Growing Pattern

[John Pavlick]

Right on Ed. Nobody knows what pattern is about in my neck of the woods,
that's for sure. I'm just lucky that I found you guys when I did. We should
work on creating a presence (RCU, RCGroups, etc.) and have some answers to
the questions everyone will ask. The connotations of pattern being a "high
class" (expensive) sport are not really what's killing it. The fact is, most
people are stuck in the pre-turnaround days when they think of pattern. THAT
needs to change. We need to have more 1-day Primers. That's what got me
involved. If it weren't for getting my butt kicked in Hadley, I'd probably
still be flying my Super Kaos at ballistic speeds thinking that's what
pattern was all about.
John Pavlick
http://www.idseng.com

-----Original Message-----
From: discussion-request at nsrca.org [mailto:discussion-request at nsrca.org]On
Behalf Of Ed Alt
Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2005 12:32 AM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: Re: [SPAM] Growing Pattern


FYI, Dave Michael and I are good friends stemming from my IMAC days.  I
would like to add my perspective as IMAC to Pattern convert.  I talk to many
from the IMAC ranks about starting in Pattern and I think Dave makes many
good points about their perspective on things. The perception of Pattern
requiring expensive designs is fairly prevalent in my experience.  Alot of
it is based in reality, i.e., you definitely do see some expensive hardware
in use, especially at the Nats level.  It's less prevalent locally, but the
reputation is probably still somewhat deserved.  It is a fairly recent
development that some solid, competitive designs are available as ARCS /
ARFs or relatively low cost composites.  There are the strong proponents of
one engine design/brand or another.  I have found that very inexpensive
alternatives to high end 4 strokes exist and they are extremely competitive
and well behaved.  Also much cheaper to run.  But this type of information
does not seem to be widespread.

To frame this for the List, Dave is a very good pilot and builder and very
resourceful. Yet, about the time right after his first Pattern contest
experience, he had a zillion questions for me, the 2 year Pattern veteran
(ha!).  Questions about airframes, engines, exhaust etc.  Why?  Not because
it's too hard for a guy like Dave to figure it out, but because these are
well kept secrets!  What is a much less experienced guy going to do?
Generally, they go where the perceived action is, where almost everyone
seems to know something about the hot setup, the best buy in an engine etc.
They flock to "big gas" and then some of them actually end up flying IMAC
competition.  A smaller percentage stick with it.  An even smaller
percentage get real serious about precision flying.  Whoever they are, they
often spend 3X or more of what it would take to enter Pattern successfully,
so it's not money holding many guys back from trying Pattern.  I think it
has to do with the perceived value of whatever they spend $$$ on, the WOW
factor, the fact that the lingering image of Pattern to the masses is still
pinned to a 130 mph lawn dart with retracts zipping from horizon to horizon.

I was fortunate when I got started in Pattern, because I had a boatload of
local, very experienced Pattern competitors right nearby who I already knew
well.   So I got great start-up advice, instantaneous feedback at the field
etc.  A show of hands please:  Who else had this experience to start with?
Some, but not most I bet.  Where can you find even 1/10th the information
about our current equipment as you can for the IMAC stuff?  Magazines?
We're fortunate to have Eric and Dean's columns, but it's a dedicated
following that hunts for this type of information.  I think that there is
just a different mindset in the majority of IMAC flyers vs. those dedicated
to Pattern.  I see it in the aircraft designs, in the rules, in the sequence
designs and in the demeanor of the people involved.  I think Pattern appeals
to more of the purist type, yet we are every bit as fun loving as IMAC
types.  That's me for example.  I went absolutely bonkers over what I
thought were idiotic rules changes in IMAC about 3 years ago. It took me a
while to just figure out that I was just in the wrong event after 7 years.

Do we need unknowns to make Pattern more popular?  By itself, I don't think
it would do much to help.  IMAC is off doing their level best to copy IAC,
which includes interesting stuff like unknowns, but the rules and sequences
they fly also take alot of precision and objectivity out of the flying and
judging. Adding unknowns creates more dependence on luck.  Judges don't know
what they are looking at until they've seen it flown a few times.  It's
interesting to fly something new, but does it make sense to heavily
influence the outcome this way?  Freestyle is something that on average,
less than 20% of contestants will attempt, so that's not the big draw as far
as I can tell.  I've seen Freestyle materially interfere with the conduct of
the "pattern" portion of the contest (the real contest IMO) due to the undue
emphasis on it.

I guess what I'm saying is, it's Pattern. It's about precision.  That's the
thing that I 'get' from it anyway. It has similarities to IMAC, yet differs
from IMAC in significant ways. I think those differences form the basis of
the key strengths of Pattern, even if enough newbies aren't able to
recognize it in recent history.  Each event will draw it's own type of
follower. I think that NSRCA has to learn one key thing from IMAC.  That
would be how to market themselves (us).  Ever wonder why everyone calls "it"
IMAC?  "It" is really the Scale Aerobatics event.  "It" isn't IMAC, IMAC is
just the SIG, but everyone thinks IMAC is what they are flying.  Who goes
around saying "Hey Bubba, going to the Propbuster NSRCA contest next
weekend?" No one does. Not that calling it an NSRCA contest is the goal, but
the thing is, hardly anyone even knows this SIG exists unless they are
already flying Pattern.  Since the NSRCA SIG and it's members are the
probably the main source of information to entice/educate newcomers, I
reckon that's a key problem to be solved.

I think that the key to growing Pattern has little to do with emulating
events from IMAC.  It has mostly to do with educating people, getting the
'product' out there, making sure people know what it's about and how to get
into it successfully.  IMAC is a product that is marketed successfully, even
with the low recurrence of new flyers returning to compete.  They pull
newcomers in by the droves though.  From what I can tell, Pattern keeps 'em
better though.  Why?  It's a more mature event, many of the hardest lessons
have been learned already it and it "makes sense" once you are in it.  Most
of the rules in Precision Aerobatics don't make me want to bang my head
against the wall (except that spin definition).  You guys have it mostly
figured out already, which makes a purist want to stick with it, but you
have NOT figured out how to get them in the tent in big numbers so that you
can find new purists.

So please don't re-engineer the event to try to draw new blood.  Instead,
focus on dispelling the myths about what is flown, what the models are like,
let it be known that a $700 4C burning $25 worth of fuel in a day isn't
required etc.  I've got several guys from IMAC interested in Pattern,
because I explain stuff to them, I let them fly my airplane etc.  Between
Frank Granelli and I, we've got 2 or 3 newbies in our own club starting up
with a Focus II this coming season.  We're going to teach them about
straight lines, what plug to pick etc and hopefully they will feel good
about whatever progress they make.  Work with the guys that don't know what
we know and have some enthusiasm about it. Hold Pattern Primers.  Show up
and help demonstrate and explain at these Primers.  Pattern in D1 is not
dying, it is GROWING. Our district leadership works with interested clubs
and individuals to help to make this happen.  Contests with 2 dozen to over
30 contestants do happen in this district and they are not anomalies.

Ed
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