Lineup of Precison Aerobatics on Stuntathon Sunday, led by Paul Walker's All American Eagle 09; Hangar Inn restaurant in the background. Flying Lines photo.
By Dave Gardner, contest director
Saturday: Early cloudy, light wind, warming slightly, with overcast
with gusty erratic wind. 75°F Max.
Sunday: Cloudy and cool, clear air, gusty variable winds, 70°
F Max.
Pit Bosses: Pete Ferguson, Howard Rush, Alan Resinger and other field
assignments
Tabulators: Angela Gardner, assisted by Dave Gardner
The turnout was a bit lighter than 2008 for this legacy contest. Contestants came from Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. We had 23 entrants flying in eleven events, with a total of 46 event entries. The schedule had OTS, Classic, Profile-Sportsman, Profile-Expert and the two Carrier Events scheduled for Saturday. Group appearance judging for Advanced and Expert classes was to be held on Saturday, but with the time frame, it was moved to judging in the pits, for an effective alternate plan.
Intermediate PA was light, and there were no Beginners. Advanced had a low turnout, since a lot of them had moved up to Expert. A few years ago, our largest class was Advanced! The overall level of flying in the Northwest continues to improve, and control line flying is alive and well! Most of the places were hard flown, with close separation of places in several of the events. All all the flyers were in the scoring range of their respective classes even with the new scoring rules with no pattern points!
The scores for each event are listed, with scores from both rounds of the stunt events noted, with the high score highlighted. Note that most of the scores were very consistent, round to round.
First through third place awards were the AMA engraved plaque awards, since we were nearly out of the prized Northwest Skyraiders' folding chairs, with the Skyraiders logo on them. All winners had choices of a variety of merchandise prizes, mostly Spencer Aircraft dope. Howard Rush had donated a slightly used Saito 72, set up for stunt, for a prize. We had a raffle drawing, with all contestants getting one free ticket. This was won by Dane Covey, who was flying a Saito 56 in his plane!
At the end of the day, the remaining crew took down all the barriers, put away the carrier deck, dropped all the canopies, put all the competition paraphernalia away, and headed home, after a satisfying contest!
Click here for a trip down memory lane: The 1981 Stuntathon results.
OLD-TIME STUNT (7 entries)
1. Pete Peterson, Tacoma, Wash. -- 306.75, 296.4 (7)
2. Bob Smiley, Kingston, Wash. -- 193.5, 289.9 (6)
3. Keith Varley, Vancouver, B.C. -- 239.7, 289.5 (5)
4. Mike Conner, Maple Ridge, B.C. -- 264.4, 260.8 (4)
5. Bob Emmett, Sequim, Wash. -- 239, 260.3
6. Mike Haverly, Auburn, Wash. -- 255.4, 248
7. Bob Parker, Orting, Wash. -- 215.8, 225.5
Judges: Bob Parker, Dan Rutherford
CLASSIC STUNT (9 entries)
1. Pete Peterson -- 502.5, 510.5 (9)
2. Alan Resinger Delta, B.C. -- 472, 506.5 (8)
3. Bruce Hunt, Salem, Ore. -- 494, 491.5 (7)
4. Bob Smiley -- 478.5, 490 (6)
5. Mike Haverly -- 401.5, 451.5
6. John Thompson, Eugene, Ore. -- 441.5, 441.5
7. Jeff Rein, Covington, Wash. -- 395.5, 430.5
8. Dane Covey, Tacoma, Wash. -- 369.5, 405
9. Randy Powell, Port Orchard, Wash. -- no score
Judges: Steve Helmick, Don McClave
Photo: Paul Walker goes vertical with the electric All American Eagle 09. Bruce Hunt photo.
