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<font size="+1"><font face="Arial">Absolutely Mr. Kennie. As a
member of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
regarding full scale, we are always scheming as to attracting
new young members to feed the sport/hobby/field in pursuance of
keeping the aviation passion alive!!<br>
<br>
Without mentors (mentors who put their <u><b>egos and
self-interests on the sidelines</b></u>) and focus on
cultivating youth interest in the aviation community, be it
fractional scale, full scale, etc., youth will not know about
these types of sports and hobbies. <br>
<br>
It never ceases to amaze me at how few youth, in the general
population, even know about RC aviation hobbies and/or aviation
period, other than an annoyance in the sky.<br>
<br>
I ask all of you to think back as to how you were introduced
into aviation. Mine were mentors who put down their own
self-interests and sacrificed for me. My mentors are know
longer physically on this earth today, but they exist in spirit
each time I fly!! <br>
<br>
God Bless all folks involved in Clean Hobbies.<br>
<br>
R Liprie<br>
Lake Charles, La.<br>
</font></font><br>
On 3/19/2012 9:51 PM, George Kennie wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAOG==dXT1oOgpf_cRYZTNk4CkT79Q1HV00kSWVx9OmYtwMTWPQ@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div>What a great thread ! Keith is very easy to agree with.
Kudos</div>
<div>G</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div><br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 9:34 AM, mike
mueller <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:mups1953@yahoo.com">mups1953@yahoo.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px
0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid"
class="gmail_quote">
<div>
<div style="font-family:times new roman,new
york,times,serif;font-size:12pt">
<div><span>John I don't think this email list represents
the feelings of the average pattern enthusiast. Your
points are well thought out and I think you hit on a
lot of important<var></var> issues . I for one
wouldn't get too upset with the exchange of ideas
being thrown out there. Debate is healthy. Where it
all ends???</span></div>
<div><span> I think pattern is actually doing fairly
well. In some ways it surprises me that anyone else
but myself understands it. </span></div>
<div><span> <span><span>Dwindling</span></span> ranks
could easily be explained. Dramatic social changes,
the economy and a sport that is difficult to
participate in due to the effort it takes.
These issues and a myriad of others have more of an
effect than any of the rule tweaks that are being
debated. </span></div>
<div><span> IMAC in our area has had a significant
decrease in attendance in the last few years. Their
planes on <span><span>average</span></span> cost a
lot more than ours. Their Nats has significantly
declined in the last few years. They get about a third
of the flyers as we do. How can one explain that?</span></div>
<div><span> I can't see great numbers of newbies flocking
to join our ranks. I think it is what it is. I'll
strive to see small gains and little victory's when we
get someone new to enjoy the sport. I won't focus on
it though because it is what it is. No sense trying to
put lipstick on a pig so you can call it something
else. I say embrace it and all of its flaws. The 1%
who appreciate it will understand.</span></div>
<div><span> If you want to make a difference and grow the
sport become an <span><span>ambassador</span></span>
for it. Help guys at the practice field. Help the new
guys at their first contest. It's far and away the
most significant activity we can do to grow pattern.
It's the grass roots small things that can add up.</span></div>
<div><span> Now lets see how we handle $6 gas. Mike
Mueller</span></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:times new roman,new
york,times,serif;font-size:12pt">
<div style="font-family:times new roman,new
york,times,serif;font-size:12pt">
<div dir="ltr"><font face="Arial">
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">From:</span></b>
Michael S. Harrison <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:drmikedds@sbcglobal.net"
target="_blank">drmikedds@sbcglobal.net</a>><br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b>
'General pattern discussion' <<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org"
target="_blank">nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a>>
<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b>
Monday, March 19, 2012 7:30 AM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b>
Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Future of Pattern<br>
</font></div>
<br>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div><span
style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-family:"sans-serif";font-size:11pt">well
written, i agree</span></div>
<div><span
style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-family:"sans-serif";font-size:11pt"> </span></div>
<div>
<div style="border-width:1pt medium
medium;border-style:solid none
none;border-color:rgb(181,196,223)
currentColor currentColor;padding:3pt 0in
0in">
<div><b><span
style="color:windowtext;font-family:"sans-serif";font-size:10pt">From:</span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;font-family:"sans-serif";font-size:10pt">
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org"
target="_blank">nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org</a>
[mailto:<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org"
target="_blank">nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>John Gayer<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, March 18, 2012
10:38 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> General pattern discussion<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [NSRCA-discussion]
Future of Pattern</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Apparently we can discuss the pros and cons
of a new weight rule til hell freezes over
without anyone changing their mind. I would
like to share with you how I converted from
from a no weight change advocate to someone
pushing for an increase. I have always felt
that most of the past increases in cost were
due to rule changes on noise, on turnaround,
on engine sizes, for some examples. While this
is a factor, there are others at work.
