WAS - KFactor Now "Members"

[Keith Black]

You've hit the nail right on the head Bill. In fact, the talk in the circles I was in before I met Gray and Lance was that the "old" style pattern was dead, or dying, and "everyone" was moving to IMAC which has more interesting sequences and maneuvers than the "old" pattern flying (this of course coming from people that hadn't probably flown pattern in a decade or two).

The ironic thing about IMAC being more popular than pattern is that the number two reason on the survey to not participate in pattern is that it's too expensive. However we all know that competitive IMAC planes are WAY more expensive than the best pattern plane. This should tell us something. The real reason pattern is not growing more is because of the number one reason, "No local interest", or better translated, "not enough exposure/mindshare". As you point out IMAC is the rage, from the manufactures to the magazines, all across the board. Why, because people don't understand IMAC. They think it's all about Torque Rolls and Harriers, not precision aerobatics, and let's face it, that stuff really draws attention. Also, TOC has done wonders for giving mindshare to IMAC. One of the guys at our club had his plane already overpowered and told me he was going to put an even larger engine on it. I told him I didn't see why he'd add a larger engine as the one he had seemed way more than adequate. He told me was going to do this because was learning how to fly "IMAC". I could tell he had no idea what he was talking about so I said, oh really, what sequence are you flying. "What do you mean?", he says? "Well, you know IMAC is primarily flying precision patterns much like pattern fliers do", I said. "Oh, I'm not doing that I'm just doing the 3D hovering stuff", he said.

This is pretty much the view that many have about IMAC, they think it's all about 3D. This masses of people are really just flying IMAC style planes and goofing off, which is OK, but it's not really IMAC. And with all those IMAC planes in everyone's hangers when people do decide to compete where do you think they're going to go? Once they get involved in IMAC they may be surprised to find out they're going to spend most of their time on sequences, but this isn't going to make them leave IMAC and come to the pattern crowd. BTW, I wonder how participation in IMAC competitions is growing compared to pattern? 

So what from the survey can we exploit to draw new fliers to Pattern over IMAC? Ironically it's exactly what was stated as being the number 2 reason not to fly pattern... cost!  When talking to potential new pattern fliers get the message across that 1) Sportsman pilots can compete with virtually any sport plane, no need to be a pattern plane. Just fly what you've got, there is no cost in that!  2) If participants progress in the sport and become competitive at higher levels they can be on a level playing field even at the FAI level for a reasonable cost, unlike IMAC where they would spend $5,000 to $7,000 for a 33% or 40% plane. 3) Competitive 33% and %40 IMAC planes are so big that it's difficult to carry and store them, most guys have to buy a trailer.  4) IMAC and pattern contests are very similar as they both fly sequences. 

And don't forget to communicate what's probably the best kept secret in the non-pattern circles, the best pilots in the world all started in, and many still compete in, pattern. It's the discipline they learned in pattern that allows them to do well in IMAC. 

BTW, regarding the competition for mindshare between Pattern and IMAC, we all recognize that sequences (Pattern or IMAC) will never be as interesting as freestyle. So now we have people in the pattern community trying to get Artistic Aerobatic going. I think this is great, but honestly I feel the name "Artistic Aerobatic" does not benefit the pattern community as well as it could. If AA does take off and grow in popularity people may not associate it with Pattern (RC Aerobatics). For that matter did anyone consider that the initials AA are the same as Alcoholics Anonymous? Everyone knows that IMAC Freestyle is associated with IMAC, in fact most think that's all IMAC is. We should call it Pattern Freestyle, or RC Aerobatic Freestyle or something that ties it to pattern (it's all marketing folks). Furthermore, I think everyone in the pattern community should jump on this AA bandwagon starting next season. Holding an AA event at the end of every pattern contest could draw local interest, get mindshare, and who knows, we might even find that we enjoy it, sounds like fun to me! 

Keith Black

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: william krueger 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Friday, November 01, 2002 1:07 AM
  Subject: Re: WAS - KFactor Now "Members"


  One of the things that is not mentioned much is that any facet of R/C that is growing is attracting more people than one that is not growing, this is obvious. The point being that Pattern is in COMPETITION with other forms of flying. By this I mean when a flyer that is getting past the trainer plane/sport plane stage, he or she looks around to see what interests and IMPRESSES them. One of the more impressive things they will see is the large 30 to 40% planes being flown with many being flown in a 3D fashion of sort, watching this can be a big attention getter as they see these things hang in the air. Some of the owners of these planes fly them around without doing a lot of fancy maneuvers others do the stunts, it is obvious that you can go from simple flying to fancy stuff with the same type of plane. The people that have progressed far enough to decide what part of the hobby they are going to get into next see these planes at the field and all over in magazines, it amounts to one heck of a selling job and that is what pattern is competing against. The flier that is ready to make the change to something other than simple sport flyers is more impressed watching the big stuff fly than he is watching pattern stuff fly if there even is pattern planes being flown at his local field.

  I would be willing to bet that the reduction in pattern numbers corresponds very well in time with the growth of the 30 to 40% planes, specially the 3D style, pattern is in competition with these and other non-pattern parts of the hobby. Pattern is fun to fly once you are in it but not very impressive to the non pattern flyer to watch, unless that flier knows someone who is in pattern he probably will not very often consider getting into it, the visual impact is not as great and they are so quiet you hardly notice them, IF someone has one, while the larger 3D planes get most of the attention these days.

  Bill

    
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