[NSRCA-discussion] From the new President - Introduction

[Archie Stafford]

As the new President I wanted to take a minute and introduce myself as well
as share some ideas and opinions on things we are currently dealing with.
Many of you know me, but for those that don’t I want to give you an idea of
my background in pattern so that you can understand where I may be coming
from.



First, I want to thank Joe walker and the entire outgoing board for their
time and talent donated to the entire pattern community.  I also want to
thank everyone who voted.  Not just the ones who voted for me, but everyone
that took the time to show that they care about the future of pattern.  It
is proof that only a few minutes of your time can actually have an impact
on things that we all enjoy.



I started flying pattern the same way that many who are over age 35
started.  I went to the field with my dad when I was growing up and
fortunately, there was a club nearby that had a contest.  We made the
45-minute trip up the road to the contest that was held in Ravenswood, WV
and was put on by one of my heroes, Mark Radcliff. I was especially
interested in Mark, as I grew up flying single stick radios.  At my first
contest, I flew a Great Planes Cherokee that my dad built with an OS .40 in
the nose.  I was flying an Ace silver 7 single stick radio and was flying
against 11 pilots in Novice at the time.  After my first flight, Mark
noticed I was flying a single stick and came over and introduced himself.
At the time, Mark had retired from Pattern, but was still CDing the local
contest.  Also, in attendance that day were Mike McConville, Geoff Combs,
and even Ivan Kristensen came down from Canada. I also believe that scale
legend Mike Barbee was in attendance.  At the end of the first day as Ivan
was headed back to his motorhome, he asked me to carry his transmitter
case.  At that moment I was in absolute awe of the fact that I was helping
him.  I won’t bore everyone with the rest of my pattern story.  The short
version is that I’ve flown now for nearly 30 years and won Masters in 2012
at the NATS.  The point is, that by those simple acts of Mark, and Ivan, it
changed my entire outlook on pattern and I was hooked.  It went from
something that my dad thought would be interested in trying to being
something that changed the rest of my life.

I have now spent the last 20 years of my life working in the UAV (drone)
industry. I have been fortunate enough to travel all over the world and
experience things that I likely never would have if it hadn’t been for that
one local contest in the late 80s.  My point of the story is that you never
know what kind of influence you may have on a new person that shows up at
the field and if we approach every new pilot with the same level of support
that those guys showed me, pattern will naturally grow.



At the end of the day, the NSRCA leadership can make suggestions, or even
create new rules, but the only thing that will truly make pattern grow
again is the influence we all have at our local fields.  In District 2 a
couple of years ago we made the statement that is every one of us finds one
new person to bring to a contest over the next 3 years, then in the next 3
years pattern will have grown.



As President, I plan to do everything I can to see pattern attract new
blood, and there are resources that we have, but at the end of the day the
greatest resource pattern has are the people who fly it.  I don’t expect
this to be an easy job, but I do plan to put everything I can in to it.
For those that know me, I am very open to new ideas and I’m happy to talk
with anyone about how we can grow pattern.  My email is
rcpattern2012 at gmail.com.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you
have suggestions or ideas as I want to hear them all.  One thing that I
know won’t help pattern is to do exactly what we have done for the last 15
years and expect things to change.



Looking forward to the next 2 years,

Archie
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