The flying circle just outside the Evergreen Aviation Museum always draws a crowd of spectators for the museum; here' they're watching expert precision aerobatics flyer Pat Johnston's Mustang at the 2006 Team Country Classic. Bruce Hunt photo.
Northwest standings points in parentheses
Classic Stunt (7 entries)
1. Scott Riese, Portland, Ore. ( 7), 551.5 / 563
2. Don McClave, Portland, Ore. (6), 552.5 / 556
3. Bruce Hunt , Salem, Ore. (5), 536.5 / 551.5
4. Pat Johnston, Boise, Idaho (4), 541 / 542.5
5. Dan Rutherford, Bothell, Wash., 484.5 / 520
6. Mike Haverly, Auburn, Wash., 455 / 474
7. Rick Cochrun, Redmond, Wash., 408 / 324
Judges: Greg Hart, Jerry Eichten
Sportsman Profile 40 Stunt (6 entries)
1. Mike Haverly (6), 476.5 / 460.5
2. Greg Hart, Donald, Ore. (5), 452.5 / 468.5
3. Rick Cochrun (4), 436.5 / 366
4. Floyd Carter, Eugene, Ore. (3), 414 / 415
5. Mark Scarborough, Pullman, Wash., 79 / 248.5
6. David Miller, Pasco, Wash., 106 / ---
Judges: Pat Johnston, Scott Riese
Expert Profile 40 Stunt (5 entries)
1. Bruce Hunt (5), 496 / 489
2. Scott Riese (4) 491.5 / 494
3. Pat Johnston (3) 485 / 482
4. Dan Rutherford (2) 482 / 466.5
5. Gerald Schamp, Albany, Ore., 439.5 / 447.5
Judges: Don McClave, Jerry Eichten
Northwest Sport Race (1 entry)
1. Joe Just, Waitsburg, Wash. (1)
Beginner Precision Aerobatics (5 entries)
1. Mike Fitzgerald, Kennewick, Wash. (5), 268 / 267
2. David Miller (4), 209 / 242.5
3. Mark Scarborough (3), 195 / 200
4. Richard Entwhistle, Scappoose, Ore. (2), 131 / 188.5
5. Joe Just, --- / ---
Judges: Pat Johnston, John Leidle
Intermediate Precision Aerobatics (1 entry)
1. Rick Cochrun (1) 377.5 / 439.5
Judges: Bruce Hunt, Scott Riese
Advanced Precision Aerobatics (3 entries)
1. Mike Haverly (3) 478 / 495.5
2. Greg Hart (2) 462 / 416.5
3. Floyd Carter (1) 438 / 449
Judges: Scott Riese, Bruce Hunt
Expert Precision Aerobatics (8 entries)
1. Howard Rush, Bellevue, Wash. (12), 561.5 / 566.5
2. Don McClave (10.5), 545.5 / 541
3. Pat Johnston (9), 527.5 / 545
4. Scott Riese (7.5), 534 / 542.5
5. Bruce Hunt , 506.5 / 531.5
6. Dan Rutherford, 495.5 / 519
7. John Leidle, Kirkland, Wash., 515 / 517.5
8.. Gerald Schamp, 485.5 / 499.5
Judges: Jerry Eichten, Greg Hart
Above photo: John Leidle signals judges that he's ready for his his flight in expert precision aerobatics. Top photo: Dan Rutherford puts in an official flight. Bruce Hunt photos.
Weather: Warm and sunny with light winds
Registration & Tabulation: Dave Bibbee
Sunday Barbeque: Dick and Char Johnson
Score Runner: Jessica Hanson
Raffle Donation: Don McClave
Prize Donations: Scott Riese. Jerry Eichten, Eagle's Nest Hobbies
Saturday Tour: Noel Martin; Miniature Aviation Showcase
Contest Director: Jerry Eichten
The Evergreen Aero Modelers: www.egam.org
The Sunday barbecue fed the contestants well -- and provided a little shade from the sunshine. Jerry Eichten photo.
Judges as well as spectators and contestants awaiting their turn relaxed in the sunshine. Jerry Eichten photo. Left photo: Judges Pat Johnston (left) and Scott Riese. Right photo: Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Schamp. Bruce Hunt photo.
Left photo: Richard Entwistle gets his Skyray ready for a flight. Jerry Eichten photo. Right photo: Dan Rutherford (left) and Don McClave relax in the pits. Bruce Hunt photo.
An unbelievable flying site.
Still a new Contest Director, Jerry Eichten really knows how to put on a show.
The best flying conditions of the year.
We all got Goosed.
Results: See Jerry's official results above.
Classic Stunt Notable moment: What's going on here? Bruce put that, uh, mature Shark 45 of his into a solid third place. And Don continues to rave about his 40LA from Robin Sizemore's parts bin.
P.40 Sportsman Notable moment: Greg's first real shot at struttin' his stuff in 2006. Big improvements both in equipment and flying abilities.
P.40 Expert Notable moment: Don't let the score fool you. Gerald really knows what he is doing, merely needs some more practice time. And his Saito 40 sounded real good...
Northwest Sport Race
One entry. Did not race. Did not run out a prime. Did not even get a plug wet. Hey, it's pretty much a CL Stunt contest! Offers to race Pukey Profiles--using Dirt's 20FP-powered Flite Streaks--met with not much in the way of positive feedback.
PA Beginner Notable Moment: While Mike put it to him, David's enthusiasm for CL Stunt seems to know no bounds. David's first contest flying the entire schedule...and he was pumped!
PA Intermediate Notable Moment: Another case for a retread with an ARF. Rick bought a Top Flite Tutor II, bolted on a stock 40LA and had his best-flying model to date. He flew every day for a week prior to this contest and his scores reflect that effort.
