Pattern Box Rules (discussion)

[Archie Stafford]

What is the desire to make pattern easier.  Seems like every proposal is to
make the planes easier to build to meet the rules, or changing the patterns
because they are hard.  I got into pattern because of the challenge.  I
would much rather fly a very difficult schedule and have to go practice
often than to fly an easy schedule that everyone can do well.  The challenge
should never be who you are flying against, but to be able to go practice on
your own and see the results.  Contests are great, but I love pattern
because I know that everytime I go fly that I am NOT going to fly the
perfect flight.  The challenge is to go out and put in that much better
flight than I did before.  

We as a SIG are never going to attract everyone at the field.  It takes a
certain personality type to be interested in pattern.  I don't think the
solution is to water down pattern to where everyone wants to try it, but at
the cost of eliminating a lot of the challenges.  Once again I think we need
to put the emphasis on getting people to try it. Yes, we will lose a great
number of those people to lack of time, interest, money or whatever, but if
each district just picks up 5 or 6 people a year, it will keep pattern
healthy.  I have no problem being lenient with rules in Sportsman, but as I
think Chris Moon said, we don't need to sacrifice the other classes.  There
are good cheaper alternatives with airframes (Aresti, Focus, or even older
designs that others are selling), motors, and radios. 

I think we need to concentrate on getting more people to try it, all the
while knowing that we are not going to keep everyone.  

Just my two cents...

Arch



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