Sequence Poll Results

[Jason]

I did make the jump...but I got my tail handed to me for a few years before
settling down and moving up....Maybe after this year I'll fly Advanced again
after the Nats and get my Nats trophy from Advanced I just missed; providing
some of these Advanced pilots don't beat me up first (flying).

Jason
  -----Original Message-----
  From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On
Behalf Of Rcmaster199 at aol.com
  Sent: Monday, January 03, 2005 8:11 PM
  To: discussion at nsrca.org
  Subject: Fwd: Sequence Poll Results


  In a message dated 1/3/2005 10:10:12 PM Eastern Standard Time, Rcmaster199
writes:
    It seems to me that Earl is right. It's a moot point

    In the US (and many other countries) we are lucky to have pattern
competition in ever increasing levels of difficulty. When a competitor has
reached some level of profficiency and feels compelled to compete for the
World stage, he or she only needs to do it. We have no other requiremnts
imposed. The question in my mind is, are prep levels really necessary? If
one is driven enough and focused enough, No!

    There are countries out there that do not have such progression in skill
requirements. Often it's only a handful of pilots available and it's either
F3A or nothing. Well, just fun flying I suppose. Point is they don't need
anything special to compete in F3A--just desire. They  do it to the best of
their ability. And they have a bunch of fun doing it.

    It occasionally is that way here also and I would bet that those that
want to compete at the F3A level will, regardless of earlier prep. It helps,
obviously. But what really helps is the exposure to competition. And in that
regard, AMA classes 401-404 serve the function of prep for F3A just fine.
But each class stands on its own.

    Those that want to go to F3A after any of these classes, are free to do
so. If memory serves, Jason Shulman moved to F3A comp after kicking
everybody's butt in ADVANCED. No Expert, Expert TA or Masters.

    Is F3A the TOP class, or "Destination" class or whatever you want to
call it? Does it really matter?

    MattK
      Earl Haury wrote:

           I think this "top class" issue is of little value and, at best,
semantics. One could argue that, as AMA pattern class 404 is Masters and AMA
pattern 406 is F3A, F3A is at the top of AMA progression. Mark's point that
we have as much influence in F3A as any other country is not only valid -
many of the F3A "innovations" have come from USA reps to the FAI CIAM F3A
Subcommittee. I also assure you that a sequence provided by "us" will not
only receive as much consideration as any other, but be quite welcome. Our
pattern community worldwide is small, why on earth would we want to be only
a subset? BTW - does anyone have a feel for the total number of pattern
competitors worldwide, I suspect that the US may be in the minority. Sure,
we should and do have preparatory classes. These may become resident classes
for folks prevented from moving forward by any number of  limiting factors,
but that's a fact of life - not reason to tailor these classes to that end.
One of the strongest attractions for model aviation is diversity. Likewise,
excess diversity is a weakness of model aviation. We too quickly "invent"
new disciplines to accommodate each and every interest with the effect of
diluting our core groups. If one considers most sports, many folks
participate at playground, high school, college, and pro levels with fewer
at each level as the requirements take a toll. But the "top" level is
clearly recognized and emulated, there may be concessions to detail,
difficulty, equipment at the early levels - but the top level clearly is the
goal. I find it sad that some consider that the NSRCA should ignore F3A,
rather the NSRCA should drive the US interests in F3A. The NSRCA was founded
by the top F3A competitors of the time and there was no expectation that it
was exclusive of F3A, unfortunately they didn't recognize the need to spell
that out in the charter. Pattern is our game, anything that interests folks
in pattern competition is very good,  discussion of pattern details is good,
F3A is the epitome of our game, but I find it hard to criticize anything
related to the enjoyment of pattern. Earl ----- Original Message -----
          From: Bob Pastorello
          To: discussion at nsrca.org
          Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2005 11:00 AM
          Subject: Re: Sequence Poll Results
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