What is going through your mind?

[Paul Taylor]

When you fly the pattern what are you focused on?  Is there something you can share that will help someone learn the pattern?
I still have a few maneuvers to learn.

Thanks
Paul

[Randy Powell]

Paul,

Well, once you learn the pattern, the biggest challenge (it was for me, anyway) is to focus on what you are doing and not what comes next. I tend to tell folks I coach to stay with the plane. Focus on where you are, not where you are going. After a lot of flights, the order and moves sort of become ingrained. You don't really need to think about what's next because it's sort of in muscle memory. Now the challenge is to focus in the moment. Don't think about the next corner, think about where the plane is right now.

That probably isn't much help since you are still learning the pattern, but you'll get there.

[Bob Reeves]

Like Rand says once you have the pattern down and have flown it a million times you only think about flying the present trick as well as you can.

When I was learning the pattern I first made sure I could fly all the manovers in it. Then I made myself a little cheat sheet with the manovers and how many to fly. It was small enough to carry and see in my left hand. I would look at the cheat sheet while doing level laps between manovers to see what came next.  I also put a copy of the cheat sheet on the visor of my car and whenever I was driving I would think through the whole pattern. Worked for me..

[Mark Scarborough]

I can tell you what NOT to focus on,, there was a time,, ok so last year,, when every time I came to the outside loops I told myself, "dont fly into the ground,, " or something like that,, guess what,, you do what you think about,, yep, cant tell you,, ( wont tell you) how many times I chewed dirt thinking that way. its all about confidence,, 

[Randy Powell]

Mark, like most of us, did go through his groundhog phase (thankfully, largely over now). Painful to watch since we all remember what that was like when we did it.

[Shultzie]

Well, once you learn the pattern, the biggest challenge (it was for me, anyway) is to focus on what you are doing and not what comes next. I tend to tell folks I coach to stay with the plane. Focus on where you are, not where you are going. YES! Randy....
I was given that same GOLDEN TIP via a late night phone call to Bob Gialdini that helped at least 10 fold-n-maybe more.

After a lot of flights, the order and moves sort of become ingrained. You don't really need to think about what's next because it's sort of in muscle memory. Now the challenge is to focus in the moment. Don't think about the next corner, think about where the plane is right now.

That being said...another tip from Gialdini that not only helped me fly a better pattern but also made a lot of sense.
Was to try and keep your head AS STILL AS POSSIBLE..(moving only your eyeballs, trace that model onto that blank sky background...just like a kindergarden kid drawing on a sheet of school room SKETCH PAD PAPER with a CRAYON.
The only difference is that your CRAYON is the stunt ship of yours out there on the end of the lines....
while at the same time you are trying like hell in a hand basket to concentrate in keeping that CRAYON (your stunt model) doing the task of trying or attempting  to trace that pattern you are flying onto that sky background... (SKETCHPAD PAPER)

Basically in that handbasket...NEVER PRACTICE WITHOUT A GOAL IN MIND!
Everything about stunt flying is about learning and training good habits...and PRAY LIKE HELL...that you are not just practicing BAD HABITS. (Humm? That even makes one feel just how important a good and honest coach with a keen eye could help...HUH?

TEACH YOUR EARS AND HAIRS...and that all important BRAIN of yours  THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND until it become a literally like a body funtion like breathing or a heart beat...

 LEARN TO KEEP YOUR HEAD STILL while only your demented eye-balls focus tracing that model out there on the end of the lines...to draw that perfectly shaped figure 8 or whatever onto that canvas sky background.

TUNING THOSE ENGINE RUNS...AND TRIMMING THAT MODEL. and last and far from least ITEMS THAT OFTEN IS STILL SADLY OVER LOOKED...is to DO A FINAL GROUND PRE-FLIGHT CHECK
  (one that I still haven't mastered?)
 SUCH AS:
Tightness of Lugs nuts, props and spinners, mufflers,  hatch and cowling hold downs, adjustable leadouts, lines, line clips..HANDLE ADJUSTMENT etc etc etc...

