growing pattern

[John Pavlick]

Bob,
 Yeah, I agree. We need to improve our "exposure" if you will. Last Summer,
I was looking for pattern contests. Nobody in my area knew where any were or
even if people still flew pattern! I somehow missed the NSRCA booth at the
WRAM show last February too. One of my club members happened to find a
K-Factor somewhere and gave it to me. Here I am. Flew Sportsman last year
with a 40 size Kaos, now I've got a Focus for Intermediate.
 As far as magazine coverage goes -you're pretty much right about that too.
3D, parkflyers and big scale aerobatic stuff are in the spotlight now. Fear
not. Dean has a pattern column in Flying Models. I'm working with Fly RC
magazine. I'm sure there are a few other guys out there too. Don't forget
about Eric in M.A. I'm reviewing some stuff now that would be great for an
intro to pattern - 90 size ARFs (and some smaller ones too) that can fly
Sportsman and Intermediate. I think Dean has done a few reviews along these
lines too. If you want to see more pattern planes in the magazines, take the
time to write to the editors. We get review airplanes based on what the
readers want - not necessarily what we want. If there are lots of requests
for more pattern planes, motors, etc. it will make the editors take notice.
They always need stuff to fill up the magazine so a few pictures of your
plane and a short note might get published in the "readers" section.
 I think you'll see things improving soon. In the meantime, try to get some
guys in your club interested in pattern if you can. One way to get their
attention is to point out how precision aerobatics skills can be helpful for
3D flying. This has worked for me on at least two occasions. Ask them: "Can
you use the rudder effectively in a hover, when you're looking at the bottom
of the plane?" If the answer is "No" (it usually is), show them what we're
all about. a lot of guys are afraid of the rudder. Show them how to use it
and tell them how you learned these skills, etc. Either that, or help them
trim one of their planes to fly correctly (OK, just do your best - sometimes
it's almost impossible). They'll come around.

John Pavlick
http://www.idseng.com


>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: discussion-request at nsrca.org
> [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Robert Mairs
> Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2005 1:20 PM
> To: discussion at nsrca.org
> Subject: Re: Making Pattern Harder - was Pattern Box Rules (discussion)
>
>
> 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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