Academy of Model Aeronautics

spitrj -----I of course agree with you. No buildee-no pointee.

Frank, John

My area of interest is CL Scale where the BOM is much more important even than in Stunt. In Stunt you are talking bout 20 of 500 or more points where as in scale it can be up to 1/2 of your total score.

Between when I stated in CL Scale (1982) and now the biggest change in the rules was the dropping from the rules "The Builders Decloration." See original rule below:

4.4 The contestant will provide a signed declaration for the judges, listing the major components of the model he did not make himself. (Examples: Molded, formed or shaped canopies, cowlings, wheel pants, fuselage, etc., or parts thereof, wheels, ready made instrument panels, or cockpit parts, etc.) In awarding craftmanship points, the judges will take into account the amount of workmanship performed on a model as well as the quality of the workmanship. Only that part of the workmanship actually done by the contestant in completing or finishing parts he did not make will be considered for workmanship points.

That is a quote from the1986-1987 Rule Book, page 74.

If this and a similar one in Stunt were still required, we would not be having this discussion.

Above my desk are three NATS trophies for CL FAI Scale, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd. The Builders decloration for them was wheels, retracts and engines purchased. Mufflers used were modified to connect with the scale exhaust stacks. All other material used was from basic stock plywood, sheet balsa and sheet plastic.

Clancy

These ARF guys are really proud of their models. I can't figure out why.
It would have been impossible to mass produce ARFs in the old days. But now cad cam and laser cutting have made it possible. And cheap labor. In far away places.
I could live with it if those ARF guys would just quit trying to get an appearance point bailout. BOM is what makes this a pass time that you learn things from.

Frank and group:

Just a couple of points.

The BOM isn't JUST about ARF's...suppose I want to fly a real, top notch, full out plane and (other than a couple of the $2,000 ready to fly birds), I realize that I can buy a year-old, nats winner. This might be a 20 point model that is in trim, and flying at the most competitive level.

Now these won't come cheap..and that will become a part of the potential issue. THe guys willing to pop for a 1500-2000 plane will have vehicles that thoroughly out-class most common man ARF's. It will become more about your budget than flying and building.

Also remember that the BOM as a qualifier to entry is only in effect at the AMA Nationals. All other events are run without a BOM.

As John pointed out, the separate issue of appearance points is still in effect but there is nothing preventing a pilot from flying a model no matter who built it.

Finally, I agree with the opinion regarding time spent on flying v. building--except at the highest levels of competition. For most events, I could EASILY add the 15-18 points my planes regularly get by practicing for the only a small portion of the400 hours it took to build one instead. If you are a 12-15 point builder, the equation gets easier yet to justify. But I enjoy the event BECAUSE of the building.

Finally, finally , even if we awarded appearance points to ARF's, based upon what I have seen, 99% of them would earn nearly a worst possible score. I have judged a lot of planes and most ARF's are not all that attractive--poorly fit and badly carved cowls, badly fit and non-filleted wing joints, bubbling film covering, REALLY bad canopy installs, etc, etc. Not all of them, but most. (The Yatsenko SHarks are a notable exception but at what $?)

Just a couple of late, random thoughts,

Cheers to All, and have a fun summer flying whatever you can.

Curt

Curt,
I agree with your opinion on BOM and appearance. I've seen examples already of someone simply throwing so much money into ARFs and exotic hi-zoot equipment that he's bought himself the veneer of being a worthy modeler.
Wether it's ARFs or a full tilt NATs winner bought from last years champion, they still haven't delved deeply enough into engineering and building to produce a worthy ship.
Two points you made were eye openers.
#1----ARFs are lacking the finish of a well built model and almost all of them are just plain ugly. And wouldn't get much at a beauty contest.
#2----The few appearance points a builder garners with a BOM model are hardly worth the effort to build a plane.

In all my years of modeling the thing I liked best was the fact that flying stunt wasn't a game that became a sink hole where you could sink endless amounts of cash into it and look like you know what you're doing.. Till the advent of the ARF, skill, dedication and a yen for perfection were the main ingredients. Those are skills and mind sets worth cultivating. They always will be. Removing and abandoning BOM is just dumming down the event to where all it takes is an afternoon and some cash to be flight ready. Phooey.

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Well said Frank.....May I quote you on this?

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