PA Advanced Notable Moment: What was that about teaching an old dog new tricks? In Old Time Stunt the estimable Mr. Carter flies a model he designed! Now he's got current equipment and early on in this effort is banging off mid-450s. Ya gotta love it...
PA Expert Notable Moment: Okay, fair is fair: This time Bruce beat Da Dirt. But once again we had Howard leading the pack, Gerald making his presence known, was overheard making threats to go after Dirt at the next contest.
Registration and tabulation was handled in an expeditious and friendly manner by Dave Bibbee. No delays in posting the scores, thanks!
Dick and Char Johnson laid out a terrific barbecue on Sunday.
Jessica Hanson spent some quality time running scores.
Don McClave donated a Hunt-sourced sheeted foam wing to be raffled off for the benefit of T.E.A.M.
Other prizes, awarded via a drawing, donated by Eagle's Nest Hobbies, Jerry Eichten, Scott Riese.
There was even a tour of the Miniature Aviation Showcase, courtesy of Noel Martin. It is a fabulous display of models and modeling equipment from over the years and this was an after-hours tour just for the contestants.
Pick a personal favorite site for CL contests. Pick the best site you have ever heard of for a CL contest. Pick the best site your friends have told you about.
Plug this storied site into a second-place position.
Due primarily to a years-long effort from Jerry Eichten, able assistance from other members of The Evergreen AeroModelers (T.E.A.M.), in the NW we now have the most unbelievable CL flying site, certainly the kewlest CL site one can imagine.
The basics are not too unusual. The primary circle has a paved center pad, an asphalt ring which easily handles models on 60- to 70-foot lines. The paving is absolutely flat and smooth; one cannot find a "bad" spot from which to begin or end a flight.
Another circle is grass, hard center, paved take-off strip, is suitable for all CL models.
The grass is lush and thick across the entire site. Drop a glow plug washer and you can just kiss it off, 'cos there ain't no finding it.
A grove of large oak trees extends along one side of the site, giving not only shade but a park-like area for over-night camping and day parking. Outside of what club members refer to as the Oak Grove, sight lines are flat and unobstructed.
Opposite the Oak Grove, in the foreground is a vineyard for wine grapes, the background includes an airport nestled in a wide valley, low ridges off in the distance.
On the other side of the Oak Grove is a very nice RC site. The radio guys look to have some minor challenges with approach patterns, especially with fast or heavily-loaded models, but I actually found myself thinking that bringing along an RC model or two would have been a real good idea.
There is every indication that the CL- and RC-specific members of the club work together without conflicts of any sort. Indeed, they appear to be a very cohesive group, interested in flying models, not the method of control.
This flying site is located in McMinnville, Oregon, a city of a mere 30,000 souls. This area is mostly a farming community, and might well be smaller were it not for the state highway system, much of which serves to take folk from Portland to the ocean beaches. In other words, if you were even to know about McMinnville it would probably be from passing though on a vacation. Or buying produce.
Okay, pretty nice stuff. But nothing extraordinary. Each of you no doubt has access to at least one CL site which measures up quite well, it might even be located in a small, friendly farming community.
Ah, but this CL site is nestled right up to a building housing the Hughes H-4 Flying Boat. And there is exactly one of these airplanes, popularly known as the "Spruce Goose."
You may remember some pictures of this contest and the site from last year. In particular there was a picture showing a contestant flying a CL Stunt model, Evergreen Aviation Museum in the background along with a couple US military jets casually parked outside.
Good Lord! I had assumed the picture was taken with a long lens, this foreshortening the distance between both the museum building and the jets to the CL circle.
No way! The jets, the building, the Spruce Goose for goodness sake, are right there! It's nuts, one can almost literally launch a CL model, take two hops, three big jumps, a few skips--not that CL Stunt Guys are known to skip, at least not in public--and try to save ten bucks by viewing the museum's contents through tinted glass.
While the museum building was obviously designed around the Spruce Goose, it is packed with many other airplanes, helicopters, even a Titan II missile and a Russian Photon space capsule. I have a visitors guide in front of me as I write this, the official list includes some 76 pieces which were on display. And in an apologetic tone I was told the list is short a few late additions.
One of the most stunning visual clues as to the size of the H-4 is the sight of a DC-3 under one wing, an SR-71 and the Titan II missile under the other. They appear to be children's toys, merely sprinkled around in order to add to the ambiance.
Ah, but you have come up with negatives when it comes to flying CL Stunt: The Oak Grove. The museum building itself.
Wrong. Agreed, it looks as if what was each day a mild breeze and then some light wind coming across those oak trees--as it did for most of this weekend, counter to what I was told is the prevailing wind direction--would result in all sorts of turbulence. Such is not the case, at least not this year. Yep, when we got some wind later in the day I hit mild turbulence at the very top of the circle, as did Howard during one flight. Nothing big. It seems as if the trees are tall enough to shelter the CL circle some 95% of the time. And they are no factor at all of course when the wind comes from across the valley.
This truly is a stunning CL site, and Jerry did his very best in getting it all prepped to a very high standard.
How stunning? Look, I had all sorts of experiences to tell you about, some being quite funny. But I refuse to take any emphasis at all away from what must be regarded as a Galaxy-class flying site, superb event organization, really good people flying CL models for personal enjoyment.
Thanks, Jerry. Thanks a bunch.
Thanks T.E.A.M. You guys have your priorities straight, no matter your primary interest in aviation and/or model aviation.
For more details on T.E.A.M., go here: www.egam.org
To get a look at the Evergreen Aviation Museum, go here: www.sprucegoose.org
This page was upated Aug. 18, 2006