Where to start… This past Saturday I attended the NYCLST (New York Control Line Stunt Team) contest that is held each year at the famed and fabled Corona Park facility at Flushing Meadows in Queens New York. This club has kept alive the long standing traditions that this site has been known for for more than 50 years. I started going to contests and practice sessions at that site in 1969, flying with such legendary figures as Gene Schaffer, Bill Simons, Bob Lampione, Vic Macaluso, “Big Jim” Greenaway, Fred Miles, Andy Lee, Mike Rogers, and many more. It was the place where I received the lion’s share of my Stunt and competition schooling, and it is a place that I hold in high reverence to this day. And, everything the NYCLST group has done in recent years has only deepened that reverence.
A few years ago - when I was in a self-imposed semi-retirement -Joe Daly asked me if I would come out and serve as the contest director for one of his late summer contests. I gladly did that, and was a bit happy that I wasn’t flying that day as it was very cold, rainy and windy! But, the conditions did not dampen the contestant’s enthusiasm, and it was then that I realized that a new tradition had already been established at that site. A few years later, in 2020, I jumped into the fray and was very pleased to capture the Gene Schaffer Memorial Cup that is awarded to the Fly-Off winner. To even get a chance to fly for that prestigious award you have to first place in the top five in the Expert division. It was a very close battle between Joe Daly and myself for that year’s top placing. I was even more pleased to repeat that performance in 2021 and bring that very special cup home again. As many of you know, Gene Schaffer is one of my all-time heroes, and we spent a lot of days flying together on that very site. In fact I told Joe last year that I had cheated to win. He asked me, “How did you cheat?” I told him that Gene Schaffer’s spirit (ghost if you will…) was sitting on my shoulder coaching me through each pattern. That got a smile out of Joe…
This year was different for me. I have been experiencing some extremely bad back and leg pain that stems from a broken back and other injuries suffered throughout my life. Because of that I did not attend any other contests this year. I have been going to physical therapy and also a pain management specialist, and although things are not anywhere near perfect, I have had a bit of relief of late.
I really wanted to go and support Joe Daly and the rest of the NYCLST group at their contest, but really had no intention to take a plane to fly. When I found out that Dave Fitzgerald was going to attend this year’s contest I decided that pain or no pain I was going to attend, and I called and offered my services to Joe as a judge if they needed one. He told me that they did need a judge. Then I received an email from Dave Fitzgerald asking me if he could borrow my Crossfire to fly in the contest. I was very flattered that Dave would want my plane to fly!
I had been flying the Crossfire on the new FINS 40G 65# test line in a practice/test session and really liked the performance, but I thought that Dave might prefer the more traditional braided lines, so I switched it over to the Russian Kurenkov brass plated steel lines. It turned out that our neutral handle setting is exactly the same, so Dave was able to just pick up the handle and fly. After his practice flight he did ask if he could reduce the line spacing just bit, and I told him to do whatever he needed to to make the plane fit his style. In fact I told him to fly it liked he owned it. Dave moved the lines closer together, but he marked the position that I had used in a test flight so that I could return to that later. At that point I had no intention of flying in the contest. But, after I was assigned to judge the Intermediate and Advanced classes the old competitive juices kicked in. I asked Joe if I could enter and fly Expert and he enthusiastically said yes.
Dave flew the Crossfire like he had been practicing with it for weeks, and topped the scoring in the first round. He was then getting ready to put the handle line spacing back where I initially had it. I told him that I’d like to try it where he had it. He had only moved each line about 1/8-inch inward. Wow, what a difference! The Crossfire turned just as well as it had with the wider spacing, but now it had an even more pronounced “lock” after the corners. Dave opted to move the spacing even a bit closer for his second flight, but I stayed with the first adjustment as it fit me extremely well. Dave readjusted the handle after each of his flights to the setting I preferred. I felt that I flew as well as I was capable considering the layoff and the pain. For the record, Joe most deservedly won the Gene Schaffer Memorial Cup Fly-Off (for the fourth time!), with David a close second, and me in third. The hardest part was getting beat by someone flying my own plane…
Actually it was a pleasure to see David fly it that well, and he told me that he felt it was very well trimmed.
Okay, that’s out of the way. Now to the really good stuff: This was a very well attended contest as contests go these days on the East Coast. There were 11 in Expert, five in Advanced, and two in Intermediate. The results are posted in the Events section on this forum.
This is always one very well run contest, and the contestants go wanting for nothing (except maybe a shorter walk to a restroom…). The field was in perfect shape, and for me coming through the gate always takes me back to my youth there. Our old friend, Jose Modesto (whom I’ve known since we were both still wet behind the ears…) provided an extremely tasty and varied lunch for everyone present. The empanadas, spare ribs, BBQ chicken, salad , and rice and beans were a real treat! Thanks again Jose! And the contest management - headed up by Joe and Margaret Daly, along with their kids, Joe, Steven, Alex, and Erika did a perfect job throughout the day. A very special thanks here to Erika for being the score runner. She was always right on time.
I traveled to the contest with Tom Luciano (our current Advanced Nats Champ!) and Jim Vigani. I asked Tom to drive my Caravan that day because I hate driving in New York City, and Tom is a bonafide “combat driver.” So, thanks Tom for the courtesy! I also need to thank both Tom and Jim for being like mother hens in light of my leg and back problems. They wouldn’t let me carry anything heavy and watched out for my well being all day. They are great friends and brothers in Stunt.
There was a party at Joe and Margaret Daly’s home after the contest. The spread they put out was amazing, and the old East Coast “Stunt Stories” were once again related into the night. We all had the chance to visit Joe’s amazing shop and see the magnitude of his dedication to this sport. He’s serious! I think David really enjoyed himself in this environment also. A great day, and a great evening!
Now it’s a few days after the contest and I’ve had time to process everything that happened that day. I have not been able to go to any other contests this year, and I had made plans to attend the Nats with Joel Costantino. Those plans were shot down by my back and leg issues. So, being able to attend the NYCLST contest was like a Nats for me. I saw a lot of friends that I have not seen for a long while. I was especially pleased to see Neil Beekman in attendance as he is a link for me to the old days in Flushing Meadows, as is Jose Modesto. Flushing Meadows Corona park is most certainly my “Field of Dreams.” Thanks to all who made me feel welcome, and a special thanks to the Daly family for their hospitality. If you can make this contest next year, you’ll have a memory you will want to keep for a lifetime.
Bob Hunt
P.S. Almost forgot to congratulate Mike Ostella for receiving the Bob Lampione Concours award for his outstanding rendition of Lou Wolgast's Nostalgia 30 legal Corsair II. It's just gorgeous! - Bob
Topic: My NYCLST Gene Schaffer Memorial experience (Read 949 times)
