[NSRCA-discussion] OK it's time to stir things up. Where's thebeef?

Thu Sep 28 06:44:34 AKDT 2006

 I hear what your saying Jason. Sorry if I ruffled your feathers but I have some fundamental points that I'm trying to get at. We do have to get local participation soon or we won't be sending a viable US team that truly represents pattern.
   I understand the driving a long distance argument. Maybe if we did the basic things that promote our sport we would start some form of growth instead of the current trend of decline.
   This problem that I've started the conversation about is real.
   I'm kind of tired of pattern in the US being treated as a 2nd class event. We need to get our team focused on pattern as their primary choice. If we don't stop the trend we are in it won't be a problem soon.
   In Europe and Asia pattern is treated with a much higher regard. I think we have the best of the best here. I appreciate the effort that our team reps have put forth in the past. I'm more worried about our ability to field strong teams in the future.
   To the guys that are Pro flyers more power to ya. I wish that pattern find into your plans a little more. Mike

JShulman <jshulman at cfl.rr.com> wrote:
      Well, lets see what's in the pot now compared to years ago... Nats, Don Lowe Masters, Tucson Shootout, XFC, Joe-Nall, Top Gun, Toledo and WRAM Shows, ETOC/X-Games at Toledo, SEFF, NEAT, AZ Flight Festival and IMAC contests. Years ago, there was the Nats/Masters (team trials) and TOC, and of course the local contests. When I was in NJ, it was nice because contests were with-in 5 hours of home. Here in FL, I will travel 7 hours to get to Pensacola and Atlanta to go to contests. Out in AZ, there was the Phoenix contest and LV contest, and everything else was 8+ hours away from Tucson. It's not that I didn't want to go to the contests, it's that they were further than I wanted to drive. That's why I've been to so many contests since I've been back here. I even tried to pull double duty during Top Gun and drive almost 2 hours to make the contest before and after my demo's. The demo's went well, but I finished last at the contest cause we flew 5 rounds and I only made 3. Oh
 well, I still enjoyed it.

  The problem, as I see it, is that today the top pilots have a schedule that makes this a job. I personally am home for 4 weeks the first 5 months of the year. I am all for the 3 contests to qualify for the team trials, but again, if I were in AZ still, I might not be thinking the same. Also, take a look at how many pilots you consider "top pilots" today as to how many you did back then. I think the list is longer years ago than it is today. I remember trying to climb the ranks in FAI in the early 90's and I started from the 20's. The overall participation in pattern is down, not just by the top guys.

  As for doing away with sponsorship stickers on planes... that's a good one. ;)

  Regards,
Jason
www.jasonshulman.com
www.shulmanaviation.com
www.composite-arf.com 
    -----Original Message-----
From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]On Behalf Of mike mueller
Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2006 9:39 AM
To: NSRCA Mailing List
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] OK it's time to stir things up. Where's thebeef?

   Note I didn't say that all the top flyers don't participate on a local level. Dave Lockhart is always there, along with guys like Troy Newman and since he's been in Fla. Jason has been seen. There may be more but for the most part the participation is lacking.
   As far as sponsorships it's just a point of discussion. I know that it can't be changed but that doesn't mean I don't think that its part of the problem. Mike

Dave Michael <davidmichael1 at comcast.net> wrote:
          Anything that will get the marquee flyers out and competing/mixing it up with "the rest of us" is beneficial for promoting the hobby and generating interest but I'm not sure you can say that all of these flyers aren't out there participating locally.    They may also wish that they could fly more local contests but their personal and professional obligations may just be getting in the way of going to contests just like everyone else struggles with.  So- having said that, overall, I would support something that would incent the top flyers from getting out to the local contests.

  The sponsorship decals idea- not allowing stickers or blatent advertising- I don't agree with.  I personally don't see any real benefit in getting rid of them or harm in having them- why do you feel this way?  It's a byproduct of capitalism- advertise your product, market to your potential customer.  If a flyer is fortunate enough to get a sponsorship I assume they earned it and I wouldn't want to dis-incent anyone from working hard to get something special.  In addition- there's no way you could enforce it.

  Dave Michael

  ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: mike mueller 
  To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org 
  Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2006 9:03 AM
  Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] OK it's time to stir things up. Where's the beef?

   I have an observation that I've made that disturbes me. I don't think that we are getting enough of the top notch or team worthy flyers participating on a local level. 
   I think that in the future the team trials need to be revamped so that a flyer wanting to make the team would be required to fly in at least 3 to 5 local contests per year.
   Here's why I think this is important. We need the top names in our sport to be part of the sport from a leadership standpoint. Imagine a QQ showing up to fly against Andrew at a local contest. It would be much more exciting to watch and it would therefore promote more interest. If we continue on the path we are going interest in pattern will continue to slide.
   In the 70's when the team selection was known as the Masters you had to fly your way into the contest by accumulating points on the local level. It was exciting. Were totally missing the boat with our present system.
   So here's the deal. Support the real pattern flyers who make the effort to support us and we will all be better off. Oh and for what it's worth I think we would be better off all around if we didn't allow any stickers or blatant advertising of any products in our sport. Let's get back to the flyers who do it on there own without all the sponsorships.
   All this is just what I've seen in the last 6 years of flying after a 15 year absence for the hobby.  TIA for letting me vent and as my budddy Bobby Satalino would say "Have a nice day"!        Mike Mueller

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