Making Pattern Harder - was Pattern Box Rules (discussion)

[Bob Richards]

Robert,

Thanks for your observation, I think you are entirely
correct.

I remember the first RC Modeler that I bought ('71 or
'72 I think) and it had full coverage of the Masters
team selection. I still remember some of the names of
the contestants, like Norm Page, George Hill, Tony
Bonetti, Jim Martin, etc etc. And I remember thinking
then that someday I would aspire to fly pattern.

IMHO, pattern and scale at that time were the "top of
the heap". There were no helicopters, no giant scale,
no electrics, park flyers or foamies, etc etc. RC has
diversified so much that pattern is a much smaller
piece of the pie. And, you are very correct that there
is very little pattern coverage in any of the
magazines. I agree we need to be spending a lot less
time thinking about how we can make the hobby more
enjoyable for us, and more about how we can make it
more enticing for others.

Bob R.

--- Robert Mairs <robertm at sssnet.com> wrote:

> I've been monitoring the list for a couple years
> now, haven't said a whole 
> lot, but a common theme I seem to see a lot, is
> talking about the past.  If 
> you want pattern to grow, there's only one way your
> gonna do it and that's 
> to start promoting it.  You don't see anything about
> it anywhere.  Hardly 
> any plane reviews in major magazines, no ads in
> magazines, about the only 
> thing going is an occasional column in ama.  If your
> not specifically 
> looking for it, pattern is pretty much invisible in
> my opinion.  A banner ad 
> on rcu, rcgroups drawing people to the website could
> be a possibility.  If 
> you don't start attempting to draw in new people,
> diminished size is 
> inevitable.  Just look at the turnover in your local
> clubs.  Sequences, wt 
> limits, turnaround, box sizes, etc, etc, isn't gonna
> get pattern anywhere.
> 
> Make it easy for somebody new, expand the beginners
> section on the website. 
> Guys are building lower priced arfs, have them write
> up some reviews, show 
> them they don't have to have a $3500 2m, custom
> painted, tricked out bird. 
> Update and expand district sites makeing it easy to
> find a contest to come 
> out to and watch with directions, starting times,
> saying visitors welcome. 
> The only thing I think will turn around pattern is
> promotion outside of its 
> primary membership, which doesn't really seem to
> take place.
> rm
> 
> 

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