Pattern "flow"

[steven yampolsky]

I've watched a lot of patterns recently by pilots of various skill levels. What I noticed is that top 20 guys have their pattern kinda "flow" while other's patterns looks disjointed. It looks like a collection of maneuvers, not a single "continuous" flow of maneuvers. This has been bugging me now for two weeks now. What is it that makes a pattern look "put together"?

[linheart smith]

Steve,

For me it's how they hit their pattern altitude (about 4 feet) from TO and always FLOW back to that exact altitude.

Linheart

 

[Paul Walker]

I consider the entire pattern as ONE maneuver. No wasted wiggles or deviations from the end of one maneuver to the beginning of the next. I"pick" a plan before the pattern begins and stick with it throughout the entire pattern. For example, tighter corners are in every maneuver that requires it, not just the ones "easy" to do harder. Or I choose to focus on intersections, or smoothness, etc.

Now that's easy to say, and I was pretty good at it all week, except for my first flight on Friday. For some reason, my head wasn't in it and at about the SE I asked myself what the plan was, and couldn't remember. This was occurring as I was making a critical flight, unfortunately. I found the focus on the second flight and scored well. That flight had a plan and I stuck with it all the way. No wasted moves!

[peabody]

I, on the other hand, feel that CLPA is a series of maneuvers, and that each maneuver should be judged separately, and ONLY the maneuver....
If you're watching the flier's ballet while judging, you're doing it wrong.

[Doug Moon]

I think as a judge it is a series a maneuvers and that is how you score it.  But as a flier if you want the scores to be up there and consistant then it is best entered as one solid maneuver.  This helps keep the concentration level at its highest for the entire flight.

Like Paul I feel the whole thing starts when I walk onto the circle with my plane. Bob G told me once a very long time ago at one of my first nats, "Walk out there like you own the circle. Hold your plane where 'they' can see it. Leave the circle the same way." He was saying in so few words that the whole presentation from beginning to end really helps cement that you know what you are doing. No none of that stuff is judged but it helps you the flier to have confidence and it will show in your flying.

There are a few of things right off the bat that will trigger a flow like feel. Good solid command of one's equipment. The plane is never ahead of the flier causing a serious bounce or wiggle. There is never a moment "off" once the signal is given. That means level laps between maneuvers are dead on level flight. I see so many fliers who fly 8-10' between maneuvers then try to fly down to 5' during the maneuver. The best practice for getting your bottoms to 5' is flying there as often as possible. Between maneuvers especially and it will start to show you when you miss exits and bottoms. Another item is flying all of the maneuvers in the same spot, or pretty darn close to it if you can. We know the winds move us around some and we all bias a little even if we don't mean too. But putting all of the maneuvers right in the same "sweet spot" at the same speed with the same corners with pronounced entry and exit with the laps between at 5' with no deviation will give a good solid flow to ones pattern. At least that's what I think.

[peabody]

Doug....I hold that flying and judging are two entirely different deals....I think a top flier gets "into a groove".
But a judge should judge only the maneuvers as presented.

I think that that where conflicts between spectators and posted scores frequently occurs.............watching a flight from any place but the judge
s perspective and watching the flier do a "ballet" with the aeroplane (Bill Werwage is a master at this) and oohing and ahhing has many spectators saying to a flier "you were robbed".....

Have fun!

[SteveMoon]

I also agree that as a judge each maneuver is judged separately on its own merit. As a competitor the pattern should flow as if it is one continuous maneuver from beginning to end. From takeoff to landing the entire should have a continuous, steady and smooth flow. I don't even want the judges to notice what is happening between maneuvers. I try to keep my plane at the same altitude for the level laps between maneuvers and then attempt to make the bottoms on each maneuver at that same altitude. I also don't do ANYTHING after the clover. Bob G told Doug and I years ago that when you finish the pattern there is no need to show the judges anything else; just fly level and then land.

I have thought for several years that it might be beneficial to add an 'Overall Impression' as a part of the score; say from 1 - 20 points. This, of course, would be a subjective score given by the judges, and I don't think there would be a way to quantify this score per any rulebook guidelines. This is just something I think would be interesting.

