[NSRCA-discussion] IMAC Vs Pattern Participation? Does theDogHunt on points made?
davidmichael1 at comcast.net
davidmichael1 at comcast.net
Thu Mar 2 13:35:30 AKST 2006
You are absolutely right, Bill. I am probably representative of most in this regard- the first few years I flew the freestyle and enjoyed it very much. As time went on I did it less and less- I haven't done one in the last 2-3 years now. I really like working on the sequence and not as much on the freestyle as I used to. My self expectations have gone up- no longer content with just thinking things up as I go.
Now, I'd like to fly some freestyle again- but now my standards would force me to develop and practice a whole routine choreographed to music and with 3D mixed in to be happy enough with my effort to go out in public with it!
It does help draw attention to the contest though- from a spectator and contestant viewpoint. It was part of why I started flying IMAC- now I haven't flown freestyle but I still fly the sequences - I have been hooked.
I don't see any harm in advertising and holding a seperate freestyle/AA contest at the end of the day after a pattern contest. If noone shows- no loss. If someone does- it could be fun to do and or watch and might even draw someone to participate. That's the hook.
Dave Michael
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Bill Glaze" <billglaze at triad.rr.com>
> 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"
> To:
> 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"
> >>Reply-To: NSRCA Mailing List
> >>To: "NSRCA Mailing List"
> >>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 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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