Take all this drivil with that last drip of last night's MAC N JACK...that ol' Crash n' burn Shultzie is perhaps the LAST ONE ON EARTH..that should make anykinds of suggestions.
FACT!
My old Super Chip would still be in one piece...if I had followed my own advice and made those all important pre-flight checks....
Hummm?? Hard to blame this on long term memory loss or even short term...the results still is the same.
better safe than sad n sorry!!!

That probably isn't much help since you are still learning the pattern, but you'll get there.

[Louis Rankin]

I usually tend to focus on whatever commotion is going on outside the circle.  Loud talk, sudden movements, laughing (which I am convinced is about me) is usually what I concentrate on.

Last year at the St. Louis contest Crist Rigotti was my pit man for my second offical flight.  Just about the time I was about to do my clover I heard him yelling and observed him jumping up and down trying to get my attention.  WTF I thought, and then some kid's model rocket drifted into the circle and landed a few feet away from me.  I finished the flight and earned a fairly decent score.  Looking back though, I wonder if a foul should have been called.  Damn kids and their toy rockets!

[Shultzie]

Damned ol m n~en and their toy airplanes?
just razzin'

[Shultzie]

Once at Aerospace...
I had my old Avenger chased by a large JUNK YARD DEAF N DUMB ROTTENWEILER' DOGGIE!
I flew to the top of the circle..while his owner ran over and put the leach on him...dragging that snarling lap dog back to his car.
I was flying alone with a stoogie...by the time my engine quit, the spectator and his sweet little lap dog had left the Boeing Parking lot.

Moral of the story...Hummm? Never fly alone? NAAAA!

[James Mills]

Paul,

I try and focus on the maneuver at hand but my biggest challenge is not mulling over the one before if I screwed it up.

James

[Mark Scarborough]

Speaking of,,
shultzie,, yo got that chipper monkey repaired yet? Portland is only two weeks away,, and your going to look silly standing in the middle of the circle making engine noises twirling around with just a handle!  Noot to mention your scores will probably suffer!

[Howard Rush]

Ideally, I'm thinking about what I've been doing wrong with that maneuver and what I'm supposed to do to correct it.  I usually think about trim and engine run.

Thanks for reminding me to practice with purpose.  I went out Sunday and just flew, although I did learn some stuff. 

[Leo Mehl]

I think consentration is probably the most important thing to remember. It is easy to get bored with a long  manuouver like the square 8 and the fourleaf clover. I have seen this happen with a lot of beginners that know how to do them but dont't consentrate on the whole manuouver. I have seen this a lot and then sometimes you can get yourself into a sort of uforia where you completly forget what you are doing. I have don this on some patterns where I think to myself, this plane is really flying in the grove good and completly forget how many laps you have flown. I have even done this driving where i dodn't even remember which way I went home. Bad stuff so concentrate and stay in the manuouver till you have copmpleted it.

[James C. Johnson]

It is easy to get bored with a long  manuouver like the square 8 and the fourleaf clover.

Bored Leo... !!!  I think my heart is beating 170 when I do the square eight...  I'll never forget the first time I "managed" a 4 leaf clover... it reminded me of when I was a spring board diver in College.. fear had me in it's grip.. I knew I could do the dive.. but I was afraid of hitting the water hard.. I had done that before.. I struggled and struggled with a 1 and 1/2 with a full twist.. it felt unnatural.. then in one moment, I did it and it was like the coolest thing.. I did it over and over and pretty soon I loved the way it felt to complete that dive.. there were "parts" of it just like in stunt..entry.... manuver... exit.. there was rhythm... everything has rhythm.

For me there are two things when doing the pattern .. one is doing the maneuvers and the other is making them "flow" together like a piece of music.. the maneuvers are just "notes on the lines" and the Pattern is the song..

Jim

[John Miller]

None other than "Little Bobbie", the one with his little buddy Billy, gave me some really good advice at VSC. I'd never heard it before. I'll share it with you 'cause when I tried it, it worked.

Notice Mr. Hunt when he's flying and you'll discover that he's talking to himself. yep, he really does this. Some one taught him to do this.

What he's doing is verbalizing his next manuever, and talking himself through each part of the manuever. Claims that verbalizing helps to concentrate, and cement, your goal in mind better than thinking it.

