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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>SPA participation is limited – Last
fall and again as our <span class=GramE>Spring</span> contest approaches, I’ve
made an attempt to open SPA up.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>I’ve
offered to allow any plane up to 70” square in special experimental
classes.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This would allow <span
class=GramE>guys</span> who have become inactive for a variety of reasons but
still have older equipment they enjoy to compete is a simple format.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>It would also allow any ARF up to that
size.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Power is not restricted.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Last <span class=GramE>Fall</span>, we
made two new friends.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This <span
class=GramE>Spring</span>, there is 0 response.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Consequently, I’ve cancelled the
Open classes for our Spring SPA contest.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>I can only conclude that those who say they’d compete “if<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>. . . . <span class=GramE>“ are</span>
all talk and no action.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>This is a
difficult thing we attempt, and most people want an “Easy” button.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>That being said, I’ve heard the suggestion
that we fly the Sportsman pattern in front of sport pilots to show them what is
expected of THEM.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The fear
expressed to me was that they see what we do and think it is required of
them.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>We need to take pains to show
them their requirements are not as stringent as ours.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>We, as a group, are not snobs, but we do
need to remember that it takes a bit more than average ego to stand in front of
our peers and effectively say, “I’m better than you.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Watch this!”<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Tempering the ego might be a good thing
in front of fellow club members.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p><font size=2 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:black;mso-no-proof:yes'>Steve Byrum </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b>
nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org
[mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org] <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>White, Chris<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, April 04, 2006 8:59
AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> NSRCA Mailing List<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [NSRCA-discussion]
Participation</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>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></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>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 Tulsa 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
size=2 color=navy face=Wingdings><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Wingdings;color:navy'>J</span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> )<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>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></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Chris<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;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></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;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></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;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></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;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></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;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></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;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></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;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></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;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></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;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></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Regards,</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Eric.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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