Sequence Changes

Wed Jan 5 09:12:55 AKST 2005

Bill,
With two kids and working 50-60 hours a week my time is very limited.
During our very short flying season here in Alaska I get out to actually
practice once a week maybe and that is usually in the evening after work.  I
bring the kids with me as well to give my wife a break.  I do however
practice 5 or 6 times a week on a simulator before the kids get up or after
they are in bed.  Currently I don't use the simulator to practice sequences.
I practice multiple slow rolls to the right and left. From inverted to
inverted and so on.  I realize that there are people that will never make
out of the lower classes because of ability, time, or other circumstances

I am not against changing sequences if that is what everyone wants to do.  I
believe that they should be reviewed and kept current to be the true
building blocks to the next higher class.  I don't believe I am a stick in
the mud person.  What I do believe is that it will have no effect on
membership.  If a person does not have the time or ability to get the
current schedules down, changing it isn't going to help them progress in
skill level.  It may help keep the few people that are stuck in class keep
interested because the sequence has changed.  A sequence change isn't going
to be the magic pill that is going to increase our numbers.

I keep hearing well back in the good old days we had lots of members and
then it dropped off.  Seems to me that the large drop in numbers started
happening when scale aerobatics and 3D started taking off.  3D has the wow
factor that attracts new members.  It is relatively easy to get into.  And
not that hard to do.  You don't need to know how to keep maneuver geometry,
constant speed, or really anything else that is the foundation of pattern
flying.  All you need is a plane with large control surfaces and a 1.5 to 1
thrust to weight ratio.  I am starting to see people that started out this
way realize that they are missing something.  They look at the top dogs and
see that they all have something in common.  They are all world class level
pattern flyers.

Pattern flying will always be smaller in numbers then 3D and scale
aerobatics.  If we really want to increase numbers we need to figure out a
way to relay to other RC disciplines the great advantage to them of flying
pattern.  Then as I said in my first post take someone under your wing and
help them out.

Michael Laggis
NSRCA 3618 

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org] On
Behalf Of Bill Glaze
Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 7:40 PM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: Re: Sequence Changes

Michael:
You've got a very ambitious course laid out.  It certainly can be achieved.
But, it seems to me that you are assuming a one-size-fits-all situation
wherein you can afford to spend the time required to progress at this rapid
rate.  Many can't, for some reason or other.  Believe me, there are lots of
absolutely legitimate reasons such a progression is not an option for a lot
of flyers.  As an example, Masters' pilots don't, in a surprisingly high
number, ever want to get involved in FAI..
A similar situation exists for the other, lower classes.  Flying the same
schedules for an interminable period is certainly an option.  It is
certainly possible to adopt an attitude of "if they don't like it, let them
move up."  This tends to put people, if they do move up, in a situation for
which they may never be qualified.  Where, then, is the gain? If someone
decides that the same sequences will be with him forever, and decides to put
his recreational time and money elsewhere, as so many have done, where is
the gain?  What is the sense in disregarding the opinions of a majority of
pilots who are now supporting pattern, and keep the same-old-same-old?  It's
been tried, and our numbers, with a few blessed exceptions, continue to
dwindle.  We need to keep the present enthusiast, while attracting more new
folks.  A stick-in-the-mud approach just isn't going to work, IMHO. 
This is coming from a guy who flew his first contest ~1955, and I can
remember an ordinary contest boasting an attendance of around 144
contestants.  Our club contests usually had ~50 contestants.  Where are
numbers like this now?  There are lots of reasons, and keeping the same
patterns obviously isn't the sole reason.  But, we've got to keep this new
and fresh in some manner.  More frequent sequence changes would be a good
start, I feel Thanks for reading this long posting.

Bill Glaze.

Michael Laggis wrote:

>This is coming from a newbie.  I'm not to start anything but why would 
>we need to make changes to the 401 through 403 sequences?  They are not 
>destination classes.  This year I should have all the disciplines in 
>402 down.  I will then move on to 403 and learn those disciplines and 
>so on until I am flying FAI.  I for one don't believe that changing the 
>sequences every year or two is going to do anything for increasing the 
>number of pattern flyers or advance anyone's flying.  How does someone 
>that is in 402 get board with the sequence?  Do they have all aspects
mastered? If not,
>changing the sequence is not going to help you.   If so move up to the next
>class and challenge yourself .
>
>Once again changing sequences isn't going to increase the popularity of 
>Pattern.  Pattern flying does not have the wow factor for the majority 
>of people flying RC to attract the number of new pilots that IMAC and 3D
does.
>People that are attracted to pattern flying are a unique breed.  Most 
>flyers will find perfecting each and every aspect of a maneuver boring. 
>The only thing we as a group and keep pattern flying going is to be 
>ambassadors at our local fields.  Take someone under your wing.  If 
>they are a part of the unique breed that loves pattern they will be 
>hooked.  If not then they are going to pursue other aspects of the hobby.
If we were to actually do this
>pattern would be self sustaining     
>
>Michael Laggis
>NSRCA 3816
>
>=================================================
>To access the email archives for this list, go to 
>http://lists.f3a.us/pipermail/nsrca-discussion/
>To be removed from this list, go to 
>http://www.nsrca.org/discussionA.htm
>and follow the instructions.
>
>
>
>  
>

=================================================
To access the email archives for this list, go to
http://lists.f3a.us/pipermail/nsrca-discussion/
To be removed from this list, go to http://www.nsrca.org/discussionA.htm
and follow the instructions.