<div> It's the little things that make a difference. We need to seem like a cool thing to do with cool people to do it with. Our attitudes and personlity's can make the biggest difference. We have to break the bad stereotypes that are too often associated with the people in the sport. I've been witness to many episodes where sport flyers were treated rudely by a pattern flyer. It constantly damages our reputation.</div> <div> I'm just saying that we all need to look in the mirror and see what we can do with helping out the hobby. The single biggest thing is to be an ambassador for pattern. If half of us could get 1 person interested we would be in a lot better shape. </div> <div> We also need a youth movement. Seems like the only young people I see are ones that have a parent in the sport. You only need to look at the explostion of interest in the small electrics. It attracts a young group much like RC cars. It's gotten really
big.</div> <div> Pattern is cool. We don't have to reinvent it. We need to do a better job of including everyone. This will take time. Mike<BR><BR><B><I>"White, Chris" <chris@ssd.fsi.com></I></B> wrote:</div> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <META content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)" name=Generator> <STYLE> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </STYLE> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:SmartTagType name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType> <STYLE> st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } </STYLE>
<STYLE> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:#606420; text-decoration:underline;} span.EmailStyle17 {mso-style-type:personal-reply; font-family:Arial; color:navy;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </STYLE> <DIV class=Section1> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Good question Eric…. Come to think of it the only promotion I’ve seen of pattern is the NSRCA add in Model Aviation mag.
(The one with the Eclipse in flight)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">How best to promote pattern….can’t wait to read the responses. I’ve considered ideas about a lower cost event, but SPA exists and that participation is limited. It seems that IMAC attracts a lot of people, but in reality we have more pattern contests within 6 hours of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tulsa</st1:place></st1:City> than we do IMAC. I counted it up in 2004 and there were about 8 contests available at that range. Cost to fly pattern is probably a restriction to some, but I would guess that it just looks boring and expensive to a lot of people. Pattern to me is the purest form of RC next to RC Soaring, you would think it would attract all on its own. I
think that maybe part of the bad rap among club members is that some of us are pretty wrapped up in getting practice time in on a time limited schedule. (A big factor for me that probably leads people to believe that I’m snobbish or something…actually I’m just focused and not very adept at multi-tasking</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Wingdings color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings">J</SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> )<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I guess if half the RC public was interested in aerobatics, and got a chance to fly a good 2m airplane we could probably recruit the
half of them.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Chris<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <DIV> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;
FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org] <B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>Grow Pattern<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Tuesday, April 04, 2006 7:58 AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> NSRCA Mailing List<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [NSRCA-discussion] Participation</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I wanted to open up the subject of participation. There has been a lot written about NSRCA membership numbers but I wonder if that has anything to do with the participation at contest
numbers?</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">My rough estimates are that we have around 30 active contestants per districts. (The District VP's would probably know best how many different individuals actually compete in their Districts). If you multiply that by 8 NSRCA districts you get 240 pattern pilots who compete nationwide.</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">When we have an NSRCA national election we get about 250 voters and when we do a rules/schedule-survey we get between 100 and 200
replies. This would suggest that we have about 200 people who are "active" in our sport and its administration.</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">While I sincerely applaud any activity, such as the Grand event in SC, to keep our participants interested and help them improve their skills and enjoy their competitive flying even more, I am still looking for that certain something that would help the participation grow.</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I have seen some sterling efforts to run
primers year after year by heroes in our organization, but beyond that I don't have much of a database of ideas or plans to grow what we do. I see nothing in or local hobby shops that encourage pattern. I know that pattern competition and even the pattern pilots themselves are not that welcome at the local club fields.</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">We have a major image problem. No get-well strategy that I can see. A shortage of tactics and tools that any of us can use.</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt;
FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Of course you may think that there is no problem and that if it isn't broken don't fix it. I could be all wrong. In fact the general reaction of the NSRCA board the last time I addressed this issue with them, was that we didn't need a promotions and marketing person to focus on and coordinate this activity</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">We often fall into the trap of trying to act like a ruling body. We have the AMA for that and the AMA contest board for that, so I still ask the question, if our mission is to promote and grow our sport, what is the plan?.</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE:
12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Regards,</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Eric.</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></div></DIV></DIV>_______________________________________________<BR>NSRCA-discussion mailing list<BR>NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org<BR>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion</BLOCKQUOTE><BR><p>
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