What class should I fly in?

[Mike Hester]

MOVE UP MOVE UP!!

But seriously.. the rules say move up. But....

Reality says no one is going to press you if you stay in sportsman after only one contest. Like Chuck says, sportsman is where you learn the basics of pattern, period. If you struggle at all with sportsman, intermediate will be a real challenge.

But what it comes down to in my opinion is this: have you learned all you can learn in sportsman? Does it bore you to tears? Can you get through an intermediate sequence, start to finish, without seriously endangering the airplane? If the answer is yes to any of these, it's time to step up next season. 

I was in a sililar situation a few years ago. I did very well at my first contest, which was the last of the year, but I was struggling and had a LOT to learn. I was nowhere near intermediate level, I had only been practicing for 2 weeks. So I made what I thought was a wise decision to stay in sportsman another year. It was and it wasn't.

Well, I did stay, and won every contest I attended that year. By mid summer I felt I had pretty much mastered the sportsman pattern, I was bored with it and already practicing intermediate, and since I had a lock on the district championship I was again in a quandry. I decided after some advice from more experienced pilots that I should stay put and move up the next season. To this day I wish I had moved up and given up the championship trophy. Yeah it looks great on the wall, but I think I could have learned so much more from moving on up to intermediate sooner. 

Just some insight from a similar situation. But I seriously doubt anybody would really want to mess with you over one contest. But I could be wrong....

Good luck and 10s,
-Mike



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Daniel J. Hamlett 
  To: N.S.R.C.A. 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 9:30 PM
  Subject: What class should I fly in?


  Hello everyone.

  I am trying to figure out what class I should be flying in ( sportsman or intermidiate ).  I reciently flew at my first pattern meet ( Waterbourough ME ).  I placed first in sportsman class.  That is the only meet that I will be able to attend for the rest of this season.  I have only flown the 401 class 1/2 a dozen times, including the meet.  I have been told that if you place at an event and beat 3 or 4 people that you have to move up in to the next class ( intermidiate ).  My question is this.  I did place first but I think that it may be a little bit premature for me to move up into the intermidiate class. Given the amount of time that I have been flying this pattern, should I compete next year in sportsman.  I don't want to brake any rules, so I am looking for feedback to help me determine if I need to move up.  I have heard mixed feeling concerning this at my local club.  There are a few other members that fly pattern there.  I want to know if what their opinion is shared by other flyers.  Any feedback on this would be apreciated.  Thank you in advance for your responce.

  Dan
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