The number one thing to remember is you've got to see it to fly it. Believe it or not, some very experience competitors have lost their models either at the top of boost or in a strong thermal. One way to maintain sight of your model during the boost phase is to fly an "S" boost. Initially allow the model to climb at an angle of approximately 70 degrees above the horizion. Hold it in this climb for a couple seconds and then pull it up to vertical. This will keep the model out in front of you during the entire boost and prevent losing the model in the plume from the rocket motor.
If you find yourself in a strong thermal and starting to have trouble seeing the model, there are a few different things you can do.
- Try adding a lot of down-trim and flying the model very fast back and forth across the sky. If this doesn't work,
- try holding full up and full right/left rudder. This will typically spin or spiral the model down. If this doesn't work,
- S8E models are very robust due to the high speeds of boost (typically greater than 100 mph). So, you can safely point the model straight down and allow it to dive at very high speed. Just don't pull out quickly!
The key to staying out of trouble when you are high and in strong lift is to practice these "bailout" techniques when you don't need them.
Unless conditions are absolutely awful, there is no reason why you should not easily max the first four rounds of competition. Never fly first. Wait until you confirm the location of lift. Then fly into the lift and get your round max.
The unlimited round is a completely different matter. To win, you should try to get in the lift first. That means, before the round starts you need to know where the lift is going to be and when it will be there. Then you try to be the first one to get in the lift and the last one to leave it. To do this you must practice two important skills. First, you should practice, practice, practice spotting lift and flying to it. To stay in the lift you may have to fly way downwind following the thermal. This is a nerve-racking way to fly and it requires you to remain calm, focused and patient. Practice it at progressively greater distances until you can do it with confidence.