[NSRCA-discussion] New Club Class for Precision Aerobatics

Wed Sep 7 06:49:09 AKDT 2016

Mr. Lukas and I were having an offline conversation.  We were discussing
why the new guys aren't getting into pattern.  The question, essentially,
was what's the difference between those getting into other facets vs.
pattern.  This is my opinion and will be part of my article this month in
the K-Factor:

The answer I'm about to give you makes it sound like all is lost.  I don't
believe it is (which is why we came up with the Club sequence) but let's
just stick to what we know and what is obvious from the assumption
standpoint for a moment.

The answer to your question can be one word only or it can be a million
adjectives of the same word.  That word is "cool".  The kids coming up want
instant gratification, want to be cool, want notoriety, want to be thought
of as the kid who can show off the best.  You simply can't do that with
pattern.  Have you watched the fingers of these kids that fly 3D at Joe
Nall or IRCHA?  They're slamming sticks.  Then, watch the planes /
helicopters and see how much of the stick movement actually equates to
control over the aircraft.  Half of the time is spent simply recovering
from mistakes.  :)

For some reason, the world has changed into a Social Media frenzy.  Kids
feel like they're missing out if we as parents threaten to take away their
phones as punishment.  Kids don't need to go outside to talk to friends
because they can do it on the couch with their phones.  They want instant
gratification and instant knowledge.  Most of the time, their friends know
what's going on before other people at the event know because of this.

Pattern is nothing like this mentality at all.  Pattern takes a lot of
practice (as you know) and patience and set up and checking to make sure
everything is perfect.  Practicing is boring unless you're doing it.
There's no "wow factor".  In my opinion, THIS is what we're battling.  In
pattern, you actually have to fly the aircraft perfectly.  There's no gyro
to make you look better (Quads, Helicopters and Drones), there's not that
much of an adrenaline rush (until you're in front of the judges) and
there's no screen to stare at like in FPV racing.  Pattern is an art and it
takes that special person, the guy that wants to be artistic, to be a
pattern pilot.  Our costs are high for the best of the best which all of
these kids want.  They don't want a 1980 Super Kaos to learn the skills
required.  In almost all other facets, you can have quite good equipment,
that is accepted by their peers, for a lot less than what it would take to
have a "not bottom of the line" pattern plane.

*Scott A. McHarg*
VSCL / CANVASS U.A.S. Research Pilot
Texas A&M University
PPL - ASEL
Remote Pilot Certified Under FAA Part 107

On Wed, Sep 7, 2016 at 9:40 AM, tretas513--- via NSRCA-discussion <
nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:

> Most pattern fliers know why pattern is declining but won't admit it...too
> much expense,  too much time invested for practice and traveling, and in my
> opinion (and a lot of others) turnaround sucks !
> Flying airplanes and competing is supposed to be fun...it used to
> be...still is in SPA !!
> My entire SPA airplane ready to fly costs half what the engine in my 2
> meter cost and most SPA contests are one day meets...no motels !!
> Disclaimer: just my opinion !!
>
> Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Smartphone
>
> ------ Original message------
> *From: *Whodaddy Whodaddy via NSRCA-discussion
> *Date: *Wed, Sep 7, 2016 8:40 AM
> *To: *Jas S;
> *Cc: *General pattern discussion;
> *Subject:*Re: [NSRCA-discussion] New Club Class for Precision Aerobatics
>
> 😎
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Sep 6, 2016, at 9:11 PM, Jas S <justanotherflyr at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Isn't that like hearing a Masters pilot say the roll on the top of a loop
> shouldn't be in Masters lol. Love ya Gary
>
> On Tue, Sep 6, 2016 at 2:46 PM, Whodaddy Whodaddy via NSRCA-discussion <
> nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
>
>> Sportsman isnt easy enough ????
>>
>> Not sure how it could get more basic ..
>>
>> But wat ever works lord knows we need something to attract new blood or
>> bring old blood back...
>>
>>
>> G
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Sep 6, 2016, at 1:00 PM, Scott McHarg via NSRCA-discussion <
>> nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
>>
>> All,
>>
>> This is a note from Jon Carter from the NSRCA BoD.  FYI!
>>
>> Announcing the NSRCA “Club Class!
>>
>> Whether you want to call it Club class or Novice class or whatever, it’s
>> OK, as long as we get more people flying pattern! What is this? Good
>> question, we have heard from the membership that it would be nice for the
>> NSRCA to define a non-rulebook pattern entry level event that a CD could
>> offer if they so decided. This would be a non-turnaround “old-school” type
>> of pattern that any club flyer could do and yet still be challenged by. It
>> will give the CD the opportunity to grab some of the “hot dog” type
>> sport flyers at his club, and maybe some old time pattern pilots, and hand
>> them a maneuver/downgrade sheet and say “come on out to the pattern contest
>> next weekend and see what you can do!” Who knows, if he can get three or
>> four club flyers to come out maybe some will think, “Hey, this is fun! I
>> could learn that Sportsman pattern” Worst case it will get some more club
>> flyers to participate in local events which always makes it easier to
>> “sell” a pattern contest to the local club officers! So, dust off those
>> older pattern planes and those sport planes and come out and have some fun!
>> Look on the NSRCA website under the Sequence tab for the maneuver list and
>> descriptions.
>>
>> https://nsrca.us/index.php/sequences
>>
>>
>> *Scott A. McHarg*
>> VSCL / CANVASS U.A.S. Research Pilot
>> Texas A&M University
>> PPL - ASEL
>> Remote Pilot Certified Under FAA Part 107
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Jason
> http://jasonshangar.weebly.com/
>
>
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