Putting the Scale back in Scale Aerobatics

[MattyMatt]

I'm in.

Scale Size?
then scale power...

then scale weight.

Minimum weight for a 40% Extra 300.... 555lbs.

So, yep.. all scale

Pitts Model 12? Minimum weight 900lbs!

Just think how light you'd be if you were 50% scale now! Lol.

 

[Kevin-Young]

This is a really interesting thread but my question would be where do you draw the line on scale? Are you looking for proportions only and using 3views, do airfoils get involved, is overall shape considered, etc... For a perfect example you an use our 3.2m Extra 300 ARF and our Pitts M12's.

The 3.2m Extra 300ARF is one of the only 40% extras out there that would be considered true to scale as far a proportions but even I will admit it is not the most scale looking Extra out there are far as some of the shape. Now on the other hand take the 41% Pitts M12 and that looks extremely scale but the nose is stretched just slightly to help with balance.

I personally feel there is a lot more too it then many may have considered and if you really want to push for "Scale" then there are a lot of events already out there for scale competition.

 

[quadracer]

Limiting throttle endpoints to produce "scale" power doesn't seem like it'll work well.. Most engines won't run smooth or reliably if limited to half of their full rpm range.

 

[tl3]

Seems to me that the purported end goal of this discussion already exists to a large degree in Scale competition. A shorter path to success may lie in creating a judged aerobatic flight portion in a Scale contest rather than to trying to create a scale category in IMAC.

 

[MattyMatt]

As I said before... The concept would have nothing to do with IMAC, for all the reasons everyone mentioned. No arguments from me.

The issue with most pure scale contests, is that they are dominated by warbirds, jets and early aircraft.

Not much in the world of really scale aerobatic airplanes, competing in aerobatics, as they should.

I have the pieces of the puzzle coming together, and you may like it or may not, but it will come.


BTW, Kevin, your 41% M12 kit as a base, would be great for what I have in mind.

 

[MattyMatt]

Personally I think it's hilarious that IMAC requires a pilot and panel, yet the planes are really far from scale.

It's like putting tits on me and calling me a hot woman! or calling a NASCAR cup car a street car. Lol


There is interest in what is coming and it's time for something new... I'm personally completely boored with the same old stuff.

 

[Bartman]

my personal opinion is that power outputs from gas engines are close enough across the spectrum of brands that displacement/wingspan/weight charts could be used to get the planes reasonably close to scale performance while also keeping it fair for everyone. maybe a certain 100cc will be more powerful than another but they won't be too far apart to make it completely unfair for everyone.

but i'm a democratic kind of guy, whatever the group deems fair and reasonable sounds good to me.

it definitely appeals to me to have scale aircraft trying to fly full scale routines while also being forced to manage a real-world relationship with gravity, momentum, and other aspects of energy management.

maybe we can do a demo at Joe Nall with a few planes set up to fly this way doing 2015 IAC known routines? Maybe a Decathlon doing Sportsman, a Pitts S1 (@Pistolera) doing Advanced, and a Pitts S1-11B (or some uninteresting monoplane if need be ) doing Unlimited???

 

[Bartman]

I have the pieces of the puzzle coming together, and you may like it or may not, but it will come.

if you can also keep it from being too dependent on who spends the most money that would be great!

 

[JerryHailey]

Personally I think it's hilarious that IMAC requires a pilot and panel, yet the planes are really far from scale.

It's like putting tits on me and calling me a hot woman! or calling a NASCAR cup car a street car. Lol


There is interest in what is coming and it's time for something new... I'm personally completely boored with the same old stuff.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with the pilot and panel comment. The pilot figure adds to the scale perception. Think about visitors that see an IMAC plane for the first time. I usually hear two things: "Wow that's a large airplane", and " Look, it even has a little man inside." I've never heard one visitor say that the fuse looked stretched out or the wing placement was not scale. The pilot and panel make it look like a real plane.

AND--- you had to throw off on NASCAR..LOL, but hey ,, You with Tits??? now that's funny, I don't care who you are.

 

[tl3]

AND--- you had to throw off on NASCAR..LOL, but hey ,, You with Tits??? now that's funny, I don't care who you are.

Thanks...once wasn't enough for that mental image....