AMA Magazine Article

[Rcmaster199 at aol.com]

Tom and Marty,

A little perspective is in order. Someone asked me a long time ago, when I 
first got interested in Pattern, "why do you take it so seriously? It is just 
flying model planes"

He was right in asking. When you really get right down to it, we are only 
flying model airplanes. It doesn't put food on the table and for most of us, 
it doesn't make us a dime. It's the greatest hobby around, to be sure, and we 
all love it, but it is still "Flying Model Planes". Some people tend to 
forget that sometimes, and will get ugly with others on occasion. 

The best thing you can do as a Pattern Competitor is to treat every one else 
in the Hobby, with courtesy and respect. And be as helpful as you can to 
others less experienced than you, if they ask for the help.

I don't know Mike Hurley, and I feel bad that he wrote what he did. Who knows 
his motivation for taking a swing at Pattern? Did he realize he was doing 
that by his writing? If anyone is trully interested in his meaning, try 
contacting him

Matt Kebabjian

In a message dated 9/28/2002 10:10:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
moleski at canisius.edu writes:


> > I just read Mike Hurley's RC Scale Aerobatics column ...
> 
> Me, too.
> 
> > I don't believe that Mike intended to malign the NSRCA ...
> 
> Sure came across that way.  Could he have been any more
> damning if he'd tried?  :-O
> 
> > ... and I don't doubt Chuck's experience ...
> 
> Neither do I.
> 
> > ... I just found it sad that the NSRCA would get the negative press. 
> 
> Me, too.
> 
> > ... I don't think I have met a nicer group of people. 
> 
> The NSRCA is made up of human beans.  Some are nicer than
> others.  Some give the sport a bad reputation, others a 
> good reputation.  We don't admit people based on a 
> character test.  If they pay their dues or their entrance
> fee, they're in.  :o)
> 
> > Especially when you consider that everyone was busy competing. 
> 
> That, I think, is the heart of the problem.  Shaking down a 
> new plane and practicing maneuvers takes a lot of concentration.
> I've gotten a little snippy--OK, I've said some things I regret--OK,
> I behaved like a jerk--a few times with people whom I really know
> and like when having problems with a pattern engine or plane.
> And I haven't even reached the point at which I can start
> to practice enough to be competitive.  I behave differently
> when I'm working with a competition plane than when I've got
> a sport plane (GP Dazzler) or one of my combat planes
> (Gremlin, Predator, Wonder) at the field.
> 
> Then there's the problem of missing significant club events
> when I go to pattern contests.  At present, when there is
> a conflict, I've usually chosen my club events (flying at
> full-scale air shows, working and flying at our club's
> annual fun-fly as the AMA CD, attending picnics, 
> teaching newcomers to fly, etc.).  I heard a local pattern 
> pilot talking about spending ten (10!) weeks on the road
> to attend contests.  I can't afford that kind of investment
> of time and money, but if I could and did, it sure would
> weaken my relationship with my home club.   When people
> saw me in mid-week, I would be a stranger to them and
> I imagine I would be pretty busy practicing to get 
> ready for the next weekend's competition. 
> 
> > Each and every person that I spoke with took the time to 
> > answer my questions in a friendly and thoughtful way.  
> > Even the contest director took time to talk with me in 
> > the middle of the contest and it wasn't just a five minute 
> > chat.  Based on my esperience I have every intention of 
> > joining the NSRCA. 
> 
> Wonderful!
> 
> > I hope the contrast of these two stories can be of some help to the 
> organization. 
> 
> I hope so, too.
> 
>                     Marty #2874

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