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

Thu Mar 2 11:28:34 AKST 2006

Perhaps AA might help growth.  As long as it stays as an option.  It is a 
fact that only 10-20 percent of the flyers entering an IMAC contest elect to 
fly the freestyle.  Most do not desire to do so.  Even at the JR Challenge, 
(in which I will be one of the judges) probably less than 20% will opt for 
freestyle.
Bill Glaze
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Wickizer" <mwickizer at msn.com>
To: <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 2:08 PM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] IMAC Vs Pattern Participation? Does 
theDogHunt on points made?


> 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..
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>   _______________________________________________
>>   NSRCA-discussion mailing list
>>   NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
>>   http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>
>
>>_______________________________________________
>>NSRCA-discussion mailing list
>>NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
>>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>