Your Flying Buddies

[Zuriel Armstrong]

While reading Paul's thread on handles, I read Mr Fancher's post with interest.

"At our local flying sessions David Fitz, Brett Buck and I can routinely pick up one of the other guys' airplane and handle and fly it pretty much like we fly our own.  All use unbiased hard point handles with a vertical handle at neutral and--not coincidentally, IMHO--have eleven Walker Cups, multiple US Team memberships and one World Championship among them."

I personally fly with a non-biased handle.  I have flown both and much prefer this handle.  What I found interesting is the fact that each of our groups we fly with tends to have certain traits or flying styles.  Look at the group Ted flys with.  Each of them feeds off the other and they all fly similar or the same.  The same is true of my group I fly with.  The difference is we are Advanced flyers and have yet to elevate our skills to the highest levels. 

I read everything the group above posts and try to apply it to my own flying.  Sometimes with success and other times not.  The difference is, I do not have them there to tell me "that's right" or "No-No-No" .  Sometimes the group I fly with does not subscribe to whatever changes or recommendations I am trying too.

Brett wrote recently that he reveals all of the secrets but nobody seems to listen.  Some of us do, but when we still have questions, the answers are a little more difficult to work through.  I for one am grateful you guys do share what you do.  The internet is great to a point, but sometimes we need hands on coaching or mentoring for some of the applications to stick.

[Paul Taylor]

Hey Zuriel,
Your one of my go to guys!

You just need to come over more and hang out with Lou and Jim.

Jim has a plan to help all of us get better this year. 

[Randy Powell]

I flew for years with Pat Johnston. I could pick up the handle to one of his planes and fly it as if it was my own. This was largely because we tended to set up our planes the same and used the same kind of handle (in our case, a tilted forward grip). Depends on what you are used to. and it was pretty cool to have someone right there that knew all the mistakes I tended to make and point them out between flights.

[john e. holliday]

I have about a half dozen handes I use in my stash.  I even experimented one day with my favorite which is a Big-D handle Richard Byron talked me into trying on the Dragon.  Needless to say I bought it.  After a couple of patterns to get warmed up I switched to my Fancher Handle.  There was a difference as it seemed I had better controlability of the plane.  But, really I am watching the plane fly and try to control it accordingly.  By the way I do try to correct things when Jim Lee tels me about them.  I just wish he would laugh so much when I mess up.     

[Brett Buck]

Brett wrote recently that he reveals all of the secrets but nobody seems to listen.  Some of us do, but when we still have questions, the answers are a little more difficult to work through.  I for one am grateful you guys do share what you do.  The internet is great to a point, but sometimes we need hands on coaching or mentoring for some of the applications to stick.

    There's no doubt that internet discussions are not nearly as good as in-person. But it's an awfully big country. If there is ever anything that I say that is not clear please let me know. The usual comment I get is that I really overdo it, rather than leaving the proof to the reader.

     BTW, the types of guys that I was referring to not listening include a fair number of competitive fliers, not just guys still working on it. There are a few good examples from even the last few days.
   
    Brett

[Bill Little]

hi Zuriel,

well this has ALMOST turned into another HANDLE DISCUSSION!   Can't win for losing, right?  Sometimes the meaning of the post is over looked (maybe MOST of the time? )!

I have neither taken the time, nor been able to due to my own life experiences, to fly as much as it takes to compete with the big boys.  So don't go apologizing for your flying skill level.   With basic motor skills, anyone can be come very good, it DOES take many gallons of fuel to get there. 

So, I agree with your intended purpose for posting as I see it:  The Big Boys are more than willing to help us if we ask.  Am I close?

By the way, I know pretty well all the American World Champions, except one.  I don't know David Fitzgerald well.  I also personally know a ton of the living Walker Trophy winners.  I say that, to say this:  All have been great to me, regardless of the fact that I can't fly worth a lick compared to them.  I can, and have, spoken to them on numerous occasions in person and on the phone.  Some I talk to more than others!   And without exception, they all have been more than polite in answering my questions, and often even talking about things that have nothing to do with CLPA!  I have been very fortunate.

WE are ALL fortunate that these guys do not live in "Ivory Towers", not communicating with the serfs.........

Bill

[John Stiles]

You can come down here and fly anytime you want Zuriel....maybe you can teach me a thing or three. 

[Zuriel Armstrong]

Brett and Bill,

Thanks for the responses.  Bill...you are correct.  The problem with the internet is sifting through the internet experts and the flying experts. 

Brett...I was making a broad stroke of the brush and my post was not a criticism of anyone, just that the respective level of expertise will vary with your flying groups.  I am fortunate enough to fly with some real talented builders and flyers.  I think if I could fly with your particular group, and listen to the advice, I could improve dramatically.  But like Bill, I do not fly enough to complain about my current level of flying.

Zuriel

[Zuriel Armstrong]

You can come down here and fly anytime you want Zuriel....maybe you can teach me a thing or three. 

John,

I've got to take you up on that sometime soon.

Zuriel

[Dennis Moritz]

My friends and I are stubborn even recalcitrant. Often takes years for excellent advice to be tried out. The exchange of vehement opinions is ongoing and intense. Same as the laughter.

[Brett Buck]

Brett...I was making a broad stroke of the brush and my post was not a criticism of anyone, just that the respective level of expertise will vary with your flying groups.

   Oh, I didn't assume it was personally directed at me. I merely point out that if there ever is any sort of misunderstanding, at least I will drone one endlessly about any topic you might be interested in.

    Brett

[Dennis Moritz]

Flying buddies add immeasurably to this hobby. IMHO. Even when the fliers are of bellow Expert level, the group can be an asset to improving skills. The communication, camaraderie and fellowship all seem to help. Thinking about it. The Philly Fliers had only one or two Expert level fliers when I first hooked up with them 7 or 8 years ago. Now we have five or six (maybe more). Folks like myself have progressed from unable to loop, to crash a lot, to Intermediate and Advanced. Even our Expert fliers have gotten better. Do we follow a systematic regimen? Do we have regularly critique sessions? Do we even aspire with a quasi professional zeal and attitude? No to the three previous questions. Something about having a good time with friends and loving the hobby leads to flying and building better. Many of us would think that a secondary, not a primary, aspect of our fun.