Does Pattern competition cost too much?

[vicenterc at comcast.net]

I agree.  I also liked to attend the Kansas City IMAC contest but it was cancelled.  It is clear to me that you need to get 40% to be competitive in IMAC.  I flew a Dave Patrick's Edge 540.  I would like to fly the Advance routine in a contest but I will need a bigger plane to be competitive.  In any event, there are not more IMAC contest close to Kansas City.  The 40% scale planes start to get very close to pattern planes but they are far more expensive and more important, the big 40% won't fit in my workshop so I will need to buy a new house.  

Vicente

-------------- Original message -------------- 

> I don't think pattern costs too much. It is as 
> inexpensive now as it has ever been, IMHO. 
> 
> One thing about IMAC vs pattern that has not been 
> mentioned is the WOW factor. Big planes, big engines, 
> etc. are much more impressive. Some people buy the big 
> planes for the WOW factor. And, the WOW factor occurs 
> before they even takeoff. In pattern, it does not 
> happen until they fly. Oh, well, except for the fancy 
> paint schemes (which you will never see on any of MY 
> planes!). :-) 
> 
> I guess what I am trying to say is that you can buy 
> WOW factor in IMAC with enough $$$. In pattern, you 
> buy WOW factor with fuel. Some people have more money 
> than time. I don't mean anything negative by that, it 
> is just a fact of today's world placing more demands 
> on our time. 
> 
> This is just my opinion. I am not taking shots at any 
> group. I am very much interested in both pattern and 
> IMAC (some may remember me as a renegade flying a 
> Cap21 in pattern years ago). 
> 
> Bob R. 
> 
> 
> --- "J.Oddino" wrote: 
> 
> > 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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