K-Factor Pattern an invisible group

[Rick Wallace]

>I really can't believe cost is a major factor.

Au contraire --
I believe that cost is one of the major factors to would-be pattern guys - 
it's a major factor for many of us whe ARE in the game --

There are aother factors too - the competition itself, the hurdle of 
spending long hours away from family practicing the same sequence, and all 
the other reasons people have so eloquently expressed wvery time this topic 
has come up -

These things stop being barriers to entry when one (or more) of us helps the 
potential pattern guy to understand that he does NOT have to jump into the 
deep end right away - that there ARE adequate entry level planes, and that 
there's lots of fun to be had with the Venus or TIger or KAOS or whatever 
...

Most of us have done it  - encouraged a local guy who shows the sprk to give 
it a go - probably were encouraged that way ourselves at some point -

In this world of readily available "real" adventure experiences like 
ATV'ing, RC cars and video/ computer games where kids (of all ages) can 
experience some level of instant 'success', and where there are endless 
demands on everyone's freetime, it DOES take a major mental commitment to 
make the leap into a *discipline* like pattern - or any other form of R/C 
airplane competition. And sometimes the cost in dollars is as much a factor 
as the cost in toime not spent w/ the family, etc.

My $.02 -
Rick
AMA 89045
NSRCA 2972

>
>I was talking to a local flier who attended the Joe Nall fly-in this
>spring and he said there were over 500, yes 5 0 0, registered fliers.
>Most had 2 or 3 planes, with an average cost pushing $3000 each. Add to
>this mix the great number of turbine jets flying now, where the engine
>alone is over $2500. The minimal cost of a turbine jet, RTF, is in excess
>of $5000. We can build 2 top of the line pattern ships for that, and
>still have enough left to take our wives out to a very nice dinner, or
>two!
>
>Why are thes pilots, by the thousands, choosing very big scale ships that
>are generally flown around in race course fashion, over the challenges of
>flying precision aerobatics????????????? it certainly IS NOT  the
>cost!!!!!!!!!
>
>Terry T.
>
>On Thu, 31 Oct 2002 13:25:17 -0500 "GeorgeF." <av8tor at flash.net> writes:
> > Got it and thanks.
> >
> > Being that I was HEAVY into pattern many years ago and then quit the
> >
> > results of that survey is not surprising at all.   Local support and
> >
> > interest just wasn't there.
> >
> > After moving to Florida I had thoughts of re-entering the sport and
> > again
> > find that there is just no local support or interest not to mention
> > the sky
> > high price of todays equipment to be competitive.  While for me
> > money is
> > not much of a concern however I feel it is the high cost of being
> > competitive which actually leads to the issue of "no local support
> > and
> > interest".  As shown by the survey the #2 reason was equipment
> > costs.
> >
> > After seeing some of the rules that some members what changed in the
> > name
> > of "allowing more people to fly pattern" these are simply excuses to
> > get a
> > rule change passed.   In the past nearly every rule change (ie:
> > engine size
> > & aircraft size) which was meant to increase pattern involvement has
> >
> > not.  In fact the long-term effect of those rule changes did nothing
> > but
> > increase the cost of being competitive.
> >
> > George
> > NSRCA member since 1990
> >
> > At 12:07 PM 10/31/2002 -0600, you wrote:
> >
> > >George
> > >
> > >rcuniverse.com     go to 3D aerobatics and Pattern then search for
> > surveys
> > >
> > >or go to one of Bob's previous post's and click on the URL
> > >
> > > >From: "GeorgeF."
> > > >Reply-To: discussion at nsrca.org
> > > >To: discussion at nsrca.org
> > > >Subject: RE: K-Factor Pattern an invisible group
> > > >Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 12:17:48 -0500
> > > >
> > > >Where is this survey found? URL?
> > > >George
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >At 08:41 AM 10/31/2002 -0800, you wrote:
> > > >> - yah, it tells me that the survey is not gear towards pattern
> > > >>flyers or those interested in pattern. The "jist" of it appears
> > to
> > > >>be towards those who have not competed, or did and quit, and
> > why.
> > > >>
> > > >>Jim
> > > >>-----Original Message-----
> > > >>From: Buddy Brammer [mailto:buddybrammer35 at hotmail.com]
> > > >>Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 8:41 AM
> > > >>To: discussion at nsrca.org
> > > >>Subject: Re: K-Factor Pattern an invisible group
> > > >>
> > > >>For those intrested Bob's survey at RCU has already had more
> > > >>responses than the rules change survey and it has only been
> > running
> > > >>a few days! Does that tell you something?
> > > >>
> > > >>Buddy
> > > >>
> > > >> >From: "Buddy Brammer"
> > > >> >Reply-To: discussion at nsrca.org
> > > >> >To: discussion at nsrca.org
> > > >> >Subject: K-Factor Pattern an invisible group
> > > >> >Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 10:27:23 -0600
> > > >> >
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>----------
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