Inflation and improved quality of the
equipment are also major factors. I’m also not
convinced that it really costs that much more
in terms of percentage of your takehome income
to compete than it did in the old days.
However there is a large increase in other
activities, both in the hobby and without,
competing for your dollars. Another point is
that all those potentially expensive rule
changes were initiated by the FAI and
incorporated by the AMA. So I came to the
conclusion that we could make adjustments to
AMA rules without upsetting the apple cart.</div>
<div><br>
The main reason for change is that the status
quo is not working. Pattern has changed from
the central focus of many clubs and many
flyers to being a small niche in both clubs
and the marketplace. It used to be that club
sport flyers that never attended a contest
still built and flew simply constructed Balsa
or balsa and foam pattern planes. This is
gone. Even considering the modern equivalents
of these planes such as the Excelleron and
others, most are now out of production and not
being replaced by new kits/ARFs. Just ask any
manufacturer about the importance of pattern
in their marketing plans. Ask Jon Bruml who
sells ads in the K-Factor. I'm not privy to
the figures but I suspect even the topline
radios that we consider ours, sell better for
IMAC, Helis and jets. Time was, your club
members were interested in your new
radio/model/motor/engine. Now they just say
“smooth flying model” and ask about the
weather.<br>
<br>
The point is that we are now a bit player and
in all probability will never occupy center
stage again. See a lot of action in the
modeling press about last years WC? Get real.
Nobody else cares and we are all getting older
and slower, dying off one by one and being
replaced by only a few and most of those are
in their forties. See the graph below? It
shows a slow decline in membership dues and it
gets worse the further back you go. While the
NSRCA membership decline is not conclusive
proof that pattern is declining in this
country, I am convinced that they are related.
What I see in contest attendance in the west
is a steady decline over the last couple of
decades and is a confirmation of the NSRCA
numbers.</div>
<div><img moz-do-not-send="true" height="289"
width="418"><br>
<br>
So what should the NSRCA and the pattern
community do? Maintain the status quo? I
believe I've made a case that it's not
working. Can we do something to get back on
center stage? Very unlikely. Can we do
something to move from a dying niche in the
hobby to a growing niche? Perhaps.<br>
As a first step the NSRCA board has made rules
proposals with the <u>intent</u> of
increasing safety and making it easier/cheaper
to participate. Will these rule changes have
the desired effect? I believe so but they are
not a complete answer by any means. We need
more participation and more ideas not more
accusations about our “hidden agendas” and
“flawed surveys”. Apparently we've gored a few
oxen in our proposals. I suggest everyone back
off a bit and support the only group that is
trying to move forward. I understand that
there may be unwanted consequences along with
the wanted ones. I doubt it but even so rules
can be rolled back in two years.<br>
<br>
There are a lot of very smart people out there
on this list involved in precision aerobatics
and we really need to be putting our heads
together for ideas on how to grow. Right now
it looks like we only know how to tear each
other down. There has been a lot of emotion
out there on these rules proposals, lets apply
it in a more positive direction. I urge
everyone to support these proposals now and to
stay engaged with us on what to do next. The
NSRCA is always open to ideas.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>John Gayer</div>
<div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><br>
<br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
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<pre wrap="">_______________________________________________
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<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a>
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