[NSRCA-discussion] Pattern Classes & Growth

[John Konneker]

hmmm...
Jim H., 
That looks like a good rules proposal in the making!
I'd be happy to include it in the survey.
;-)
JLK



From: jnhiller at earthlink.netTo: d_bodary at yahoo.com; nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.orgDate: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 10:37:28 -0800Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Pattern Classes & Growth



Dennis your dedication is admirable and describes rather well the problem I see with the mandatory advancement system. 
It is based on performance of others, or lack of, rather than individual capability. In short flying against more capable competitors reduces premature mandatory advancement. 
Flying a sequence for 4 years can get old especially if improvement stalls. I pay close attention to raw score averages, both individual maneuvers and total flight, and use it as a guide to understanding problem areas and gauge improvement. It is also a very good indicator of flight-to-flight consistency and the ability to control the flight in adverse conditions. Even more rewarding than winning the round, contest or district championship was maintaining my average flight score in very windy conditions.
Pattern flying can be very rewarding.
Jim Hiller
 
 
-----Original Message-----From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org]On Behalf Of Dennis BodarySent: Sunday, February 01, 2009 7:52 AMTo: General pattern discussionSubject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Pattern Classes & Growth
 




Ron I don't have any statistics about how long people stay in one class. But i can tell you my story. 
First contest flying an Advance 40 with a K&B 48. I got the automatic move up at the end of the year. First year in intermediate. Finished Dead last with a Kaos every single contest i went to. Put together a Swallow with a YS91 Second to last contest finished 2nd to last and the next contest finished 9th out of 11. who ho. the second year in intermediate actually won two contests. When Ken Alexander or Scott Pavlock were'nt there. Usually finished third when they were'nt there. the third year I finally had a 2-Meter plane a Focus II. Scott had moved on. And i think i won most of the contests and the District Championship. The Next year i decided to move up to advanced. Why? Because i could not stomach practicing the same indermediate pattern for four years. Not because i had pointed out. 
And now for the killer part. Just because everything added up when i moved to Advanced they were on the last year of their cycle. the next year was a new sequence. Then i pointed out had to move to Masters last year and learn a new schedule. So that's three years in a row learning a new sequence, And yes you guessed it this year will be four straight years learning a new sequence. 
Still don't think i am ready to be in Masters and last years performance showed that. Wishing now i had spent that fourth year in intermediate.

Dennis 

   
 
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