Later, Steve

[Jim Morris]

I believe flying in an "overall" pattern helps the flyer more than anything. If some part of the pattern that is flown looks like crap,that could cause a ripple in the rest of the pattern. Goes back to the fact always fly everything like it is being judged. Also if you screw up dont focus on the screw up,brush it off and fly harder for the rest.

[Ted Fancher]

I ripped off this post from another thread because it sort of fits the subject matter.


We can take a lesson from ballet.  One can only admire the grace and precision of the pirouettes, gran jetes (sp), spins, etc. presented by prima ballerinas. Their "tricks" are magnificent and inspire goose bumps.

Also worth noting, however, is that you never see the ballerina perform one of those dazzling feats, then clump down on her heels and walk off the stage like a stage hand changing sets.  Nope, her entrances and exits are as polished and precise as her "tricks," she is never "out of character."

All of our great stunt fliers do the following but it was Bob Whitely who first made it obvious to me when we started to compete against one another back in the late '60s and '70s.  From the time Bob entered the circle until he left it (usually with a "take that one!" look about him) he was completely in character and every nuance of the flight was as polished and obviously rehearsed as the toughest tricks.  When he exited a trick he would always do it with a precise descent to level flight which was as polished as the takeoff and inverted flight "tricks," just like the ballerina.  Never is a lazy or relaxed moment betrayed by the flight of the airplane.

That lesson never left me and reprising Bob's expertise at it was part of my plan for every competition flight I've flown since Bob, unbeknownst to him, taught it to me.

Be prepared.  Be as good as you can be (see my earlier comments about sizes and corners).  Be "in character" from beginning to end.

Ted

p.s. One last thought that I always include in my seminars.  Concern yourself only with things you can control and never point fingers at others for outcomes less glowing than you had hoped.  It's your job to fly and the people that do everything else to allow you to do so are all volunteers working in your behalf.  Always give them the benefit of the doubt and respect that they are doing their job the very best they can at generally thankless tasks.  (yes, that includes the curmudgeonly characters with the pens, scowls and score sheets) Take the pats on the back and the lumps of coal with equal good grace.

[dale gleason]

Flight examiners in the past, I assume it's still true today, (I hope) ...used a simple criterion for judging a "pass" or "fail" which boiled down to answering a simple question, "Was the outcome of the maneuver ever in doubt?"

I like to see the maneuver/s flown right in the places where I expect it/they should be. There's a maneuver to be accomplished,  and by golly, the airplane does it. With aplomb. Departing that maneuver, it can be seen that the airplane is on a determined  path to the next one, as though it's eager to show off its abilities. That direct, all business route to the next trick is level and five feet, no disruptions. One can tell a lot about what is going to happen just by the "set up", such as the climb to altitude for the 'clover.

Rather simplistic for a full scale check ride, not so easy for a model airplane pattern.

(Will someone please print this up and hand it to me before my next official flight?    dg)

[Doug Moon]

I thought about this some more...

As pilots when we think of it as one long maneuver it helps us to stay focused and takes us out of practice mode where we are working on an exit or intersection etc.

I know I coach myself between each maneuver for the next one coming up. If I flew electric the judges would hear the mistakes I was going to make as I call them out about the upcoming maneuver to myself to keep me on my toes.  It also makes me forget about the past maneuver.  I am flying them one at a time, but all the while very conscience of what is going on between maneuvers to make sure nothing interupts the flow of my pattern. 

BUT as we progress through our stunting careers and we start to get better and better all of the maneuvers begin to be of the SAME level of precision.  I think this is what stands out in front the judges.  The scoring range for the flight narrows as the maneuvers all start to be of the same level of precision and this can give the feel of a flow from maneuver to maneuver.  I think this is what Steve noticed without knowing that was what he was noticing.

[Jorge de Azevedo]

Harmony! Only achieved with continued practice of good quality. All practicing enough, are exhibited in a harmonic way. Impossible to simulate harmony unnoticed.