Tucson Aerobatic Shootout 2004

Excellent performances were seen by most of the unlimited pilots; particularly names such as Mark Leesburg, Bill Hempell did very good sequences. Awesome performance from Mike McConville, Jason Shulman, Chip Hyde, Christophe, and Quique Somenzini. Today was a small preview of what to expect for Saturday and Sunday Finals, I just can assure one of the finest competition grade contest.

Lots of trailers, campers and r/c enthusiast are getting to TIMPA Airfield because tomorrow starts to get things harder and riskier when freestyle sequences adds to the score sheet. The scores are relatively close enough to get apposition change from a prefect freestyle session. The heat is on tomorrow morning and we will be ready to get all the prime news for you. This is Raymond Zapata reporting for ScaleAerobatics.com, photo footage by Wilson Chaparro, Jay Barcelo.

Gathering today over fifty giant aerobatics models and pilots from the states and Europe, was started the Tucson Aerobatic Shootout with a pilot meeting excellent conducted by contest director Mitchell Marcellin. Then the first eight pilots of both first categories (Intermediate and Unlimited) stand out to proof their skills at the Shootout.

Experienced pilot Ivan Kristensen performed one of the smoothest and quietest sequences at Unlimited that give him a seventh place position after the first round of the event. Also Christophe Paysant Le-Roux performed a superb sequence along Quique Somenzini. Then by 10:00 AM the weather started to get kind of serious. Sandy and dusty winds with gusts near 30 mph range arrived to TIMPA airfield giving a hard time to pilots that where waiting to complete the first round. Pilots such as Mark Leseberg, Jason Shulman, Mike McConville and Chip Hyde gave an exposition of what are they are made of when facing hard and windy adverse conditions. Tomorrow…, The Unknown Rounds for all categories. Check videos, scores and stay tuned for second day of the Tucson Aerobatic Shootout

Today the doors of DA facilities open to us by Mr. Dave Johnson, owner of this prestigious company specialized in the manufacturing of R/C High Performance Engines. DA Shop has excellent and spacious facilities where all manufacturing process takes place at very strictly quality control standards. Also Mr. Johnson counts on a very committed group of employs that take care when producing this massive power engines.

DA facilities also promote several lines of products: Propellers & spinner, pipe mufflers and many other inventory parts related to these giant birds.

By merely watch this manufacturing process we can conclude that the success of a final product depends on the care, love, service and commitment that these DA people truly give.

After visiting DA shop we went to TIMPA R/C facilities. Many people from different states & parts of the world were practicing since 7:00AM. Don Lowe Master champion, Quique Somenzini was early in the field. He just gave a warm up flight to check the performance of the airplane. Many other pilots are practicing at an undisclosed facility. What will happened? Stay tuned for the results to be posted in the afternoon.