[NSRCA-discussion] IMAC Vs Pattern Participation? Does theDogHunt on points made?

Thu Mar 2 10:08:34 AKST 2006

Keith:

While you say that in jest, it would attract the younger pilots and 
specators.  Perhaps it's time we think about Artistic Aerobatics.  Had there 
been IMAC in our area, I know of one pilot who would have never flown 
pattern (but now is hooked).

Mike

>From: "Keith Black" <tkeithb at comcast.net>
>Reply-To: NSRCA Mailing List <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] IMAC Vs Pattern Participation? Does 
>theDogHunt on points made?
>Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 12:30:47 -0600
>
>Reading the comments here brings the following to my attention.
>
>Loud "ballistic missile" pattern = Huge popularity.
>Quite graceful pattern flying 150 m away = Boring.
>Huge Loud IMAC planes flying 3D = Huge popularity.
>
>I bet if we add an "Extreme Pattern" class where we do high slow rolls and 
>snaps ten feed off the deck right over the runway we'd become much more 
>popular again.  ;-)
>
>Keith Black
>
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Bob Richards
>   To: NSRCA Mailing List
>   Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 8:55 AM
>   Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] IMAC Vs Pattern Participation? Does the 
>DogHunt on points made?
>
>
>   Larry,
>
>   Good points.
>
>   A little history, as best as I can remember it.
>
>   At one time, Pattern was the top of the heap. I remember the first RC 
>Modeler magazine I bought (circa 1972) had coverage of the Masters 
>competition. RC Modeler carried coverage of the large pattern contests back 
>then. At some point (I don't remember when, exactly) RCM (aka Don Dewey) 
>became ticked off at the AMA because AMA chose to publish their own 
>magazine. This happened when American Aircraft Modeler magazine went out of 
>business, they had been publishing the AMA News in the back of their 
>magazine. It seemed to me that RCM no longer covered pattern events after 
>that. There was a big push by RCM to promote the "Sport Flyers 
>Association", anything AMA sanctioned was left out. (This was my 
>observation).
>
>   Along came the TOC, which actually started out with pattern models. 
>Again, t! here was coverage. But, then the TOC went the scale aerobatics 
>route (and extra points for biplanes, and extra points for mammoth planes 
>-- the rest is history).
>
>   Pattern is no longer the premiere event that it used to be. I think it 
>all goes back to the WOW factor. There also seemed to be a period where 
>pattern flyers were looked down upon, usually labeled "snobs". Thank 
>goodnes that does not seem to be the case anymore.
>
>   I think the change from loud, ballistic missle type flying to the 
>turnaround style now has changed the general modeling perception, although 
>it took several years for the general modeling public to recognize the 
>change.
>
>   However, the turnaround format seems to have had both a positive and 
>negative effect. The general modeling public respects pattern more as a 
>result, but it also SEEMS to be a barrier for new participants. Again, this 
>is just my opinion.
>
>   Bob R.
>
>
>   Lisa & Larry <lld613 at psci.net> wrote:
>     Eric Henderson wrote**** If we knew why we could probably fix it. ****
>
>     From my viewpoint trying to get into pattern around 1999 was a major 
>challenge.
>
>     I was first introduced to Pattern in Southern California in 1985 when 
>I went to watch a contest. It took another 15 years to have the time and 
>money to do it. For me lack of time was because of my service in the US 
>Navy. Difficult to fly when your out at sea and they don't fit too well in 
>a locker on the ship.vbg
>
>     ! It took me from 1999 to 2002 to find somebody that new what pattern 
>was. Everyone new IMAC and could point me to a pilot that competed, but not 
>Pattern.
>
>     What does this mean? Either I'm not a very smart cookie or Pattern is 
>a very well kept secret (not much has changed since 1999). So how is it 
>that a person that new pattern existed took the better part of 4 years to 
>finally talk to someone that could help get started?
>
>     Over the last seven years we watched IMAC ARF's take off and sell like 
>hot cakes, only in the last couple years have we seen Pattern ARF's on the 
>market.
>
>     I went to an RC Airshow north of Bloomington, IN around the spring of 
>2002. I watched a pilot fly an Extra for an IMAC Sportsman Class Demo. I 
>approached him and asked him about Pattern and how to get started. His 
>response was clear, "Why would you want to fly a toy model plane when you 
>can fly a model of a real plane and do the same thing!" Aside from an 
>instant turn off from IMAC, it ! set the tone of perception between IMAC 
>and Pattern. I will most likely start competing in IMAC this year as well 
>as pattern. Mostly because there are more IMAC contests in a 5 hour drive 
>than there are pattern from where I'm located.
>
>     If you compare IMAC and Pattern I don't think the dog hunts in most of 
>the arguments I've seen posted in the last few years as they reappear from 
>time to time.
>
>     1)       IMAC and Pattern planes compare in cost. (That dog won't hunt 
>on this point)
>     2)       IMAC and Pattern take the same ! amount of practice time to 
>be competitive in a given class. (That dog won't hunt on this point)
>     3)       IMAC and Pattern meets are relatively the same driving 
>distance for most. (That dog won't hunt on this point)
>     4)       I can find more IMAC contests than Pattern contests (Dog 
>might be tracking something on this one)
>     5)       Sport pilots know more about IMAC than they do pattern, this 
>is speculative but I believe it's the case. (Dog might be tracking 
>something on this one)
>
>     We need to do a better job marketing Pattern. I think that IMAC has 
>done great in this area. The TOC helped IMAC grow and get the word out 
>through coverage of a big event. I think we can see a decline in IMAC since 
>the last TOC. I have not seen or heard of a big contest that gets the 
>publicity that the TOC received. Even the FAI World Pattern contest is not 
>covered as well as the TOC was.
>
>     How do you guys view these points?
>
>     Larry Diamond
>     NSRCA 3083
>
>     PS.What Eric does for Pattern in his reporting to magazines is 
>probably one of the key factors that he! lps pattern stay afloat. Thanks 
>Eric..
>
>
>
>
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