Does Pattern competition cost too much?

[Chuck Hochhalter]

Gray, first you have to show up at a contest.
 
Chuck
 
-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]
On Behalf Of Gray E Fowler
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 3:57 PM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: Re: Does Pattern competition cost too much?
 

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> 
Sent by: discussion-request at nsrca.org 
07/25/2005 04:40 PM 

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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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