Jason’s Up And Coming !
Name: Jason Arnold
Age: 38
Pattern level: Sportsman
Aircraft: Oxai Pinnacle
Engine: OS RX 140
Club: Hawkesbury Model Aero Sports
Years of flying: On and off since 1986
Years in pattern: Just over one year
Favourite aircraft: 29% YAK 54 powered by 58cc MVVS
Favourite contest: Gunnedah
Other flying interests: 3D flying
I started flying RC model aircraft in 1986 and have flown on and off since then. I currently hold membership in three clubs with my primary club being Hawkesbury Model Aero Sports Inc. (HMAS).
I became addicted to Pattern (F3A aerobatics) in 2007 after I purchased a second hand Oxai Pinnacle from David & Brian McFarlane’s shop (Model Sports) and started competing with it. It was an ex Alfred Pye model which had not seen much flying. In the end, Dave would not let me go home unless I promised to give pattern a go. Dave kept pushing “it’ll make you a better pilot”… He is 100% right in that statement. Having not seen a pattern contest and how it all works, David suggested I come to the 2007 state title event at his IMAC club. I then entered the next comp, which was Queanbeyan 3 months later, and have been attending most of the NSW comps since then.
I’ve found that pattern flying has improved my flying no end due to flying in different scenarios like weather conditions, flying sites etc which I may not have flown in if it was not a comp. I’ve found the people associated with pattern are great and will bend over backwards to help you or answer any question you may have. Most people are reluctant to compete thinking that they’re not good enough etc. I was in this group… I’m glad I took the step though and I encourage others to do so as well
My Pinnacle is a great plane to fly and I enjoy it every time it is taken out. Now I just need to improve my flying to take full advantage of the model’s potential. I’m sure it will come in time. The Pinnacle is powered by a trusty OS 140RX on 10 % nitro home brew fuel and is guided by a Multiplex EVO9 radio system with Hitec servos. This has been a good and reliable package for me. Like most people in this sport, I’ve plenty of unfinished or unstarted projects in the workshop. My next pattern model will be a ZN Line Alliance that I picked up a few years ago. The trusty OS 140RX will more than likely power this beast. Also on the to-do list is a Black Magic VF3 Electric. An AXI F3A outrunner will turn the prop up front. The Black Magic will be a real challenge as it’s a fully built up balsa/foam/composite model and I’ll have to cut my own foam cores for it too. I’ll even be making my own foam cutter…
Anyway, that’s enough blabbering from me for now… Time to catch up on all those unfinished projects!
Cheers
Jason
PS. A BIG thank you to all the people that have helped me to date with my pattern flying. It’s muchly appreciated!
