<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1>
<STYLE></STYLE>
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.5730.11" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY id=MailContainerBody
style="PADDING-LEFT: 10px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #000000; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; PADDING-TOP: 15px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Lucida Sans; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none"
leftMargin=0 topMargin=0 acc_role="text" CanvasTabStop="true"
name="Compose message area"><!--[gte IE 5]><?xml:namespace prefix="v" /><?xml:namespace prefix="o" /><![endif]-->
<DIV>
<DIV>Good stuff Dave.... you've apparantly been paying attention all
these years!!! lol</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Rex</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>From:</B> <A
title=mailto:davel322@comcast.net href="mailto:davel322@comcast.net">Dave
Lockhart</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">'NSRCA Mailing List'</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, January 07, 2007 9:44
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NSRCA-discussion]
...Snips....RE:SmallModels...goodforthefutureofthePatternEvent?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>...long....<BR><BR>Just my opinions on a variety of ideas in
this string -<BR><BR>It is an aerobatic event....a vertical upline that does
not have a 1,2,3,4<BR>second or 100, 200, 300' vertical requirement is no more
demanding than 2<BR>loops, an Immelman, or a 1/2 Reverse Cuban has plenty of
power to do a brief<BR>vertical line.<BR><BR>Fewer rules for Sportsmen and
Intermediate means more options. Plenty of<BR>existing planes suitable
for flying pattern glow or electric are available<BR>from .25 sized to 2M -
and there are expensive and "cheap" options at both<BR>ends of the size
range. For many of the existing sport airplanes, power<BR>upgrades are
relatively simple and cheap - many 40s can be replaced with<BR>bolt in 46s,
many 60s can be replaced with bolt in 90s.<BR><BR>I don't think anyone with a
shred of sanity could question the commitment of<BR>a guy like Mike Hester to
growing the sport of pattern. Absolutely the<BR>Black Magic is
competitive at any level, but to be competitive at all levels<BR>it requires
the high end powerplants and radio gear. Cost of the airframe<BR>is only
part of the expense - "cheap" competitive powerplants don't exist<BR>per se -
the most competitive powerplant will always be the one with the<BR>best power
to weight ratio (and that always cost money).<BR><BR>Do you want a used
"Ferrari" or a new "Ford"? Ie, for the same $$$, a<BR>Sportsman or
Intermediate pilot might be able to buy last years Masters/FAI<BR>full blown
2M ship, or a brandy new 110 sized bird. The bigger ship, if<BR>well
maintained, will fly better.<BR><BR>It is a competitive event which means
competitors will seek a competitive<BR>advantage. On the average the
latest and greatest will be pioneered by<BR>those at the top of the heap, and
the latest and greatest stuff will command<BR>a premium price, and it will be
emulated by the masses. Supply and demand<BR>will always make the latest
and greatest the most expensive. No one is<BR>unaware of the expense of
the "best" stuff and everyone knows how the event<BR>could be cheaper - but -
we all buy the best we can afford to gain<BR>competitive advantage and "we"
have repeatedly voted to allow 2M in all<BR>classes. <BR><BR>Restricting
airframes or engines in the lower classes to reduce cost is a<BR>plausible
idea. However, you now placing a pilot in a position where they<BR>need
to upgrade planes/engines each time they move up in class, if they want<BR>to
fly the most competitive airframes. You have further reduced the
resale<BR>audience for used Masters/FAI planes.<BR><BR>No doubt some of the
historical rule changes have been impetus in part for<BR>some leaving the
event - partly because any change would have done so, and<BR>partly because
the changes resulted in increased cost. Nonetheless, I think<BR>it is
incredibly naïve to think a "new" set of rules would result in a<BR>return in
numbers that pattern once had. Rules are only part of it -<BR>renewal
rates in any event/hobby are never 100% (change in interests)
and<BR>participation for many is cyclic (time off during college, time off to
start<BR>a career, time off for family, etc). Growth of the event was
from those<BR>newly enticed, and those that returned. Today, more
competing hobbies are<BR>out there which gobbles up some number of potential
new guys and some number<BR>of former guys that now pursue something
different. It is what it is, and<BR>no number of rules changes will make
"the difference".<BR><BR>What I've seen of late on this list is a very diverse
and wide range of<BR>opinions on what ought to be done. When 10 guys
list 10 different reasons<BR>why they no longer compete, it is beyond me what
single rule is going to fix<BR>that. Any one change we make to appease
10% of those in or close to our<BR>midst is going to do little to grow the
event in numbers (beyond 10%, for<BR>arguments sake) and any change you make
is likely to be viewed unfavorably<BR>by some (probably a different
10%).<BR><BR>In the meantime, the constant negative banter (much of it
supposition only<BR>with no demographics to support it) amidst ourselves
certainly can't be<BR>enticing to any new guys taking a peek.<BR><BR>Hey, can
you believe the weather? January and my home field saw 3-4
pattern<BR>pilots out both Sat and Sunday, and I "burned" 15 lipos worth
of<BR>electrons!!!
Woohoo!!!!<BR><BR>Dave<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>NSRCA-discussion
mailing list<BR><A title=mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org
href="mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</A><BR><A
title=http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
href="http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion">http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion</A><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BODY></HTML>