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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Dave</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>You make a very good point in that the NSRCA survey is a
very good tool for taking the pulse of the pattern community. Certainly the
majority should prevail, but it's also good to explore new ideas and rethink old
ones with the goal of increasing the satisfied majority. I think that's what Tim
and I've tried to input to this thread. I have no desire to dictate the
direction of Masters, any changes should be generated from within. I do
find a perception that F3A is somehow unattainable for most and feel that's just
a self fulfilling fallacy that could stand some debunking.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Earl</FONT></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="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=davel322@comcast.net href="mailto:davel322@comcast.net">Dave
Lockhart</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=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> Tuesday, August 14, 2007 8:05
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Natural
Progression</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Tim,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P 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></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I think you’ve made a
lot of good points. I think some of the answers to your questions
regarding the current/future status of Masters can be taken from the last
NSRCA survey – the direction of Masters has pretty closely followed the survey
results - in that it is distinct from F3A and the difficulty level is slightly
less than F3A (which fluctuates, granted) in that some maneuvers are found in
Masters (ie, integrated loop/roll figures).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P 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></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The gap between
classes will always remain a constant debate – and I think a point that has
been posted on this list many times (and seemingly gets forgotten) is that
pilots can practice for a new class by flying the new class prior to entering
a contest in that new class. If we had 10 classes between Sportsman and
Intermediate, the gaps between the classes would be very small. I think
the driving factor for the number of classes currently is the current
participant level will not consistently sustain more classes. Yes,
reintroduction of Expert might allow Masters to be a more difficult class, but
if pilots really wanted a more difficult class (or higher level of
competition), they have the option now of flying F3A. I think Masters is
the largest class across the country because a lot of guys are happy with it
exactly as it is.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P 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></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Regards,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P 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></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Dave
Lockhart<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A
href="mailto:DaveL322@comcast.net">DaveL322@comcast.net</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P 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></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <FONT color=navy><SPAN
style="COLOR: navy"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P 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></P>
<P 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></P>
<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>
<P 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>twtaylor<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Tuesday, August 14, 2007 8:15
AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B>
nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [NSRCA-discussion] Natural
Progression</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">In an effort to break apart the
two subjects we’ve been talking about the last few days I offer the
following.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Since the dawn of man we’ve had a
competitive side (At least that’s what RVP told me he was there after all).
Some are more competitive than others and that’s fine. Since our sport has
developed over the years we’ve made major changes along with many minor ones.
Given man’s thirst for ever increasing challenge we’ve come from old school
pattern through what seemed like a decade fight over going to turn around. We
lost a fair amount of pilots during that time yet the sport survived. We
picked up some new pilots and that’s a good thing. Then the TOC came along to
decide the best of the best. It started with Pattern planes, and then someone
decided to add a 10% bonus for using a scale airplane. From that day forward
Pattern was divided and IMAC was born. Many of our former pattern fliers
joined the IMAC ranks. I don’t pretend to know why, they just did. That
diluted Pattern and no longer did we see contests with 50+ contestants. I for
one am glad we don’t get 50 plus pilots anymore as that creates a nightmare
contest. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> I returned to Pattern after
a decade lay off and can honestly say the level of competition, airframes,
engines, and radios has increased at an exponential rate. I think the current
fliers are more dedicated to the sport than ever. The flying skills across the
board have come up in every class by an order of magnitude larger than I ever
thought possible. I asked myself why this was.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> After thinking for a year
or more and talking with those that have been in the trenches since going to
turn around I’ve formed an opinion about why. Right or wrong here it
is.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> FAI drives everything we
do. Don’t think so? Let me explain.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> The guys at the top of the
game have nowhere to go, FAI is it. To keep those guys interested and to
separate the players from the wannabe’s they had to make the sequence
progressively harder. Those that won all the time can easily become bored and
move on to something else. For a case in point, one only needs to look at the
amount of top pattern fliers that jumped ship to
IMAC.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Let’s look at our sport
from top to bottom. We’ve made FAI so difficult to keep the top guys happy
we’ve out stripped the ability, or perceived ability, of masses to fly that
class. Some might say this is a good thing. Harder keeps the numbers low and
from top to bottom a better overall flier.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Masters became the top
class for guys that didn’t think they could, or just didn’t want to fly FAI,
yet masters flew the old FAI schedule for a time. So now we had to make
Masters hard enough to keep those pilots happy and interested. Seems we did
the exact same thing for Masters that we did for
FAI.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Now were on the classes
that we hope will lead fliers into the upper classes through a natural
progression. Let’s look back a few years and see what we really did. We’ve
made every class with the exception of the lowest class harder. I don’t see
any real problem with that. If we look back at what FAI flew the first year,
that schedule isn’t any harder than the current Advance
schedule.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> So what does that tell us?
It tells me the level of flying has moved up by leaps and bounds. I think it’s
a good thing.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> The question I have
is this. Are we to continue to develop two distinct top classes when they
should or could be channeled into one? Are we so afraid of what FAI flies that
many master pilots are just happy to remain in Masters and never try FAI? If
so then this discussion is a moot one. Is the jump from Advance to Masters not
as hard? Does it not require the same level of dedication to join the ranks of
the cream of the crop? If you’re not willing to put forth the effort to try to
crawl your way to the top, then like me, you’ll end up being just a guy out
having fun. Nothing wrong with that either. A zero in FAI is the same as
a Zero in Masters.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Tim<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>_______________________________________________<BR>NSRCA-discussion
mailing
list<BR>NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org<BR>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion</BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>