Pattern & Imac 2003 Nationals articles in AMA Mag.

[John Ferrell]

That is the most appealing pitch for IMAC I have heard yet!

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

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken McGuire" <rcplanefan at yahoo.com>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 12:35 PM
Subject: Re: Pattern & Imac 2003 Nationals articles in AMA Mag.


> George and all,
> 
> This is my first post on this forum as I've been
> lurking for a while.  I currently fly IMAC and have
> for the past 3 years.  I have never flown pattern,
> though I am interested in getting started.  I chose to
> fly IMAC because I like the "scale looking" airplanes
> and love competitive aerobatics.  I just wanted to
> make a couple of comments on your post.
> 
> First of all, I didn't attend the NATS this year which
> kind of sucks because I live in Cincinnati and would
> have only had about a 2 or 3 hour drive.  However,
> there were 21 IMAC contests in my region (North
> Central) during this past season.  All of these
> contests occur on weekends and, as a result, require
> that I take no vacation from work to attend.  The
> average attendance was about 20 people--some had many
> more than 30, a few had less than 20.  So, at least in
> my region, the competitive circuit is full.  The NATS
> would have required taking the better part of a week
> away from work.  Nah, for me I can compete in 15-20
> contests during the spring, summer, and fall.  No need
> to skip a week of work for the NATS.
> 
> Economic reasons?  Well, this has been said many times
> before, but the top-of-the-line IMAC plane really
> doesn't cost any more that a top-of-the-line pattern
> plane.  I don't think that "most" IMAC guys have
> planes worth >$7500.  I personally know very few. 
> However, most of the competitive planes are large. 
> Ever tried to ship one of these via the airlines? 
> Can't be done.  Which means you have to drive to the
> contest--usually towing a trailer, or ship in a crate.
>  Not alot of guys in California who want to do either
> (and I don't blame them).
> 
> The IMAC NATS to me is really just another contest. 
> And I have so many to choose from that don't require a
> week away, that I chose to skip.  You are correct
> about one thing--the article certainly won't help
> future NATS attendence.  But there are plenty of other
> "national" level contests to attend--the Joe Nall
> Masters, JR Challenge, and Tuscon Shootout to name a
> few.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys realize that IMAC is really
> the same type of guys as pattern flying competitive
> aerobatics with a different type of plane.  Same goal
> in mind, though--precision flight.  Please don't get
> an "us vs. them" thing going.  This is supposed to be
> fun--it sure a hell is for me!
> 
> Ken McGuire
> 


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