<div> Hey Mark I agree with all the points you made. I've said more than once that the small electric stuff has generated more interest than I have seen in decades.</div> <div> I just picked up the Brio 10. It's a real head turner. I can see this increasing interest in precision aerobatics. Great post. Mike<BR><BR><B><I>"Atwood, Mark" <atwoodm@paragon-inc.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: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:blue; 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;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1570841850; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:-1579892366 67698705 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;} @list l0:level1
{mso-level-text:"%1\)"; mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} @list l1 {mso-list-id:1576551184; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:-458854936 67698705 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;} @list l1:level1 {mso-level-text:"%1\)"; mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </STYLE> <DIV class=Section1> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Wanted to jump in here…<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">Regarding
participation… I firmly believe there is only one focus that will work…and it’s not the one we been trying for about 2 decades…<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">We continually try to “fix” pattern… <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">What we need is to expand RC…and the good news is that I think it’s happening. Pattern has dwindled for two primary reasons (IMHO)...<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 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">1)<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Decrease in the total number of active RC pilots. I define active as those who would fly weekly if time permitted. <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 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in;
TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">2)<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Dilution of our discipline to other competitive disciplines that didn’t use to exist prominantly(IMAC, Heli, 3D, Indoor, etc…)<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">In any Sport/hobby…there are only a small percentage that want to compete seriously. How many die hard golfers do you
know…and how many of them sign up for local tournaments?? Only a very very small few. Competing is a passion that not everyone has. Those that have it..compete at everything they do, from work, to flying, to how nice your lawn looks in the summer. <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">If there are 10,000 modelers out there…only a certain percentage are going to want to compete. In the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s…Pattern was one of the main choices for the competitive RC modeler. The other serious choices were Pylon, Scale and Soaring. Now?? There appears to be a zillion places to compete. Almost by definition…that means that all of the competitive
disciplines reshuffle the fixed percentage of competitive flyers. Yeah yeah…there’s likely a little ebbing and flowing of that percentage based on fads (I’d argue that IMAC had some fad growth for a few years there, but that’s waned now) but in general the number of competitive flyers stays fixed.<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 think pattern is fine…it’s suffered from the dilution mentioned above, but all in all…it remains as viable as the next discipline. So in my mind …there are two distinct ways to “grow” pattern<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 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">1)<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Steal existing competitors from other disciplines (this includes enticing a higher number of new competitors into pattern rather than having them go elsewhere) <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN style="mso-list: Ignore">2)<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Expand the overall RC market, which will in turn expand the total number of competitive flyers which in turn will expand the number of pattern pilots.<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">#1 is a win/lose proposition…meaning the only way for us to win…is for another discipline to lose. I’m not saying we shouldn’t do what we can to make pattern appealing…but the nature of that is to make other disciplines unappealing which makes us seem “elitist” and actually works against
us.<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">So #2…expanding the overall market. It’s Win/Win. The more RC pilots, the more Pattern/Imac/Heli competitors there are…all disciplines win. This is already happening and I think there is more to be done to assist it.<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">Electrics!! Talking to some of the engine manufactures at <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Toledo</st1:place></st1:City> this past weekend, there seems to be a consensus that electrics are not hurting engine sales. That tells me that the electrics aren’t cannibalizing the market…their expanding it. Which makes sense… Flying foamies in the park allows others to SEE us fly in the park. I fly in a golf dome during the winter…and there are always 10-15 golfers that end up staying to watch us fly. I also fly in the parking lot at our community pool…again, lots of people get to see it. Guess how many people see me fly my pattern plane out in the corn field where are club field is?? You got it…NADA. EVER. I now have 3 neighbors that came to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Toledo</st1:place></st1:City>, and had me walk them around to buy their first small electrics so that they can learn to fly. How long will
it be before they join the local club, see some big glow planes, and catch that bug? Exposure is going to be our savior…and small electrics provide a tremendous opportunity for exposure. Moreover…we’re good at flying them…which becomes an ad for pattern as well as RC in general.<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">Ok…does anyone agree with this line of reasoning?? If so…I’d ask…what more can we do to promote RC…rather than just trying to promote pattern??<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">-Mark<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 6:30 PM<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> NSRCA Mailing List<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> *SPAM* [NSRCA-discussion] Fw: Offlist - Re: 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">FYI.</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">----- Original Message ----- <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div> <DIV style="font-color: black"> <div class=MsoNormal style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4"><B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:
Arial">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <A title=DaveL322@comcast.net href="mailto:DaveL322@comcast.net">DaveL322@comcast.net</A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">To:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <A title=pattern4u@comcast.net href="mailto:pattern4u@comcast.net">pattern4u@comcast.net</A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Sent:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Tuesday, April 04, 2006 2:44 PM<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;
FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Subject:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Offlist - Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Participation<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></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="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Eric,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></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="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Obviously an important issue and in the interest of expediency, I'm not posting this to the list to avoid any potential public misunderstandings - <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></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="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Ergo, the naive blunt question (with followups) -<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></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="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">As NSRCA President, What did you do (or attempt to do) to help this situation?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">- What worked?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">- What didn't work?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE:
12pt">- What was supported?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">- What wasn't supported?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">- What followups have been done?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">- What was learned from the prior efforts?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></div></DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">- Is this topic something you had zero time to address while you were in office?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></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="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I think valid questions for a former Pres, and obviously enough you are not pleased with the current NSRCA or historical efforts - but you still have an inside bit of knowledge history to comment in a manner others can't.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></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="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Dave<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></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> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN-TOP: 5pt; PADDING-LEFT: 4pt; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN-LEFT: 3.75pt; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 1.5pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none"> <div
class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-------------- Original message -------------- <BR>From: "Grow Pattern" <pattern4u@comcast.net> <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></BLOCKQUOTE></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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