NEW concept? for pattern entry.

[Del Rykert]

Adding my thought..
     
        What got me involved was a one time prod from a pattern flier. But He flew a Dirty Birdy and I already had a Super Kaos which was in my eyes coming from the same family. I felt I had equipment already in my hanger that would allow me to enter and not be looked down to by the top dawgs. HEH!  perceptions do count in getting the first time pilots to try pattern. With more top fliers using ARF's that are readily attainable and perceived to be viable other fliers have an easier time to make the choice to try it. As has often been mentioned on this list it isn't everyone's cup of tea to be chasing perfection. What is lost that you don't have to fly perfect to have a lot of fun and bring home some hardware from local contests. NATS... a different story.  When a local club member actually witnesses that experience it can be infectious and a few more jump in. Restrictive flying fields and longer drive to contests all hurt attendance. The move to turnaround hurt attendance but has garnered a better crop of pilots. 
 
    I don't see a large influx of general AMA members getting involved unless some drastic watering down of this sport are made and I don't feel that is the right thing to do. Case in point. I have offered my pattern ship to local club members to fly and am turned down by the majority all the time. I tell them it is easier to fly than a trainer. One guy did take the sticks and said he was really impressed with how easy it flew. In his next breath said I work weekends and that is when they have contests don't they? It don't help when some in the peanut gallery say things like how can you see that and tell what it is doing when I am at the edges of the box. They can see the center stage maneuvers which they always like to see and that was one thing that helped capture my interest is watching that fellow pattern flier do a long low slow roll right on a rail. Course it lasted over 8 secs and was impressive as all get out. That is what hooked me.
 
     Del K. Rykert
     AMA - 8928 
     NSRCA - 473
     Kb2joi - General 


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: ArestiPattern at aol.com 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 6:37 AM
  Subject: Re: NEW concept? for pattern entry.


  I wouldn't get too wrapped up in the thought that a senior class would be the savior of the pattern community.  Lets view a senior class as a way to keep our best story tellers involved in our sport.  Let them fly what they bring, fly the same sequences as the rest of us, and when the final scores are tallied.......award a trophy to best scoring senior within their respective classes.

  I personally feel pattern will, once again, become a very popular event.  The efforts of current flyers to attract new blood through help and encouragement at the local club level and even possibly a little stick time on that latest wizbang ship of yours will lock the new guys and gals that have that little spark in their minds to give it a try.  

  The second and very important ingredient in this recovery is the new ARF industry.  Now we can show how to get started in  pattern with a 'serious' plane like the Swallow and Quest that has been discussed so much lately.  More cheaper ARFs will be a boon to pattern, lets not poo poo these planes at the contests by unfairly judging their pilots, especially in the lower two classes.

  I personally have been inactive in pattern for a few years since my switch to IMAC.  I must say the new ARF invasion, the deletion of flimsy ( I fly off grass ) retracts, and an apparent improvement in YS/OS engine reliability have wet my appetite to jump back in.  

  If I can drag along my ole' pattern pro Dad to fly against other seniors at the same contest, I think this would be a blast !  He practices IMAC Sportsman and is my dedicated builder/caller.  It wouldn't take much of a prod to get him entered in a pattern meet.

  So, lets look at the possibility of senior scoring within the existing classes along with an annual points championship for them.  I'd say it just might work.

  Rick Hannah
  St. Joseph, Michigan 
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