[NSRCA-discussion] Was Mini Brio, Now Pattern Longitevity

[Ryan Smith]

I honestly don’t think that you have to spend out the butt to have a competitive setup. The keeping up with the Joneses syndrome is the prevalent factor that makes everyone think that pattern is so ungodly expensive. There are plenty of options out there for people to create a cost-effective, competitive two meter rig. But alas, people out there think they HAVE to have the biggest best and fastest everything, when in reality, there is no way in hell most newer fliers out there can discern between a slightly inferior and cheaper product and a top of the line product (a big example here would be digital servos as opposed to analog servos). There are certainly MANY viable options out there for a cheap two meter setup that will be competitive in the long run. The best example I can see of this is Mark Hunt, down in the Houston area. His airplane, the Insight, is all wood and foam, and can be built with maybe $150 worth of wood (I’m throwing a generous estimate out there), not to mention the plans are like $25. He is actually running an OS 1.60 on a standard muffler and is still making the noise restrictions. Mark exemplifies what people just starting out in pattern need to look into, not only because it’s cheap, but the airplanes are simple to maintain and I would venture to say bulletproof.  I bought a set from him a while back and haven’t had the chance to build one, but I really would like to. I would like to do what he’s doing and and outfit it with analog servos and make it otherwise plain jane and see just how it stacks up to the rest of the field out there. There are also several other wood airplanes out there that are a little more extravagant, such as the Black Magic v2 by Mike Hester and the Quest and Shindin by Bryan Herbert that are being drawn in CAD and being kitted. Look at the airplanes that the Japanese team members fly- they’re all wood. And look at where they place. Most if not all are always in the top ten, and young Tetsuo Onda even placed second this year. That’s a heck of a feat for anyone, mu
ch less an eighteen year old who is flying against people who have been modeling twice as long as he’s been living.

            Another point, the theory of everyone flying the same thing has never worked, not in fullscale and not in models. The One Design class never caught on in full scale, however there are many examples of that airplane flying. In IMAC, there are worries about everyone using consistent batteries, motors, servos, and such, and if you have to be dictated that much on what you can and cannot fly, it takes the fun out. Also, in IMAC, it is commonplace to see high end airplanes in Basic and Sportsman just because people want to get that advantage that they really get through burning fuel. I know everyone hates to hear that, but it is the truth. Once you start to see improvements in your own flying after having flown a lot, then you see what everyone preaches about when they say fly a bunch. I really don’t think that pattern dying is really directly related to cost, but if you want to make it such let’s break down Jay’s idea. How cost effective is it to make someone buy something that they can’t use in upper classes and would have to buy a new setup every year. Shouldn’t we be showing people that they can go and get a nice setup that they can actually use and enjoy? Not to mention the fact that you can reuse the equipment should you decide (or your thumbs decide) to get a new airframe. I think the cost factor is implemented by people who don’t really have the desire to succeed and have to use that as a scapegoat to cover what they see as their failures. 

            I honestly think pattern needs an overhaul. It’s not the cost that really drives people away, it’s the ideology surrounding it that does. People see pattern as being boring and too easy, and generally not exciting. However, with the advent 3D flight, and people becoming attracted to model airplanes because of it, they really want to hone their skills. I have seen a lot of subtle hints dropped by some past pattern flyers who write for magazines telling people to look into pattern if they really want to become better at 3D. I also think that we need more promotion. Model Aviation has cut down the pattern column in the magazine to every other month, yet there are other facets in there that get full coverage that really don’t need it. If we want pattern to survive, we really need to get publicized where it counts- where we’re going to be attracting people. Advertising in the K Factor does nothing for the growth of pattern because we’re all already interested enough in it to subscribe. But there are people out there who don’t know and maybe would like to. I can’t tell you how many times on RCU I’ve seen someone post in the Pattern Forum “What is Pattern Flying?”. Most are usually creative in what they think it is, but nevertheless, the same group sets them straight. I think we should get on the AMA to get us more coverage and other magazines as well, such as Model Airplane News, 3D Flyer, etc. I believe THAT is what will help us, not making people buy some little electric that they won’t be competitive with.

            Thanks for taking the time to read this guys, please feel free to respond. 

 

Regards,

 

Ryan Smith