Fun Fly Ideas
Edited and compiled by
Bill Fulmer |
Many users have written us,
asking for ideas for fun fly events, so here is a compilation of events from
various sources. Many thanks to Vince Gutschalk, my buddy from Aurora, Colorado,
for sending me about a jillion and a half ideas.... If you have other events,
please let me know about them. Email them to me at Bill Fulmer (put fun fly in subject
header), and we'll update the list periodically.
This is simply a collection
of ideas, some quite good, some better than others, some not-so-good. There may
be some duplication or similarities. These ideas are presented to assist you in
your search for new events for YOUR fun flys. A few of these events are
certainly beyond the capabilities of of the average flyer (me), but any or all
of them may be modified in any way to suit your needs. Be creative.... Above
all, ENJOY YOURSELF.
The fun begins
here...............
AERIAL GOLF
A variation of the "Egg Drop", used by the Dallas Skyblazers,
where they use the styro cups to hold the golf balls, but put a tin can in a
hole near the edge of the runway and use golf clubs (mostly a putter) to see how
many strokes it takes to get your golf ball (previously dropped from your plane)
into the hole. This takes both flying and putting skill! Time runs from takeoff
to final putt. Low stroke count wins. In the event of a tie use the lowest time
of tied contestants to determine winner. (PS: Don't use this at the golf
course!)
Jack Plonien (Dallas Skyblazers)
BALLOON BUST
Use three helium-filled balloons. One tied to 50 foot Crepe
Paper (important to use crepe paper (aka party streamer) so that it just snips
and dosen't wrap in prop like string), the second balloon at 25 feet and the
third at 5/10 feet. Everyone gets 3 highspeed passes at each balloon (i.e. they
have to be full throttle parallel to flight line passes). You make up some
points for breaking them.. but usually the bust is so rare, the round of
applause when someone does break them is reward enough. Lotsa fun.. really a
"chance event" (it's hard!)
Edward Walker
BALLOON BUST 2
Tie a thirty foot length of toilet paper to a helium party
balloon and release it. Give a contestant two minutes to cut as many pieces as
possible. Harder than it looks...
Graham Hicks
BEADS ON A STRING
Most rolls in one straight pass.
Vince Gutschalk
BLACKJACK
Lay
out (12) 20' squares on the runway in a 2 X 6 matrix lenghtwise. Number the
squares on the right side 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, & 10; the ones on the left 1, 3, 5,
7, 9, & 0. In a series of landings, the pilot attempts to come as close to
21 as possible, based on the wheelstrike point of each landing. Pilot may elect
to stop with a score of LESS than 21, but going over 21 disqualifies
him.
Vince Gutschalk
BLIND FLIGHT
Time starts at takeoff; ends at engine stop. Pilot ESTIMATES elapse of
one minute. Closest time to actual wins. Requires two timers.
Vince
Gutschalk
CLIMB 'N' GLIDE
Pilot is given 30 seconds after takeoff to climb high as possible. At 30
seconds, the engine is stopped. Throttle is advanced to prove dead engine.
Landing must be on runway. High time wins.
Vince Gutschalk
DEAD-STICK LANDING
Mark a spot on the runway. Pilot takes off, gains altitude and kills
engine... Land and roll to the spot. Closest to target wins.
Vince
Gutschalk
DEAD-STICK LOOPS
Climb 35 sec. from take off, kill engine, advance throttle
after 5 sec. to prove engine off and make max. number of loops before landing.
Fall-offs count for 1/2 a loop. Score one additional loop for stopping within a
20' x 20' area on the runway. Squeezing in that last loop before landing
separates out the heroes. (Or eradicates a good ship....BF)
Pete
Gayner - Romeo Area R/C Club Michigan
DEAD STICK VARIATION
Place balloon marker on field and person who dead sticks
closes to marker without touching it wins. Touching balloon disqualifies.
Tom
Rhodes
DICE ROLL
Six
maneuvers are chosen & numbered 1 - 6. The pilot rolls one die to choose a
maneuver, the rolls it again to choose the number of times the maneuver must be
flown. Time begins at first roll & stops upon touchdown.
Vince
Gutschalk
DIXIE DEATH
Shortest time to take off, do 3 each rolls, loops, and spins
(in any order), then do a touch and go then do 3 each rolls, loops, and spins
(in any order), then land. Stop watch starts when plane leaves ground and stops
at touchdown.
Tom Rhodes
"DRAG" RACE
Here in
Memphis, we've invented a sort of "Drag" Race that's proven to be real fun, and
provides plenty of laughs for all...
First, purchase a cheap wig, a chenille
cotton pull-over woman's robe, and a really large pair of women's panties and
bra - the larger the better! (see...this is the 'drag' part of the drag
race...get it?).
Then, paint a circle or square about 6 feet across on the
runway.
Each contestant must place his aircraft inside the circle. At the
start signal, the pilot (or helper, if desired) must start his plane, then take
off, perform a loop, and land; then the aircraft must return to the circle, and
the pilot must don one article of the women's clothes.
