Class Structure - 400S

[Jeff Hughes]

All you old guys look at the turnaround manuevers as a big deal because you 
went through the change from turnaround to non-turnaround. The new people 
really don't know any better and the turnaround part of the pattern is no 
more intimidating than any other part of the pattern. I came in post 
turnaround and flew in my first contest in Plainfield, IN. I live in the 
middle of Indiana and there was nobody at my field flying pattern. The guy 
that ran the contest (who's name escapes at the moment) got somebody to 
coach the Novice pattern with me before my first flight and talk me through 
it. Without him, I probably would of quit in the middle of the contest and 
went home. It's really the intimidation factor of preparing, flying in front 
of judges, looking stupid in front of people who are obviously better pilots 
than yourself. This is what I remember about Novice, not the specific 
manuevers.

Plus don't sell some of the new guys short. I taught a guy this year who was 
around 55 who soloed in three flights. Equipment is better than ever, they 
buy arfs so there is no emotional attachment and they fly simulators so they 
can be way up the learning curve before they get the first flight in.  I 
don't think the difficulty of the sportsman class is the real issue, it's 
getting people involved and helping them.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Grow Pattern" <pattern4u at comcast.net>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 12:32 PM
Subject: Re: Class Structure - 400S


> It may well be that we need a similar routine for the older flyers who now 
> find turnarounds to be too far away? (No tease or insult intended.)  I'm 
> just being realistic and live close to there right now.
>
> The class would have NO progression or pointing-out exit rules. Enter if 
> you want. Call it 400S. S=sport=fun etc...
>
> For the record I have always liked the idea of a non-turnaround 
> starter/primer.fun-acrobatics schedule.
>
> Regards,
>
> Eric,
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Tom Simes" <nsrca at shinymetalass.com>
> To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
> Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 12:19 PM
> Subject: Re: Class Structure
>
>
>> On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 11:09:04 -0500
>> "Del Rykert" <drykert at localnet.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Verne.
>>>     I am only 1 vote but you would have my support as many I have
>>>     tried to get to consider giving pattern a try were intimidated by
>>>     the box and keeping a group of maneuvers in it. Without a coach
>>>     was to over whelming for them.
>>>
>>>                              del
>>
>> Rather than formally creating a new division or simplifying the
>> sportsman sequence, how about addressing the issue locally as needed
>> with something like a "newbie hour" prior to starting the contest?
>>
>> It seems to me that instead of a single cause such as turn around
>> maneuvers, or flying within the box itself, there are likely a wide
>> variety of fairly minor barriers which keep pilots from making the leap
>> from being interested to being participants.  This list is ample
>> evidence of both our desire to grow the sport and help each other.
>> While everyone is getting unpacked and set up, how about formally
>> setting aside an hour to help newbies one on one nail that maneuver that
>> eludes them, get their plane trimmed, get their engine running right, or
>> just give them 5 minutes on a buddy box flying a well set up pattern
>> plane with an experienced pilot.  In short, take an hour and do what you
>> can to push someone over the interested hump and into participant mode.
>>
>> Some folks fall naturally into the mentoring mode and would volunteer
>> for the duty, but if that fails maybe the mentoring could be part of
>> first round judging duties.
>>
>> What do you think?
>>
>> -- 
>> Tom
>>
>> _____________________________________________________________________
>>
>>       |  ,  |               Tom Simes
>> ---------(@)---------        AMA 230068
>>        --|--                NSRCA 3830
>>          '                  nsrca at shinymetalass.com
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