<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>I don't think that's the case, even lower class guys are flying 135 in. planes with 170-200 engines. Then you need a trailer to haul it!<br><br>Dale</div><div><br>On Sep 14, 2017, at 1:27 PM, Daniel Lipton <<a href="mailto:dlipton@me.com">dlipton@me.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"><blockquote type="cite" class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div dir="auto" class=""><div class=""> Interesting though, I don't think IMAC isn't seeing the drop in attendance that pattern is. Not sure why.</div></div></blockquote></blockquote><br class="">I think the cost of entry to imac equipment wise is <b class="">perceived</b> to be lower. Whether that’s it or not, I don’t know.<div class=""><br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Sep 14, 2017, at 12:51 PM, Olstinske Dale via NSRCA-dist7 <<a href="mailto:nsrca-dist7@lists.nsrca.org" class="">nsrca-dist7@lists.nsrca.org</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" class=""><div dir="auto" class=""><div class="">I was talking with Larry Tougas about this. He said AMA membership is NOT down. That is surprising to me. Over the past few years, I have belonged to 5 different clubs. None of them has any younger people joining the hobby. So simply by attrition, I assume that RC as a hobby is declining, which says the same for pattern. Interesting though, I don't think IMAC isn't seeing the drop in attendance that pattern is. Not sure why.<br class=""><br class="">Dale</div><div class=""><br class="">On Sep 14, 2017, at 11:26 AM, atwooddon--- via NSRCA-dist7 <<a href="mailto:nsrca-dist7@lists.nsrca.org" class="">nsrca-dist7@lists.nsrca.org</a>> wrote:<br class=""><br class=""></div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class=""><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" class="">Dan<br class="">
<br class="">
<font size="2" class="">As a D7 pattern flyer who has not been flying this year, a couple thoughts. <br class="">
<br class="">
My reasons are simple. I usually take a break from pattern flying every 7-8 years. Just get kinda burned out and a year off rekindles the 'bug'. So, in my case it's purely coincidental.<br class="">
<br class="">
Comments I have heard from others have to do with time restraints particularly with travel, expense of travel, family commitments, etc. These have been heard for several years now.<br class="">
<br class="">
I believe there is a kind of 'cycle' pattern goes through. An ebb and flow of interest for existing pattern pilots. I have no data to support this, just observation thru the years.<br class="">
<br class="">
Other causes of declining participation, a couple simple reasons. Number 1 Older flyers are not getting replaced by new pattern pilots. Not a new situation but it has become more pronounced as other forms of competition or even sport flying become popular. Helicopters, quads (racing), etc. <br class="">
<br class="">
These forms of flying are easier to find a place to fly (legal or not), They are more exciting to do, easier to get into (and out of) with less expense, don't require significant transportation commitments from parents for the younger pilots. And neither 'appear' to require up front commitment to significant amounts of time practicing. Yes, both those examples require time to be competitive but initially they don't appear to require as much time commitment to a new participant. None of this new information but cumulatively it has an impact on participation in pattern.<br class="">
<br class="">
Just my 2 cents worth....<br class="">
<br class="">
Don Atwood<br class="">
<br class="">
<br class="">
</font>
<div class=""> <br class="">
</div>
<div class=""> <br class="">
</div>
<div class=""> <br class="">
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: 10pt;" class="">-----Original Message-----<br class="">
From: Daniel Lipton via NSRCA-dist7 <<a href="mailto:nsrca-dist7@lists.nsrca.org" class="">nsrca-dist7@lists.nsrca.org</a>><br class="">
To: CA, AZ, HI, NV, UT, HI, NV, UT <<a href="mailto:nsrca-dist7@lists.nsrca.org" class="">nsrca-dist7@lists.nsrca.org</a>><br class="">
Sent: Thu, Sep 14, 2017 11:01 am<br class="">
Subject: [NSRCA-dist7] Contest attendance..<br class="">
<br class="">
<div id="AOLMsgPart_1.2_4da75742-2a0a-4739-8ed8-fe7ec2dcf539" class="">
<div class="aolReplacedBody">
<div dir="ltr" class="">Hello d7ers..
<div class=""><br class="">
<div class="">Recently a fellow member raised to me the issue of diminishing contest attendance. I decided to take a look at the data (based on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.patternscoring.com/" class="">www.patternscoring.com</a>), </div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">choosing the April contest at Bear Mountain fliers, as that is a popular destination for the district.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">2017: 30</div>
<div class="">2016: 37</div>
<div class="">2015: 39</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
</div>
<div class="">And Another popular D7 contest is the Orange country event.</div>
<div class="">2017: 21</div>
<div class="">2016: 27</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">Desert pattern challenge: (Arizona)</div>
<div class="">2017: 21</div>
<div class="">2016: 29</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div class="">If anybody has any thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them.</div>
<div class="">Thanks</div>
<div class=""> Dan.</div>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
_______________________________________________<br class="">
NSRCA-dist7 mailing list<br class="">
NSRCA-<a href="mailto:dist7@lists.nsrca.org" class="">dist7@lists.nsrca.org</a><br class="">
<a href="http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-dist7" target="_blank" class="">http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-dist7</a><br class="">
</div>
</font></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class=""><span class="">_______________________________________________</span><br class=""><span class="">NSRCA-dist7 mailing list</span><br class=""><span class=""><a href="mailto:NSRCA-dist7@lists.nsrca.org" class="">NSRCA-dist7@lists.nsrca.org</a></span><br class=""><span class=""><a href="http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-dist7" class="">http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-dist7</a></span><br class=""></div></blockquote></div>_______________________________________________<br class="">NSRCA-dist7 mailing list<br class=""><a href="mailto:NSRCA-dist7@lists.nsrca.org" class="">NSRCA-dist7@lists.nsrca.org</a><br class=""><a href="http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-dist7">http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-dist7</a><br class=""></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></div></blockquote></body></html>