Then repeat until all
the clothes, wig included, are being worn by the pilot. Finally, the pilot must
take off, loop, and return to the cirlce again to stop the clock. Lowest time
wins...
Note that you do not have to taxi to the circle, but can manually
place the aircraft in the circle if desired. But, no clothes can be put on until
the aircraft is within the bounds of the circle. This usually winds up in making
the pilot run at top speed to his aircraft and put it into the circle - all
while wearing a pair pf panties and a bra that are 'WAY to big for him! It's a
riot that is guaranteed to make everyone die laughing!
We've used it for a
few years here and it's a real favorite with our clubs. Try it
out!
<Note: RCO has NO comment regarding this
event..........:)B.F.>
Freddie Rice AMA 39732
Whitehaven
Tale-Draggers
Memphis, TN
AMA Charter #978
EGG DROP
Everyone gets a dixie cup, a popsicle stick and some rubber bands to
mount on their plane (most shove the stick through the cup and then rubber band
it around the fuselage behind the engine). Remember your CG!!! We then draw with
lime, or powder of some sort, 3 big circles on the field. 5 points for outer
circle, 10 points for next in, 15 points for smallest circle, and 25 points if
you can hit the pie plate in the center. Everyone gets 3 good drops (i.e. if you
lose it on take off or not over the mowed field it dosen't count). Note: we
usually use fluorescent golf balls... they make less mess, and we usually lose
about half of them! ;-)
Edward Walker
EGG DROP (TEAM)
At our last fun fly we did a variation of the egg drop. Instead of trying
to hit a target, your partner has an old frying pan that he tries to catch the
egg with. Splatters the egg when it hits and makes a neat metallic sound when
the egg hits. Don't wear your best flying shirt for this one if you're the one
with the pan. Enjoy! (this should be called "EGG DROP FOR
DUMMIES!!...bf)
Debi Nemec
ETA!
Draw
times from a hat. Flyer removes watch and takes off. Estimate time and land...
Closest to actual time wins.
Vince Gutschalk
FAITHFUL INDIAN
GUIDE
Pilot taxis around obstacle course while
blindfolded, obeying commands from caller. Low time wins....
Vince
Gutschalk
FAST AND SLOW
Plane flies a straight course twice. First pass is for all out speed.
(Diving plane is allowed.) Second pass is flown slowly as possible, maintaining
reasonable altitude and course. Largest difference in the two times
wins.
Vince Gutschalk
GEORGIA AIR SHOW
Time begins. Pilot starts engine, eats a soda cracker, whistles audibly,
then takes off and begins looping aircraft. He must loop till he has eaten
another cracker and whistled audibly again, then lands. Low time wins.
Vince
Gutschalk
HANDS OFF
aka "COJONES OF STEEL"
Pilot has one minute from takeoff to
trim for "hands-free" flight. At the end to the first minute, the TX is laid on
a table. Longest E.T. before having to grab TX wins.
Vince
Gutschalk
JUICY LOOP
A
styro cup is attached to the top of the plane at the CG (Important!!!). A
measured amount of water is placed in the cup. Pilot takes off, flies a loop,
lands... Most amount of water remaining wins... Can also be done with 25 beans
instead of liquid...
Vince Gutschalk
KAMAKAZI BUST!
Pilot takes off and calls for helium balloon to be released from runway
center, and also starting stopwatch. Break the balloon before it reaches the
stratosphere.... Low time wins.
Vince Gutschalk
LEMANS START
Pilots line up across runway from planes. At signal pilots race to
planes, start up, take off and fly a specified number of laps. (The foot race
may be made more interesting by having the pilots carry an egg in a spoon, or
some other idiocy...)
Vince Gutschalk
LIMBO
Use a thirty foot crepe paper ribbon strung between two bamboo fishing
poles...you know the rest. Double points for doing it inverted. (no points
for hitting the poles...bf)
Graham Hicks
LIMBO (2)
Planes fly under crepe paper streamer, cuts disqualify. Streamer is
lowered 1' after each round until only one plane qualifies.
Vince
Gutschalk
LOOPER
Most
loops in one minute. Timed from takeoff.
Vince Gutschalk
LIMBO LUNACY
Set limbo streamer at 6', Most passes under limbo in one
minute, cut streamer or hit pole and time stops.
Tom Rhodes
MAIL RUN
Pilot must taxi to spot on field where helper directs him to spot #1.
Once on spot business card is attached to plane (rubber band). Take off, pass
upwind and down wind markers and land. Taxi to spot #2 where helper removes card
1 and attaches card 2. Take off, fly around markers an deliver mail back to spot
#1 where you will receive card 3 to deliver back to spot #2. Time to pick up an
deliver X pieces of mail wins. Time starts when plane starts to roll and stops
when last piece of mail is delivered.
