[NSRCA-discussion] New Club Class for Precision Aerobatics

Thu Sep 8 12:54:58 AKDT 2016

+100

Matthew E Finley
Q.C.I Technical Assistant
248-794-8487 mobile

-------- Original message --------
From: W Anthony Abdullah via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Date: 9/8/16 4:24 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: Xavier Mouraux <xaviermouraux at yahoo.com>, General pattern discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Cc: "Atwood, Mark" <atwoodm at paragon-inc.com>, General pattern discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] New Club Class for Precision Aerobatics

Every few years or so we recycle this conversation with the same suggestions made, any on occasion a few rule changes. None of which, by the way, seem to resolve the issue. I wish I had an answer, unfortunately all I can add is a few observations and my opinion.

FWIW here is my .02;

- I often think about the people I used to see all the time at contests, of the ones I used to fly against in intermediate and then advanced, they seemed to thin out either when they got to Masters or just before. As I think of my own ascension, I'm in a bot of a quandary myself. I am a fairly competent advanced pilot, if I practice a few weeks I'm even competitive, but that's about the limit of my natural ability. Don't get me wrong, If I practiced 4 days a week I could fly Masters safely but I'm NEVER going to win.
So here is my reality, fly advanced competently on a decent amount of practice, as a hobby and still enjoy my other interests (there are many) and have a LOT of fun at contests. But feel like a schmuck as people I used to judge in intermediate are nipping at my heels, or worse, dominated by me (the advanced lifer). Or give up everything else I enjoy doing in the summer (fishing, cycling, camping, golf, working out, remodeling my house, movies, nothing), practicing until my fingers bleed, just so I can be competitive and not win. OR just fade away like so many others once they hit the Masters meat grinder.

- As far as keeping down the cost of pattern, I don't think that has ever been the problem. The Piedmont Focus was supposed to have resolved that issue, yet here we are. Boxer Bob Fortino proved that a basic plane and tons of practice was a recipe for success. He was a fixture at contests and even won Advanced at the nats, but faded away once he moved to Masters, hmmmm. I believe our problem is more systemic than that. I think our dwindling numbers are more about a shift in the makeup of society than it is about cost. We are no longer a tough, diligent, determined, competitive culture. We are spoiled and soft as hell. We want immediate gratification and if we don't find immediate success we quit.

So what do we do about it?
- support the hobby and nurture true interest when we see it. Pattern guys are cut from a different cloth, when someone shows interest help them out. I have met great ambassadors for the hobby

- like the NBA, perhaps we should consider contraction. Perhaps 1 contest a month in a district, that way each contest is more of an event like a mini nats. This might also encourage more cross district participation. I know if there were just 4 events a summer I sure as hell wouldn't want to miss one.

- Continue to promote pattern (obviously)

- Selective breeding, the Atwoods (Sean <sp>), Jeskys (Andrew, Robert),  Szczur (Joseph), and Pritchetts (Grayson), seem to be doing a great job. Perhaps pattern pilots are born not made. JK

Long story short, we are prolly going to have to think about this a different way.

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 8, 2016, at 12:33 PM, Xavier Mouraux via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org<mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>> wrote:

+100%

________________________________
From: "Atwood, Mark via NSRCA-discussion" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org<mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>>
To: Dave Lockhart <davel322 at comcast.net<mailto:davel322 at comcast.net>>; General pattern discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org<mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>>
Sent: Wednesday, September 7, 2016 9:44 PM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] New Club Class for Precision Aerobatics

Huge +1

Especially to the last part.  One day event, and maneuvers any club guy past the beginner stage can try.

Sent from my average intelligence  phone

On Sep 7, 2016, at 9:12 PM, Dave Lockhart via NSRCA-discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org<mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>> wrote:

Random thoughts and comments –

Changing to 1 loop and 1 roll would be improvements.

No cash.

Suggest ½ Reverse Cuban Eights and Stall Turns as appropriate turnarounds, but no enforcement of the box.  The box IS intimidating and simply flying aerobatic maneuvers centered is challenging for many very competent sport pilots…..heck….flying a straight line is challenging for many competent sport pilots.

Instant gratification is one of the biggest challenges we face in recruiting new pattern pilots – and it is not just the kids that want instant gratification….many of those “kids” are now in their late 20s and older.

The perceived cost is a legitimate problem….and actual cost is a legitimate problem.  However, the highest level of competition equipment will always be expensive (at any size) and in general is more expensive as it gets bigger.  And the top dog setup is what will always be viewed by outsiders as the level of equipment needed.  Cost is an excuse for a few…..it is an excuse because instead of flying pattern, they are flying giant scale 3D and turbines that cost 1 – 4 times as much as pattern planes.

As Mark Atwood said….most people in a given sport or hobby do not enter competitions.  It is because of pressure, it is because of lack of practice time, and it is because of ego…..plenty of hot shot pilots don’t want to put themselves in a position where they don’t win and can’t claim to be the best.

Limiting the size, weight, cost, power, etc, of the entry level class sounds great…but it is counter-productive.  We want the guy flying a DLE 30 cc 3D plane….we want the guy flying a 10S 78” Extra….we want the guy that picked up an old 120 4C pattern plane because it had cool retracts…..lots of those planes are in the hands of potential pattern pilots and we do not want to exclude them.  The entry level class should be “run what you brung” so long as the noise level is reasonable and safety concerns do not arise.  It is also counter-productive because hand me down planes are not available.

The Club Class as is, in maneuver content, is not unlike Sportsman, Novice, Pre-Novice, etc…..sequences used in the past.  Part of what was wrong with those sequences in the past was that at some point they were treated as a FULL class and not as ENTRY level or INTRODUCTION level.  And they were continually mucked with….needlessly adding variety (to entertain the upper classes who were bored watching the same old thing), and generally adding complexity (difficulty creep) making the bar to entry higher.  The entry level or introduction class should not be flown at the NATs, not have a District Champion, and should be 1 day only.  At two day events, each day is a separate contest for the Club Class – this reduces the time commitment and takes away the excuse of not being able to make it both days.  Club class should be a class virtually every club member working the grill, working registration, scribing, or running scores could fly in with half the planes they have in their car or at their house.

Regards,

Dave

From: NSRCA-discussion [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Scott McHarg via NSRCA-discussion
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2016 2:01 PM
To: General pattern discussion <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org<mailto:nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>>
Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] New Club Class for Precision Aerobatics

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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