Involving the pattern community as a whole.

[John Ferrell]

Wow! What a thread...
IMAC (aka: Scale Aerobatics) and NSRCA (aka: precision aerobatics) are
merged in the organization we know as AMA. The different SIG's (Special
Interest Groups) are supposed to mutually benefit the SIG's and the AMA. If
there is a relationship between the members and interests of the SIG's other
than through the AMA I cannot see it. Let's not be bitter about our IMAC
Sig's success, they are truly a different discipline.

If you want this Annex thing to go anywhere, it is esential that we quit
whimpering and write it up like IMAC's and acknowledge their wisdom and
success. Now is a good time to start putting that together for the next
rules cycle and consideration for an earlier presentation might be possible
if a good case is made.

IMAC and Pattern are as different as apples and oranges. There are voices
within our organization that are being ignored. They are saying that they
don't have the time to practice a new sequence every season. They are saying
that IMAC does not pretend precision and pattern demands it. They resent
maneuvers that require two lines on the call sheet. The real reason they fly
Masters instead of FAI is because they have trouble enough finding time to
practice one sequence, forget two of them. Many of them only fly a couple of
contests a year and they are not NSRCA members by choice. If we don't listen
to them, they will be the first to leave.

When it comes to recruiting new members another piece of snail mail or
another email will not accomplish much. They know where to find us. We need
to offer something meaningful in return. The best place to do that is in the
K-Factor. Sharing technical information has been a big draw in the past.
Providing a market place for pattern vendors is another. We used to tout
that the Buyer's Guide alone was worth the cost of membership. Then we
changed the traditional date because it was not logical and went down hill
into oblivion...

>From the outside looking in, it appears that somehow the K-Factor was seen
as a profit center and the price of advertising was whatever the traffic
would bear. That has led most of the little guys away from us to the
detrimate of all. The internet makes it possible to do business with out
expensive advertising.  We have a new source and hopefully a fresh outlook.
The K-Factor is our number one recruiting tool.

John Ferrell
6241 Phillippi Rd
Julian NC 27283
Phone: (336)685-9606
Dixie Competition Products
NSRCA 479 AMA 4190  W8CCW
"My Competition is Not My Enemy"



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