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I made a run through this year's Intermediate Known for the helluvit today. The sequence flows pretty well, but IMO Figure 1 requires more performance than should be in an Intermediate sequence. It's a high energy figure even in the Pitts. Decathlon drivers will not like this one. This is one you'll want to dive to Vne before pulling level. In order to draw a definite line before and after the 1/4 roll up, expect to push level at the top below your power off stall speed. Unless you want to spend some time driving on the Y axis speeding up for the spin entry, I'd suggest getting used to entering the spin at this slower than stall speed. Just pull power, apply spin inputs, and you're immediately spinning. Keeps things compact.
Pretty straightforward sequence overall. Use the 45 upline in Fig. 5 to gain back as much altitude as possible. Draw long lines, and pull to inverted at near power off stalling airspeed. Be sure full power is applied as you pull from inverted into the vertical downline for Fig. 6. If you want to pull some power to allow more definite lines before and after the roll to be drawn, do it immediately after the vertical line is set. Keeping full power in will let you pull to vertical more quickly without stalling, and with less altitude loss than with reduced power.
Don't rush the 2x8 points on the vertical downline of the hammer for Fig. 7. 2x8 points are very easy to make look soft or rushed. Do them as crisply as possible and be sure to make the pause long enough between points so the judges can see it. It's easy to make it look like there was no point, especially when you are high in the box. You get a zero if the judges don't see the point.
For the loop w/ roll on top for Fig. 8, be sure to continue to fly the arc of the loop while rolling. When first working on this one, the tendency is for pilots to fly a half loop, do the roll on a level line, then continue the loop down. This makes for a flat line on top. The figure should be round like a normal loop. Start the roll before you reach the inverted level position so that the roll will be centered. During the roll, you must use the elevator and rudder as required to keep the nose moving toward the ground. Don't overdo the inputs. You essentially put the stick in the zero G ballistic position during the roll and tweak it with tiny amounts of elevator and maybe rudder. This figure is especially hard to nail without good ground critiquing.
I make no claim that this flight is perfect.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDCV8k0qkEw[/ame]
Pretty straightforward sequence overall. Use the 45 upline in Fig. 5 to gain back as much altitude as possible. Draw long lines, and pull to inverted at near power off stalling airspeed. Be sure full power is applied as you pull from inverted into the vertical downline for Fig. 6. If you want to pull some power to allow more definite lines before and after the roll to be drawn, do it immediately after the vertical line is set. Keeping full power in will let you pull to vertical more quickly without stalling, and with less altitude loss than with reduced power.
Don't rush the 2x8 points on the vertical downline of the hammer for Fig. 7. 2x8 points are very easy to make look soft or rushed. Do them as crisply as possible and be sure to make the pause long enough between points so the judges can see it. It's easy to make it look like there was no point, especially when you are high in the box. You get a zero if the judges don't see the point.
For the loop w/ roll on top for Fig. 8, be sure to continue to fly the arc of the loop while rolling. When first working on this one, the tendency is for pilots to fly a half loop, do the roll on a level line, then continue the loop down. This makes for a flat line on top. The figure should be round like a normal loop. Start the roll before you reach the inverted level position so that the roll will be centered. During the roll, you must use the elevator and rudder as required to keep the nose moving toward the ground. Don't overdo the inputs. You essentially put the stick in the zero G ballistic position during the roll and tweak it with tiny amounts of elevator and maybe rudder. This figure is especially hard to nail without good ground critiquing.
I make no claim that this flight is perfect.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDCV8k0qkEw[/ame]
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