Scott Jackson's Report

The question is can you return to a bygone time enjoy recapturing an experience?

The answer is yes and then some.

These are my personal views on the U.S. Team trials in Los Angeles County (Whittier Narrows).

So you don't have to read beyond this, first the results: Billy Hughes, Will Naemura, Tommy Brown In Junior and with the U.S. Record - Krystal King ( not while swimming the !00 Free).

Now the Weather: the Barometer went as high as 30.00 and as low as 29.8 on Saturday. Their was cloud cover all day. On Sunday the sun came out; the barometer started at 29.96 @ 10:00, and was 29.91 @ 2:00 p.m. [read the hourly results here http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/KEMT.html] You should also be able to find the nearest airport to you on NOAA's site.

You can stop here: my observations on the Trials are: if you buy the best and learn it well, protect it with you life.

Will Naemura's Zalp-powered ship did 183 plus for the first flight of the day He Put it away until after the two rounds and then backed it up for a record. His # 2 ship did 171 ( they are still getting to know each other . (we all have friendly discussions with our equipment -- I am chatting with the Pylon Deity: last spoke to him/her in 1961 or so, and said Hi Labor Day in Merced)

Tommy Brown' s two 178+ flights definitely showed his familiar relationship with his equipment. And Billy Hughes (sorry I can't remember the times - 173+??) were also from a good acquaintance ship with the gear. By the way if you travel by air, get Naemura and Hughes to spec out the shipping containers; they're beautiful.

Jimmy Rhodes, Slugger Brown, David Hughes, and I filled out the field of Salty Senior Citizens.

After the ZALP engines were evenly distributed between the Peter Halman Special Irvine and the Profi - Alex at Profi asked me in our last order to send your next year's anticipated needs to Billy Hughes or me so that he can plan his production).

Krystal??? She was something else ( I almost tried the pylon at her setting, but don't know how to fly on my knees). If we could be that young again with the poise she demonstrated and have the love and encouragement that her father and family displayed - WOW!!! I think they were holding back on the needle: I'm sure she will go much faster in France.

Now for the process: The Host club did an excellent job of checking weight, flying surface areas, Line diameter's and all that. The flier's meeting was brief and to the point. Positions were drawn And WE DID IT.

Here's the Drill before a flight - They check you line length, pull 3 times on the airframe, once on the handle safety strap (why did most of us have it on the up side? If on the down, it might trigger the engine shut-off if the handle were pulled out of your hand.) Now into the cage.

Set the pylon where you like it the official gives you the first syringe to push fuel into the tank and then extract it. (who would have nitro or something in there [BG]) It does make sense to point the wing up so you get every last last drop from the outboard pick-up. Now fill with the other syringe, give it to you crew, calmly (CALMLY?) walk out to the pylon and let you crew do their thing.

Most every flier hand signals their r holder with had signals to tilt the nose up to lean the engine and get it on the first or second harmonic (half wave, third wave ???). Newton also blocks the air inlets to the head pipe to pre-heat it like the Russians do. And away you go!!! Most everyone used the pylon as a fulcrum the ship had not stepped up on the primary wave. And when necessary the plane was allowed to fly ahead o f you had to change yaw the ship in slightly to lean it and help it come up on the pipe.

If you have done everything right, HERE IT COMES!!! Calmly bring the handle up over the forks and settle down into them, dampen any flight oscillations ( stay at altitude; I didn't), and flight down to the optimal height.

The timer's give you 2 in before the 9 timing [note; if you are VERY familiar with you equipment i.e. you know the ship can do better, get out of the pylon and take the attempt- you get 2 per round - Hughes and Brown used this to their advantage]

Thanks for reading if you got to here; this helps me imbed what I learned in my old brain. Now you will have to excuse me while I go talk to my ship and light a josh stick to the Pylon Deity