Here we are less than a week before the beginning of the 2009 AMA Scale Aerobatic National Championship and the exodus to the large 500 acre site in the middle of Indiana has begun. If you have never been to the AMA site in Muncie, add it to your personal “bucket list” right now. Not only is the site incredible but there are plenty of things to do and see including the don’t miss AMA National Aero-modeling Museum.  As usual for Scale Aerobatics, our focus is on Site 3 and Site 4 (download a sitemap –PDF)

I am writing this blog with the intention of keeping everyone up to date on the daily happenings when the contest kicks off on Monday (6/29).  I will be posting the daily standings as well as the individual score sheets for that day in this blog.  We will also keep you in the loop with a ton of photos.  The goal is a posting every day (maybe more than one…who knows!) with all the info we can uncover.

As of 6/22 per Event Director Phil Vance, we have 72 pilots registered (see list at bottom).  If this is your first Nats, let me suggest that you print a copy of the sitemap and locate Nats HQ on the map (it is back by Site 3)…this is where you go to check in and pick up your Nats package when you arrive.  If you are flying intermediate or unlimited, you will be flying on Site 3.  Advanced and Sportsman are on Site 4.

Be aware that there are other events going on at the site on Saturday and Sunday. As it stands currently, we will not have any practice flying on Saturday on either site and have Sunday available on Site 4 (2.4 only until after 1 PM as we have no Freq Control in place on 72 mHz). Evidently one part of the AMA HQ staff wasn’t talking to the Nat’s HQ staff and events were scheduled too closely. Phil and the AMA Nat’s team tried very hard for several months to get this changed but were unable to reach a resolution. Next year we are assured this will not happen again.

The plan is to fly the following schedule:

The cut (50%) will be announced at the banquet.  Speaking of the banquet…the Wednesday night banquet is a DON’T MISS affair! Not only is the food always great, you will be able to put names to faces from around the country. 

Unfortunately, on a personal note, I am unable to fly in this year’s event due to an accident at the local field in which my left leg and the prop on my plane crossed paths. After 4 surgeries and a few weeks in the hospital, I am doing much better but moving a bit slower.  My point is that up until that accident and for over 15 years and 1000’s of flights, I, like many others, have just not held the “business end” of our large high power planes in the full respect and FEAR it deserves. I am completely willing to be labeled a “safety nut” or “overly sensitive” or just down right obnoxious if it saves just one other person from repeating my mistake. The realization that I was one step from permanently “checking out” still gives me nightmares.  I am still not sure that when time comes to actually stand in front of my plane and start it, I will be able to do so…we’ll just have to see.  But my point is please…PLEASE…take time to think about what would happen if your 170cc engine running about 1/2 throttle would do to your body or those around you and act accordingly.  BE SAFE!

More coming (on a lighter note…I promise!) as things get closer… Everyone have a safe trip to Muncie and we’ll see you there!

Roy