Red Scholefield - Flying Gators
MUSICAL AIRPLANES
Fill the sky with old airplanes. A horn is blown, and all aircraft must
land, Last plane down is eliminated. Continue till all but one plane is
eliminated. (these Coloradans know how to "trim the fleet"...bf)
Vince
Gutschalk
MYSTERY SPOT LANDING
Totally chance, but some skill involved... I draw a big
rectangle on the field.. like a "carrier deck". Somewhere in that square is a
mystery spot that only I know. Everyone gets three marked landings or
touch'n'goes in that box.. when everyone's landings are marked, the spot is
reveiled and the closest to the spot wins! I usually pick my spot as even a
mystery to me... something like.. "starting in the northwest corner, 4 paces
west, 5 paces south. That's the spot". I don't even know it until the contest is
over .. but I do write the above down before we start so it can't be changed.
The objective of course, is that it helps beginner/intermediate pilots improve
their landing approaches to more accuracy.
"OH, CRAP!"
This one has been done in many different ways but here's a
little variation. We call it "Oh, Crap!" With the command "Go!" and on the
clock, the contestant rolls a pair of dice once to get his "number." He/she then
must fire up the model, taxi fifty feet, take off, do one loop and one roll,
land, taxi back, shut down and then roll the dice again until his number comes
up. The crap shooting "levels the field" a bit, so that the less proficient
flyers have a chanceagainst the hot doggers.
Graham Hicks
PAINT BALL SHOOT
Safety
is a must. A great way to raise money for your club/charity.
Everyone involved wears goggles. An "expendable" airplane flys around
while people pay $1.00 to shoot at it with a paint ball gun. The pilot
should do fly-bys around 100 feet away while the person aims and takes their
shot. Load one ball at a time to reduce the chance of someone "laying a
wall of paint down". It should be made so that it is not impossible, but
is difficult to hit, as a paint ball could cause the plane to crash. A
Paintball with go through monocote. Works with helicopters
too.
RENO SHUFFLE
First you roll a die as many times as you wish. Take off and perform a
number of loops equal to the last number rolled. Land. Now, roll the last number
rolled THE SAME NUMBER OF TIMES YOU FIRST ROLLED THE DIE!! Sneaky, huh?? Low
time wins....
Vince Gutschalk
SCROOGE
(and LOOPING SCROOGE)
Pilot fuels EMPTY tank from 15cc syringe.
Longest time in air wins. (Add 10 seconds to time for each loop
performed.)
Vince Gutschalk
SHORTEST TAKEOFF
Pilot tries to takeoff in the shortest possible distance.
Vince
Gutschalk
SLALOM
Place
5 balloons on the runway. Taxi thru them, weaving in & out. Taxi back the
same way. Break a balloon and get a five second penalty. Low time wins.
Vince
Gutschalk
SPINDOWN
Pilot has one minute from takeoff to climb to altitude and begin to spin.
Must land on runway. Greatest number of spins wins.
Vince
Gutschalk
SUDDEN DEATH
Pilot takes off and circles in pattern until an unknown time perod
passes. Time starts at an audible signal, and pilot must land as soon as
possible. Landing must be on runway. Low time wins.
Vince
Gutschalk
TAXI RACE
Aircraft race a specified number of laps on ground. Low time
wins...
Vince gutschalk
TAXI CONTEST
We set up 3 posts on the field. Watch is started. You have to
start your engine, taxi round the 3 posts (tri-oval), stop your engine and then
roll doubles on a pair of dice. Watch is stopped. Low time wins. Lotsa fun to
see the cubs, etc. ground looping trying to taxi fast in the wind. I kick butt
in this one using my Patriot (low tricycle gear).
Edward
Walker
TWO MINUTE TOUCH 'N'
GO
Time starts at takeoff. Pilot performs as many touch
and go maneuvers as possible in two minutes.
Vince
Gutschalk
ROOPS
Time
begins at liftoff. Pilot flies a loop, then a roll... three each,
then lands.
Time stops at touchdown. Low time wins.
Vince Gutschalk
WILLIAM TELL
An arrow is affixed to the wing of the plane. A large balloon is placed
on the runway. At the "GO" command, the pilot begins to taxi and attempts to
break the balloon with the arrow. Low time wins. Disqualified if prop breaks
balloon...
Vince Gutschalk
YOUR GUESS
Spike a series of paper or plastic plates to the field upside
down with 16 or 20 penny nails. Have a number written on the bottom of each
plate. Give each flyer three attempts at landing on a plate, touch and goes
count. To make the event easier, a short distance could be added from center of
the plate so that a touchdown within that distance would count as a hit. Each
flyer tries for one hit. The numbers on the plates are duplicated and put into a
hat. At the end of the flying, a number is drawn from the hat and the one who
hit that plate wins. Of course, in the case of two flyers choosing the same
plate and winning to boot, you can have a fly-off.
David Sult (CIA - Central
Iowa Aeromodelers)
Developed by Geistware of Indiana© ., 1999.
Updated September 15, 2002
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