. I thought maybe it was a control failure but it wasn't. Just dead air.

My Chipmunk was saved from certain disaster by the pull test in round one of Classic. Broke a line right at the wrap with only about 10 lbs of pull. Unfortunately, those were the only lines I brought and I used them on the Mustang too. David Fitzgerald saved my by loaning me a set to use for the day. It's hard to get a static zero handle setting and I flew that day with it off just a bit. Never felt comfortable with either model after that.

[Larry Wong]

Sorry to hear about Bob Duncans Loss Seams like some low life broke into his car and stoled both of his planes, check out Heman's site for a great video of meet and info on Bob's loss. 

[Brett Buck]

Phil Juarez apparently passed out while flying his Stilletto. I saw Phil walking on his own before we drove out, but his nice plane was rather battered by the experience. Phil had judged Intermediate (my competition) with Larry Fernandez for two rounds, and flown one round of Advanced, so I'm hoping it was heat related...tho that's serious enough. I'll look forward to reading about it in detail, and wish Phil a speedy recovery.

  Phil didn't pass out, he was just overcome by pain, and fell over (while his airplane was crashing). He had something go "pop" in his wrist during the overhead 8, and couldn't control the airplane any more. I was first on the scene, since I was judging.  There was a big lump that shouldn't be there on the side of his wrist where something had let go inside. He was up and around by the trophy ceremony, but while the wrist is definitely out of commission for a while I think he will be just fine.

     Brett

[Steve Helmick]

That's just plain weird...but very glad Phil's injury wasn't more serious. Not that 3 months off of flight duty is a good thing. Building will be pretty good therapy. Sanding maybe not...

I just looked in the "Contest Results" forum and didn't see the results for GSSC. Somebody please post pics of the scoreboards there!    Steve

[Brett Buck]

My Chipmunk was saved from certain disaster by the pull test in round one of Classic. Broke a line right at the wrap with only about 10 lbs of pull. Unfortunately, those were the only lines I brought and I used them on the Mustang too. David Fitzgerald saved my by loaning me a set to use for the day. It's hard to get a static zero handle setting and I flew that day with it off just a bit. Never felt comfortable with either model after that.

   Yeah, I thought something looked a little "off". The other day when Ted and I were judging in Advanced, you looked pretty solid (reflected by your winning) even with the engine a little jumpy. You never looked to locked in at Clovis. Of course, no one was going to beat the kid - he was in a different time zone!

    BTW, the reason you are doing so much better and getting ahead against the competition is that you are flying a reasonable *size*. Almost everybody in Advanced locally is flying GIGANTIC maneuvers. The little Mustang looks perfectly capable of flying Expert-level sizes.

       Brett

[Clint Ormosen]

       BTW, the reason you are doing so much better and getting ahead against the competition is that you are flying a reasonable *size*. Almost everybody in Advanced locally is flying GIGANTIC maneuvers. The little Mustang looks perfectly capable of flying Expert-level sizes.

       Brett

Thanks Brett. I'm doing my best. I still had a great time there in Clovis and I'll be back next year.

BTW, that "kid" is awesome! Kinda makes me want to break his flying hand.

[Brett Buck]

BTW, that "kid" is awesome! Kinda makes me want to break his flying hand.

   Be careful, he has the "reach" advantage by about a foot!

    It's really remarkable how much he improved since Golden State last year. He got a 487 from John Wright and I last year, this year Antone and I gave him a 544. I guess going to the W/C has a way of focusing your  concentration.

       Brett

[Mark Scarborough]

Hey has anyone posted complete standings? I sure would like to see how it all turned out since I couldnt make it

[John Miller]

I'm finally able to get back onto the board today.  Thanks for all the reports, it was a great weekend of contesting, and camaraderie. Meeting once again with good friends like these makes it all worth while.

I'm so glad to hear that Phil's injury wasn't much worse. I expect that he'll be building a great new plane in his off time.

I saw so much improvement in most of the pilots, but none so vivid as our young bean pole, Paul Ferril. (That's said with respect, he's just plain tall, and I, at 6'3" have to look up.)

It was great to see him coming along. I am impressed with the support he's received from all, but most importantly, from his dad. I'm also relieved that he's moving up to Expert..

The New Pathfinders, flown by Gordan, Jim Tichey, and myself, seem to have a great future as a stunt design. You had to see Jim's finish in person. He was overheard saying it was a hurry up finish. Wish mine could look so good.

I watched Brett fly his final flight. He was smiling every time he heard his cheer squad, Rachel, clapping for him.

I had a little problem with my van about 80 miles from home. It seems that I lost drive, and overdrive in my tranny, and limped home in second gear. I've expected something like this since I just turned 306 thousand miles on it.

Hear are some pictures of the score boards for your enjoyment.

[John Miller]

Here're some more pictures of some of the people and planes seen at Clovis.

[John Miller]

More from Clovis

[Steve Helmick]

I don't understand it, but I had some trouble enlarging some of the pics to proper size.  I got them to work by right clicking, then clicking "open link" at the top of the menu. Maybe related to the "crashed" notice that we got earlier today?

I had a real good time at Clovis. It was due, after the health problems I've had in the last year. Thanks for letting me launch your plane, Mr. Miller!        Apparently, some figured that if two heads were better than one, then two hats would be better, too? I can tell ya, it ain't so...but at least I got home with both hats...

What I really needed was night vision goggles and some toothpicks to prop my eyes open.    And I'm sorry your van broke, John. That's why I didn't buy a mushbox in my new-ish truck.  Steve