This was a championship for the ages!  Wind, cold, rain, tough judges…you had to earn this one!  We will have a final wrap report of the 2009 National Championship over the next few days (along with more photos!)...but for now congrats to the winners…and a JOB WELL DONE to the 2009 Nats Team.  Hope everyone has a safe trip home and a great 4th of July weekend!!

Signing off for now!

Roy

The positions that all the pilots have been jockeying for the last three days are finally filled. Each class will carry 50% of the class into the finals tomorrow (rounded up where there were odd numbers in a class).  So check out the standings as released by the score team just moments ago (10:30 PM EDT).  Tomorrow looks like a busy and exciting day in Muncie.

A number of special awards were presented by President Don Hamilton at tonight’s banquet and we will be doing a report on all the recipients after the Nats.  In the meantime, congratulations to President’s Award winners – Mike Stoner, Phil Vance, and Tom Wheeler.  Special service awards were presented to Bruno Macedo and Kent Porter.

We should have more photos shortly…stay tuned!

Roy

The scoring team is on top of it today! We have this morning’s results ready to view. As soon as flying is completed and the final results are released (probably after the banquet tonight when they announce the cut), we will have them for you.

Roy 

The internet is proving to be second only to the wind in presenting a challenge for this year’s Nats.  Seems that the AMA site has WiFi access but cannot really handle the flood of laptops and smart phones trying to use it all at once.

Not to be defeated, the intrepid Scoring team dispatched Dave Langridge to AMA HQ with thumb drive in hand….and we now have a lot of new photos (via Mr. Don Hamilton) and mid-day updates for Day 2.

The Post Office has nothing on this group…neither wind, nor unreadable score sheets, nor slow internet…well you know the rest ! Go look at the pics in the gallery already and check out the scores!  More to be posted as they arrive!

Roy

Seems all systems are go and the contest is well underway according to Phil & crew.  The sound issues which were addressed at the pilot’s meeting appear to have been taken seriously with several pilots changing to 3 blades for the event. Only a single sound zero has been issued as of early afternoon.

At the end of flying today, check the list at the top of this page for links to the early standings and pilot score sheets.

Until then…

Roy

The 2009 AMA Scale Aerobatics National Championship is about to get things rolling with a 6 PM pilot’s meeting followed by a 6:45 PM Judge’s briefing.  After losing three judges due to last second medical issues, Don (Hamilton) is in full court press realigning the judging matrix for the event. 

Sorry for the delay in posting but it has been an involved 36 hours. April (my wife), Jerry Bullaboy (Nats Team member), Grover (best dog in the world), and myself left out Friday AM for the drive to Muncie. Pulling our camper up Fancy Gap on I-77 was the only thing on the worry radar.  We took our time and managed to roll into Muncie around 10 – 11 hours later. Tired but ready to set up camp and relax, we hurried through the trailer disconnect which resulted in a minor disaster of dropping the nose of the hitch to the ground.  Mark Jorgenson, having just experienced a similar incident, brought his expertise and his scissor jack to the party and we were back in business.  Finally we are all decked out with all the camping paraphernalia in the proper place and the situation well in hand.

Well folks…the RV’s are rolling toward Muncie.  My good friend Mr. Mike Chandley is on the road as we speak. Mike is the guy you will see show up for a typical weekend event on Wednesday to “get the lay of the land” and burn a “few” gallons in prep for the weekend. This formula must be working pretty well as he just keeps getting better.  Coming off a strong win in Intermediate at the Charlotte NC event, he looks like he is in top form for the Nats.  His passion for flying and IMAC is just incredible.

As one of the leaders of the well known and slightly underweight “Team Cholesterol” (famous in the SE and coming to an event near you!), Mike and his cohorts can be found at the center of the largest and happiest group of pilots you will ever see.  Because as much as Mike and the guys like to fly and compete, they enjoy helping everyone they see and the fellowship (and eating!) more.  Mike, thanks for reminding us it’s about people and friendship more than competition (but I am coming for you!!!)

Join me as we begin this 2009 Nats blog with the latest info on the event as it happens. As your trusty reporter, I will endeavor to find and report all the happenings in Muncie as the battle for the title of National Champion begins. In this first installment, a few neat things for first time visitors to AMA HQ and a few suggestions on how to get processed once you arrive. Details on which class is at which site, a couple of notes on the scoring, and the pre-event field availability are posted.