mass opinions

[ronlock at comcast.net]

<...if you are a newer guy please do not think that you need this huge budget for all this sponsored pilot gear to get into and improve at flying pattern...>

Related to that snip from a Gray Fowler post - is some excellent advice 
my Son and I got from an experienced pattern pilot when we were flying 
a class equivalent to today's Intermediate.  ...For now, be a student of aerobatics.  Be an innovator with equipment later on if that's your 
choice...   (Stan Rautkis, of S&W fuel, late 1980s)   Part of what Stan 
was saying is, use what's easily available and works right now.  
Leave sorting out the latest equipment to others.

Later, Ron Lockhart

__________________
Anthony 

What Jason did is not what the normal sponsored pilot does. Most sponsored pilots are flying the most expensive status quo, taking minimal chances, devloping nothing and flying that particular equipment because it is free or reduced in cost. I do not blame them...I would love for someone to give me a case of servos. Those guys fly new servos every year or less. Can you afford that? The main point is for someone NOT at their flying skill (that is the REST of us) you absolutely do not need that 1.4 or 1.6 DZ to win. 
You even stated how much power a plane you test flew had. There are several engines that can give you that at half the price of the 1.6 DZ. The qualities offerd by this 1.6DZ other than top RPM at this high  price are not utilized by the Intermediate, Advanced or even some Masters pilots. 
The 402 and 403 guys would be better off investing that excess cash in a cheaper rig and fuel-even though there may not be a sponsored pilot flying that set up. 
Sorry for beating this into the ground and I know that sponsorship sells equipment...For me I do not take such bait, but I do listen to others opinions and make decisions based on what I hear-repeatably. But even that can be a quagmire as a lot of people simply repeat what the heard as fact, and during a conversation over a beer ( D6 requirement) it is tough to separate fact from fiction. 

This thread ends for me as it started-if you are a newer guy please do not think that you need this huge budget for all this sponsored pilot gear to get into and improve at flying pattern.


Gray Fowler
Principal Chemical Engineer
Composites Engineering 
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