[NSRCA-discussion] Future of Pattern

[John Konneker]

John,
Thank you for the thoughtful post.
JLK

Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2012 21:38:25 -0600
From: jgghome at comcast.net
To: nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Future of Pattern


  



    
  
  
    
    




    Apparently we can discuss the pros and cons of
      a new weight
      rule til hell freezes over without anyone changing their mind. I
      would like to
      share with you how I converted from from a no weight change
      advocate to someone
      pushing for an increase. I have always felt that most of the past
      increases in cost
      were due to rule changes on noise, on turnaround, on engine sizes,
      for some
      examples. While this is a factor, there are others at work.
      Inflation and improved
      quality of the equipment are also major factors. I’m also not
      convinced that it
      really costs that much more in terms of percentage of your
      takehome income to compete than it did in the old days. However
      there is a large increase in other activities, both in the hobby
      and without, competing
      for your dollars. Another point is that all those potentially
      expensive rule
      changes were initiated by the FAI and incorporated by the AMA. So
      I came to the
      conclusion that we could make adjustments to AMA rules without
      upsetting the
      apple cart.
    

      The main reason for change is that the status quo is not working.
      Pattern has
      changed from the central focus of many clubs and many flyers to
      being a small
      niche in both clubs and the marketplace. It used to be that club
      sport flyers
      that never attended a contest still built and flew simply
      constructed Balsa or
      balsa and foam pattern planes. This is gone. Even considering the
      modern
      equivalents of these planes such as the Excelleron and others,
      most are now out
      of production and not being replaced by new kits/ARFs. Just ask
      any
      manufacturer about the importance of pattern in their marketing
      plans. Ask Jon
      Bruml who sells ads in the K-Factor. I'm not privy to the figures
      but I suspect
      even the topline radios that we consider ours, sell better for
      IMAC, Helis and
      jets. Time was, your club members were interested in your new
      radio/model/motor/engine. Now they just say “smooth flying model”
      and ask about
      the weather.

      

      The point is that we are now a bit player and in all probability
      will never
      occupy center stage again. See a lot of action in the modeling
      press about last
      years WC? Get real. Nobody else cares and we are all getting older
      and slower,
      dying off one by one and being replaced by only a few and most of
      those are in
      their forties. See the graph below? It shows a slow decline in
      membership dues
      and it gets worse the further back you go. While the NSRCA
      membership decline
      is not conclusive proof that pattern is declining in this country,
      I am
      convinced that they are related. What I see in contest attendance
      in the west
      is a steady decline over the last couple of decades and is a
      confirmation of
      the NSRCA numbers.
    

      

      So what should the NSRCA and the pattern community do? Maintain
      the status
      quo?  I believe I've made a case that it's not working. Can we do
      something
      to get back on center stage? Very unlikely. Can we do something to
      move from a
      dying niche in the hobby to a growing niche?  Perhaps.

      As a first step the NSRCA board has made rules proposals with the
      intent
      of increasing safety and making it easier/cheaper to participate.
      Will these
      rule changes have the desired effect? I believe so but they are
      not a complete
      answer by any means. We need more participation and more ideas not
      more
      accusations about our “hidden agendas” and “flawed surveys”.
      Apparently we've
      gored a few oxen in our proposals. I suggest everyone back off a
      bit and
      support the only group that is trying to move forward. I
      understand that there
      may be unwanted consequences along with the wanted ones. I doubt
      it but even so
      rules can be rolled back in two years.

      

      There are a lot of very smart people out there on this list
      involved in
      precision aerobatics and we really need to be putting our heads
      together for
      ideas on how to grow. Right now it looks like we only know how to
      tear each
      other down. There has been a lot of emotion out there on these
      rules proposals,
      lets apply it in a more positive direction. I urge everyone to
      support these
      proposals now and to stay engaged with us on what to do next. The
      NSRCA is
      always open to ideas.

    
     
    John Gayer
    
    
    
    
    
    

    

    

  


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