Sounds crazy, but I tried it, and picked up20 points over my previous flight.

Crazy?? Maybe, but the good kind.

[Mark Scarborough]

hmmmm
crazy + John Miller,,, = good kind?

[FLOYD CARTER]

It's awfully hard to concentrate on the maneuvers when your fingers and ears are cold and numb.  Some flyers ignore the weather and fly on really cold and miserable days.  Not me.  I can learn a whole lot more if I'm physically comfortable, and not shivering or wiping the raindrops from my glasses.

Floyd in OR

Oregon state motto: "Sunshine?  We don' need no steenkin' sunshine."

[Shultzie]

It's awfully hard to concentrate on the maneuvers when your fingers and ears are cold and numb.  Some flyers ignore the weather and fly on really cold and miserable days.  Not me.  I can learn a whole lot more if I'm physically comfortable, and not shivering or wiping the raindrops from my glasses.

Floyd in OR

Oregon state motto: "Sunshine?  We don' need no steenkin' sunshine."

Good point....PRACTICING MISTAKES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN...has always been my Nemisususususususususuususususususususususuusususuusususuusususususu!!

[Mike Keville]

Wind direction!  Where will I place the next maneuver?  Bias?  Straight downwind?

Actually, while flying the pattern --- which is usually Old Time (and not all that often these days), I'm thinking much the same as Alan Shepherd did prior to liftoff on America's first space shot when he didn't realize his mic was live:
"Dear God, please don't let me f### this up!"

Sometimes I'm also wondering if I can con Sizemore into bringing me a Quarter-Pounder w/Cheese.

[john e. holliday]

One of my dear departed friends, Rusty Brown, told after the messed up flight with the Staggerwing, Talk to yourself or sing the pattern".  Sometimes I remember to do it, sometimes I don't.  Have fun,  DOC Holliday

[Jim Kraft]

If you asked people who were watching me fly, they would probably say, " not much".

[Harleyman]

When you fly the pattern what are you focused on? 

After each stunt, I have a hard time remembering what comes next.   

[Russell Shaffer]

I can't fly it, and my big thought is "KEEP IT OUT OF THE DIRT!!!"

[RC Storick]

the same as Alan Shepherd did prior to liftoff on America's first space shot when he didn't realize his mic was live:
"Dear God, please don't let me f### this up!"

May 5, 1961 and on July 20, 1969, Commander Neil Armstrong became the first man on the moon. Less than 9 years, What a accomplishment!

I remember it well it was a Sunday and we were in the back yard listing to the radio and trying to start a new McCoy 35 When they landed on the moon time was around 1 PM PST. Man how time fly's just like it was yesterday. After checking no game that day. Oh heck whats 40 years?

[Will Davis]

One helpful hint to remembering the pattern and what maneuver comes next is to memorize  the maneuvers in pairs , only 1/2 the pairs to remember . Seemed to help me when I was learning and still use it today

Inside loops ( Inverted) +outside loops ,inside squares +outside squares,  (Triangle ), Horizonal 8 +square 8 , verticle 8 + Hourglass , Overhead 8  +cloverleaf . Only oddball is the triangle

Will

[Jim Thomerson]

I talk outloud, not to myself, but to the airplane.  I try to keep it flying in the present and anticipating the near future.  I never say anything to the airplane about a past maneuver unless a word of praise is indicated.  The engine has to be running right to compete or practice effectively.  Ideally, I don't hear the engine while flying.  It is out there doing its thing.  It is of no concern to me, so I pay it no attention. 

[Jim Kraft]

The hard part for me is going from old time to PA and vice versa. I sometimes do 4 inside loops in PA, and then do this really cool reverse S turn to inverted, just as my brain kicks in on the back side of the fourth loop. I haven't done that really neat straight in dive with the little squiggle just before, as I am trying to decide which way to go on the wingover. Well! not for a while anyway.

[Randy Ryan]

This may sound weird, but I try to mentally project the model out on long LLOONNGG lines, this for some reason slows it down for me and I am able to fly much more precisely. I discovered this by accident, but have tried to employ it and it works for me, go figger.

