Artistic Aerobatics suggestions

[Peter Pennisi]

Allan,

 

I am not sure if I have misunderstood the context of your email.

 

I fly pattern in Australia in the FAI class. I am fast approaching my
forties and have been involved in pattern on and off for the past 23 years.
My longest break was for 12 years. Anyway I have flown pattern in the
pre-turnaround days. IMHO the best thing that ever happened to pattern was
change to turnaround.

 

Pattern has not died because the manoeuvres are too difficult or pattern has
become too expensive. Pattern is competing against a lot of other hobbies to
try and maintain a certain level of popularity. 20 years ago we never had
helicopters which are as reliable and relatively inexpensive as today. We
never dreamt about 3D flying as it is know today, nor did we have to huge
interest in electric parkflyers and 3D aircraft we are currently seeing. Add
cable TV, Xboxes, Play stations and game-boys etc you can see what is
happening.

 

I don't think pattern is any more expensive than it was 20 years ago either
when you take into account inflation and what your dollar buys today. In
some ways I think modelling today is better value because the equipment is
so much better.

 

Thinking that the old timers is going to change things is a statement I
don't totally agree with. We must all move on and enjoy what we are doing at
a club level. If the newcomers to a club can see how much fun you are having
they may feel inclined to give it a go. The best promotion I can give this
hobby is to give fellow club members a fly on my current 2m F3A models. Once
they have a taste there usually hooked.

 

No pun intended

 

Just my thoughts

 

PP  

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org] On
Behalf Of AWorrest at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, 27 January 2004 7:19 AM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: Re: Artistic Aerobatics suggestions

 

I don't know what the state of pattern is across the nation.  I do know in
my club and several neighboring ones it has been dead for years.  Pattern
use to be the major club event.  After years of low local participation, the
club decided to replace the pattern contest with an open house fly-in.  As
pattern has evolved, it has become increasingly difficult to interest new
people in it. 

Precision Aerobatics is an expensive, specialized sport.  It is common to
see a Focus and the like being flown in Sportsman.  How many Sig Kobras or
Four Stars are entered? Not many and not for long. 

Pattern aircraft lacks the attraction IMAC aircraft has with its scale like
appearance.  Pattern aircraft are not expected to wow spectators with 3-D
maneuvers.  Entry level pattern maneuvers are boring.  The schedules for the
upper levels are too difficult for the casual flyer. 

After several failing attempts to re-interest the club in pattern, we were
successful when we put on a one-day, modified SPA contest.  It really
shouldn't be called an SPA contest as the maneuvers were the only SPA-aspect
we used.  The participation and the number of these events have grown over
the past three years. 

It was surprising how many former pattern fliers attended.  One of them
commented that he dropped out of pattern when it went to the turnaround
schedule.  The fly-by schedule is less stressful than the turnaround.  This
imparts confidence to try more difficult and interesting maneuvers. 

One side benefit by bring back former pattern fliers, is that new people are
drawn in.  These "old timers" are the club leaders.  With their
participation, people not familiar with pattern are attracted. Most of the
planes entered have been sport aircraft.  Modern pattern planes are the
exception. 

Allan Worrest 
NSRCA 2854 
SPA 201 

In a message dated 1/26/2004 11:42:49 AM Central Standard Time,
Eric.Henderson at gartner.com writes: 





But what are you,(or we), going to do when you run out of people to beat.
Not because you (we) got better, but because no one competes any more? 

The fact that Masters is usually the fullest class means that below Masters
is thin on the ground and above Masters is even thinner. (Ask yourself what
was the average FAI field in D1 for FAI in 2003? Was it 2 or a decimal of
that) 

The object of this discussion exercise is not to analytically tear up every
idea but to recognize the issues and propose solutions. If I can get our
collective minds to think about growth we might have a healthy sport to hand
over to the next generation? 

What should be next? If it's a return to former specification limits then
that's an idea to consider? 

Regards, 

Eric. 





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