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<DIV>Geez. I must be getting OLD. NATS Intermediate Winner of course, but you
all knew that</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Matt</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 2/26/2006 11:29:37 AM Eastern Standard Time,
Rcmaster199@aol.com writes:</DIV>
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<DIV>This is a fine direction and Mike should be greatly commended for the
offer.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I would like to go on record and recommend that we do something similar
for the Nationals. I can't ask Mike to offer a second model for the Nats
Sportsman winner as well, that would be killer. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So let me suggest that we all, the Nats attendees, pitch in an extra $10
each into a pot such that something similar could be done with ready finished
airframes available. I am NOT talking Pinnascle here. There are several other
excellent alernatives that don't cost anywhere near the amount. If you want to
participate and want to offer more, great. If not, that's fine too. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Or perhaps we could ask one of the manufacturers to see us halfway on one
of their planes. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Will this result in more participation?? Who knows. But it is doing
something, just as Mike has done, rather than just TaLk about Pattern's
demise, how Pattern is dyeing yada, yada, yada.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Anyone with me on that one?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Matt</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 2/26/2006 10:48:28 AM Eastern Standard Time,
kerlock@comcast.net writes:</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Well, we're working on it =)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Don't get me wrong, I'm as bad as anybody, the
thought of owning an Oxai with a hacker set up really appeals to me. But I'm
also practical enough to realize that it's not necessary, and really not
within my price range. Therefore, I do something different.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And I think a few of us have come up with some
really viable alternatives. It takes a lot of work on our part, a lot more
than the casual flyer may realize. To take a blank sheet of paper and turn
that into a good flying, attractive but most of all COMPETETIVE F3A plane is
a real labor of love. And we constatnly tweak and refine, and the results
speak for themselves I think., after some stumbling, learning and
perserverance.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From where I sit, I see a bright future for
pattern, with more options than ever. Wood, composite, glow, gas, electric,
ARF, or built from scratch in the basement, and ALL of them able to win the
top prize in the hands of a well practiced pilot.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Well, here it is, almost the beginning of
March. What are we doing to bring new guys into our ranks? I'm trying a
totally new approach (at least in my time). The winner of the D3 sportsman
championship gets a built Black Magic with quite a few extras. I can do it
for a relatively small amount of money, but a good bit of work. but if it
attracts even a couple of dedicated new pilots, it's worth it to me. I can't
find any reason not to do it, so I cleared it with the pattern powers and
now there it is...a HUGE prize to fly for in sportsman. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This could be "the" year, for all of us. Make
something happen. Make it to all the contests you can. Go to the Nats if at
all possible. Send a clear message that we're not dying. Take the initiative
and train at least one new guy and take him to a contest. And most of all,
make sure he has fun. Don't just get him there and then leave him to fend
for himself. if you're going to be really busy, make sure you introduce him
to the "cool" people that will take him (or her) under thier wing and see
that he doesn't find it to be a bad experience.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It starts now. Spread the word, adjust the
perceptions, and let's make 2006 THE year. This is a great game we play,
fun, challenging, rewarding, competetive, and we need to foster the good
parts and bury the bad as deep as we can.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ok that was the soapboxiest soapbox I've ever
stood on, but I'm done =P</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>-Mike</FONT></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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