[afml]

May 5, 1961 and on July 20, 1969, Commander Neil Armstrong became the first man on the moon. Less than 9 years, What a accomplishment!

I remember it well it was a Sunday and ..................

Oh Sparky! What a flood of memories! I was at the Nats at Willow Grove and saw the flight from the Motel room TV. To be at the Nats and to see man on the moon! What a rush!!! After the Nats, the Navy flew all us Regional Champs to Pennsacola, Fla on a C-118. Hail storms are LOUD on one of those birds! And yes, the first one to ask what the paper bags were for were the first to use them! LOL!!!   

I could go on & on....... Thanks for the memories! 

"Tight lines!"

Wes

[Jim Pollock]

Well....

It's been a while since I've flown, so, I guess that I should re-learn where the ground isn't!

Jim Pollock

[Mike Keville]

Seriously . . . notwithstanding my admonition, above, to constantly be aware of the wind direction (which is important), DO recite the pattern out loud to yourself.....especially counting the number of Loops or whatever.

Case in point, 1988 Golden State Stunt Championships:

Having been asked to fly the judges' warm-up flight in Old Time, I was feeling pretty confidant since I'd nailed it.  Then came the Official.

Absolutely full of myself because of a "right on" warm-up demonstration, off we went.  Bang!  Nailed the Climb and Dive.  Bang!  Nailed the Wingover.  Bang!.....uh, ooops....flew FOUR Inside Loops rather than the required 5.

(The original post was much longer than this, but somehow it disappeared.  You get the drift.  TALK to yourself out loud.  COUNT!

[Leo Mehl]

Seriously . . . notwithstanding my admonition, above, to constantly be aware of the wind direction (which is important), DO recite the pattern out loud to yourself.....especially counting the number of Loops or whatever.

Case in point, 1988 Golden State Stunt Championships:

Having been asked to fly the judges' warm-up flight in Old Time, I was feeling pretty confidant since I'd nailed it.  Then came the Official.

Absolutely full of myself because of a "right on" warm-up demonstration, off we went.  Bang!  Nailed the Climb and Dive.  Bang!  Nailed the Wingover.  Bang!.....uh, ooops....flew FOUR Inside Loops rather than the required 5.

(The original post was much longer than this, but somehow it disappeared.  You get the drift.  TALK to yourself out loud.  COUNT!

Ya I forgot you oldtime flyers have to learn to count to five. After sixty that can become a chore

[Larry Cunningham]

When I first managed a pattern, it came with a simple epiphany: all the maneuvers
are just a series of simple moves, and (with a decent stunt ship) flying them is a matter
of pushing the nose to a flight path. By that time, I knew the maneuver sequence.
So what I was thinking about was pushing the nose.

I never flew the pattern well, and haven't flown at all for about seven years, would like to
do it again, of course. Several of the latter times I flew were at Tucson, and there I tend
to think and worry about the wind effects. The spirits of several of my ships (and
engines) still haunt Cholla Chopper circles.

When I do fly again, I'll need to think about the maneuver sequence again. Either
that, or a moonlit night with my high school sweetheart, her beautiful eyes, and soft
sighs.

L.

"I could tell that my parents hated me. My bath toys were a toaster and a radio." -Rodney Dangerfield

[Mark Scarborough]

Leo,
since you fly backwards, does that mean you have to count backwards too?

[Leo Mehl]

Leo,
since you fly backwards, does that mean you have to count backwards too?

Hey Mark, that's a good idea and probably the way to do it when doing inverted laps, i'm going to give it a try. Thanks buddy

[Matt Colan]

when I was learning the pattern, I was told not to fly with instinct because that could get me into trouble, but think about what I am doing.  I think this has helped me.

What goes through my mind,  I really have no idea.  I do know I count everything I do, my inverted laps etc.  Gene Martine told me to count my squares in a rythm that way you will get the same length for each leg, and you will end up at a 5 foot bottom, as long as you started there.  I just have to make this a habit now, and my squares will be great.

[Howard Rush]

When I was your age, girls went through my mind.  Such a unit near the circle was such a distraction that I couldn't fly stunt at all.  I had to wait until I got old.  They're still a distraction, but my eyesight is bad enough that I don't see them. 