SPORTSMAN PROFILE STUNT (5 entries)
1. Mark Scarborough, Pullman, Wash. -- 433, 416.5 (5)
2. Steve Helmick, Renton, Wash. -- 411, 431 (4)
3. Rick Cochrun, Marysville, Wash. -- 396, 427 (3)
4. Dane Covey -- 411, 413.5 (2)
5. Pete Ferguson, Washington -- 403.5, 392
Judges: Paul Walker, Howard Rush
EXPERT PROFILE STUNT (3 entries)
1. Bob Smiley -- 420.5, 460.5 (3)
2. Keith Varley -- 420.5, 415.5 (2)
3. Dan Rutherford, Bothell, Wash. -- no score (1)
Judges: Paul Walker, Howard Rush
INTERMEDIATE PRECISION AEROBATICS (3 entries)
1. Steve Helmick -- 426, 422 (3)
2. Dane Covey -- 356, 422 (2)
3. Pete Ferguson, Auburn, Wash. -- Pass, 368.5 (1)
Judges: Bob Parker, Pete Peterson
ADVANCED PRECISION AEROBATICS (5 entries)
1. Keith Varley -- 451, 455.5 (5)
2. Mark Scarborough -- 441, 454 (4)
3. Dave Gardner, Renton, Wash. -- 430, 429 (3)
4. Rick Cochrun, 394.5, 416 (2)
5. Jeff Rein, 392.5, 392
Judges: Pete Peterson, Steve Helmick
EXPERT PRECISION AEROBATICS (7 entries)
1. Paul Walker, Kent, Wash. -- 548.5, 569 (10.5)
2. Howard Rush, Bellevue, Wash. -- 524.5, 544.5 (9)
3. Bruce Hunt, Salem, Ore. -- 506.5, 517, (7.5)
4. Alan Resinger -- 511, 498 (6)
5. Mike Haverly, 490, 491
6. Dan Rutherford, 476, 487.5
7. John Thompson, 438.5, 468.5
Judges: Pete Peterson, Steve Helmick
Photo: A trail of grind marks tell the tale of Randy Powell's attempt at a flight in Classic Stunt. Lines hooked up wrong ended up with the plane nosed over, grinding a trail in the asphalt. Bruce Hunt photo.
PROFILE NAVY CARRIER (2 entries)
1. Mike Potter, Auburn, Wash. -- 303.4 (2)
2. Bill Darkow, Tenino, Wash. -- 246.04 (1)
NOSTALGIA NAVY CARRIER (5 entries)
1. Mike Conner -- 238.4 (5)
2. Bob Parker -- 237 (4)
3. Mike Potter -- 193.1 (3)
4. Walt Russell, Enumclaw, Wash. -- 114.6 (2)
5. Doug McSherry -- 98.2
Two ways to approach Precision Aerobatics: At left, Paul Walker's All American Eagle 09, at right, Alan Resinger's Firecracker, which flies clockwise. Flying Lines photo.
Dave Gardner's bottom is a little high in this photo. He should read Bruce Hunt's Heavy Stunt column on bottoms! Judges are Steve Helmick (left) and Pete Peterson. Bruce Hunt photo.
Left photo: Don McClave prepares to launch Paul Walker's All American Eagle 09. Right photo: Jeff Rein is ready for an official flight with his ARF Nobler. Bruce Hunt photos.
Pete Peterson's Venus for Classic Stunt. What can we say? Beautiful beyond words. Flying Lines photo.
Left photo: Bob and Ginny Emmett share a moment with Paul Walker (right). Right photo: Bob shows off his new plane. Don Schultz photos.
Alan Resinger fuels the Firecracker, while Keith Varley holds. Bruce Hunt photo.
Left photo: Ben Madsen Jr. launches Ben Madsen's Magnum for a practice flight. A small mishap prevented Ben from making an official. Flying Lines photo. Right photo: Howard Rush heads to the circle with his impact. It even has orange hinge tape. Bruce Hunt photo.
Keith Varley's Precison Aerobatics plane, Keith's Komet, powered by Stalker .51. Flying Lines photo.
Bob Parker signals that his Old-Time Stunt flight is official. Mike Conner is on hand to call out the maneuvers. Flying Lines photo.
Left photo: Pete Ferguson's Vector 40. Right photo: Old-Time Stunt judges Dan Rutherford (left) and Paul Walker. Flying Lines photos.
Saito four-stroke power drives the Smoothie on Steroids, a huge stunter built by Dan Rutherford and flown by Rick Cochrun. Flying Lines photo.
The Smoothie on Steroids looks good in flight. Front end (below) is unique. Flying Lines photos.
Results of this contest are included in the Northwest Competition Standings.
See the results of the 1981 Stuntathon. The first one was held a Delta Park in Portland, with the same CD as the 2009 contest -- and some of the same fliers.
Download the 1981 Stuntathon results.
This page was upated June 18, 2009