Does Pattern competition cost too much?

[Gray E Fowler]

Its not the money, its the pressure. Anyone can come up with the cash for 
the plane, but the pressure of keeping up with what is competitive is too 
much for some. For example, to keep in vogue, I may show up to the NATS 
with my new Easter egg colored plane, only to find out I am three years 
too late, and my propeller is unpainted.    sigh!



Gray Fowler
Principal Chemical Engineer
Composites Engineering



"J.Oddino" <joddino at socal.rr.com> 
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Does Pattern competition cost too much?






>From time to time I hear folks suggesting the reason the number of 
contestants is down is due to the high cost of pattern planes and support 
equipment.  Well I don't believe that is the reason.  This weekend I went 
to a relatively local IMAC contest in Camarillo California and there were 
somthing like 61 preregistered and 56 actually flying.  I'd guess 80% of 
the planes were 40% scale, meaning they had $1500 engines and $3000 
airframes and $1500 worth of servos.  Then you've got the motor homes and 
trucks and trailers to transport them.  I still say the highest cost of 
flying is the driving to and from the field and that is probably why the 
park flyers are so popular. 
So what is the reason for the drop in attendance and the drop in the 
number of pattern contests?  Or is that only in Southern California?
 
Jim O
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