[Steve Helmick]

"When I was your age, girls went through my mind.  Such a unit near the circle was such a distraction that I couldn't fly stunt at all.  I had to wait until I got old.  They're still a distraction, but my eyesight is bad enough that I don't see them.  Howard"



What a Crock*! I have proof...see the picture attached.  Steve

* To quote from the Legendary R.F. Stevenson, Skyraider's founder and guru.

[Steve Helmick]

Believe me, I talk to myself! It takes me at least a lap to recover from the berating for the previous maneuver, and the next lap to remember the next maneuver. I usually forget the horizontal 8 and go from the triangles into the square 8. It's more logical. All the round stuff should be followed by all the triangle stuff and then the square stuff. Hey, let's change the rules!  Steve

[Randy Ryan]

When I was your age, girls went through my mind.  Such a unit near the circle was such a distraction that I couldn't fly stunt at all.  I had to wait until I got old.  They're still a distraction, but my eyesight is bad enough that I don't see them. 

Howard,

You and I have allot in common, I flew a Shoestring straight into the ground distracted by a cutie in cutoffs one day, then I could hardly walk, I'm sure you understand.

[john e. holliday]

Well, when I was much younger after a contest at Swope Park on the way home I was chewed out by mother about why I didn't pay attention to Tommy Cooper's sister.  I looked at her and replied I didn't know he had a sister.  I really got it then.  But, when you fly Navy Carrier, Rat Racing, Combat and Balloon Bust as well as helping other competitors who has time to look at girls!  Things changed a few years later.  Having fun, DOC Holliday

[Matt Colan]

When I was your age, girls went through my mind.  Such a unit near the circle was such a distraction that I couldn't fly stunt at all.  I had to wait until I got old.  They're still a distraction, but my eyesight is bad enough that I don't see them. 

Every contest I have been to, there have been no girls there, besides tabulators of the guy's wives.  There are also no girls where I fly besides my mother so I can't say I have that problem of trying to impress them...yet.

[Mark Scarborough]

Hey Matt,
dont come to any northwest contest, my stepdaughter is learning to fly the pattern, and she is kinda cute too,, 

[Matt Colan]

Grace Paris and I have been emailing each other back and forth for a while now.

[Mark Scarborough]

Grace and Jessica emailed a bit too, alas, Jessica is totally immersed in Softball now for the next couple months so airplanes arent so important till then. Shes a pitcher,, however, her and I have an article in the new issue of CLW 

[Zuriel Armstrong]

Paul,

I did actually fly yesterday after you called.  I find this a funny topic since on my second flight I was really distracted.  We live a few miles away from Little Rock AFB and there are always C-130's flying around.  While doing the vertical eight's, this C-130 seemed to loiter above my head forever.  It took all the restraint I could muster to keep from watching it or trying to tell what model or squadron it was from.  Aren't we always suposed to look up when we hear an airplane overhead

[Howard Rush]

With some of us, it's chicks.  With others, it's airplanes.  For many of us, it's both.  It's hard to focus on flying stunt.

[Matt Colan]

Grace and Jessica emailed a bit too, alas, Jessica is totally immersed in Softball now for the next couple months so airplanes arent so important till then. Shes a pitcher,, however, her and I have an article in the new issue of CLW 

I play baseball.  Actually when I think about it, I find it hard to concentrate on school, baseball, and flying but I find a way.  My school work isn't affected by baseball or flying (3.5 GPA).  I fly basically on the weekends, weather permiting and baseball is during the week.

Oh I am also a pitcher, and I play in the outfield.  What article did you and her right?  I may find out tomorrow if my grandfather got CLW.

With some of us, it's chicks.  With others, it's airplanes.  For many of us, it's both.  It's hard to focus on flying stunt.

It's easy Howard when there are no girls in your near area, where you fly.  School is a different story however 

[Paul Taylor]

Matt,
I just want to learn to build as good as you.

You got it going on.

[Mark Scarborough]

Matt,
we collaberated on a photo essay on wrapping leadouts. she did the pictures and I did the text. It was a fun project to work with her on, we both got a kick out of seeing it in print