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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>All very good points. I too have not renewed yet
this year because being a member was not of much value to me. The main reason I
was a member was to get the K-Factor. 3 times last year I did not get my copy in
the mail. Furthermore, as pointed out below, the internet has eliminated
the need to post contest results in the district columns. Nothing wrong with a
narrative about the contest, but wasting space with pictures and results that
have already been perused by those who care on the internet is just that, a
waste. I know how much we struggle for content, but it's a waste of the
organization's money to print 34 pages of stuff nobody really needs to read
again.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Matt</FONT></DIV>
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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=davidmichael1@comcast.net
href="mailto:davidmichael1@comcast.net">davidmichael1@comcast.net</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">General pattern discussion</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, January 31, 2009 1:55
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Why did
you join the NSRCA?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
<P>Some good discussion today. Hope I can add a different
perspective. I joined NSRCA last year- part way through the year- with
the plan to begin flying some pattern (I flew one pattern contest and six
IMAC). I still plan on flying in a couple pattern contests this year and
in the future.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>I tend to agree that pattern and IMAC are just different- but it's still
precision aerobatics at its heart. Having said that I think that the
IMAC guys have been much more active in promoting their cause and making sure
that the organization gives value back for the membership. I also agree
that IMAC has the real advantage of high end money events (TOC, Masters,
Tuscon Shootout and now Clover Creek) but this is kind of a chicken and egg
thing- is IMAC big because of the events or is it the other way around?
And there is no discounting the value of having so many IMAC planes of all
sizes available on the market right now- but again, why is that? More
people like them.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>Having said all this, I do believe NSRCA can improve, raise visibility, its
value and membership if it wants to. I do not mean any of the following
to offend or belittle the work that has been done by NSRCA officers or
volunteers- but I think it is worth saying that what NSRCA
membership offers, the K-Factor and the website- the big three marketing
vehicles- is not where it needs to be anymore.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>1) I haven't yet re-joined NSRCA- if I do it will be just to
support the organization, so the question in my mind is "is it worth
joining?" After trying it out, my perception is that the
value, to me, of an NSRCA membership is not that
great. I understand that the organization provides new
sequences every few years and a voice with the AMA- but what else? Part
of growing an organization is merchandising what you have done for its
members. I may be missing the value- so I say advertise what NSRCA
membership offers- if it's not enough then the NSRCA needs to figure out how
to fix that. </P>
<P> </P>
<P>2) I know now that it is plainly stated but I have to mention that I didn't
like that the membership ended at the end of the year- I didn't get a
full year out of my membership. I would like to see memberships end on
the one year anniversary- not the calendar year. By the way, when I sign
into the IMAC site it says what my membership is good through and I can print
out a membership card anytime.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>3) Honestly, I see the K-Factor as "old news" by the time I get it.
These days the expectation is to get news instantly- for example contest
results or articles. With sites like RCU and Flying Giants, you can even
get mid-contest results after the first day. The IMAC site, by
comparison, provides quick updates on contests results and an archive of past
contests.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>4) I think the NSRCA website needs to be more robust and be updated
more frequently if it is intended to attract and keep members. I thank
all who have and are working on the site now- but I am struggling to find a
way to say this without offending or being ungrateful- so I'll just say it-
take a look at the IMAC site and compare: <A
href="http://www.mini-iac.com">www.mini-iac.com</A> </P>
<P> </P>
<P>5) For what it's worth I would like to see new sequences every year and
unknowns. I mentioned this about a year ago on this same list and the
majority of responses were against unknowns. If I recall correctly there
were many who felt that they wouldn't want to have an unknown decide their
placing. To me, sequences that change annually and being able to fly an
unknown is a true indicator of your flying skills- as opposed to just getting
good at a set of manuevers that you have been flying for 2-3 years over and
over again. </P>
<P> </P>
<P>Dave</P>
<P> </P>
<P><BR>----- Original Message -----<BR>From: "Anthony Romano"
<anthonyr105@hotmail.com><BR>To:
nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org<BR>Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2009 10:15:29
AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern<BR>Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Why did you
join the NSRCA?<BR><BR>
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Lots of interesting discussion here but not a lot of solutions. Maybe a
survey of the membership as to why they join the NSRCA. <BR> What is the
value of the K-factor to the members? What is the draw of the K-factor to our
advertisers? <BR> <BR> Maybe even the more fundamental question of
why are we drawn to pattern over the other various R/C disciplines now
available. Knowing your customer is the key to making a
sale.<BR> <BR> For me I was drawn to the sleek airplanes and the
elusive grace and smoothness of a pattern flight. Nothing gives me the same
satisfaction of the Zen of that effortless great round. <BR> As for the
NSRCA I join to support pattern and help the efforts of all the people who
work so hard to make these events happen.<BR><BR>Anthony<BR> <BR><BR>
<HR>
Windows Live™ Hotmail®:…more than just e-mail. <A
href="http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t2_hm_justgotbetter_explore_012009"
target=_blank>Check it out.</A>
<BR>_______________________________________________ NSRCA-discussion mailing
list NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org
http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
<P></P></DIV>
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