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Don't know if you had a chance to meet Lance and Gray at Muncie; if you
did, you wouldn't be surprised at all by this story. In this case,
my impression of these 2 gentlemen was confirmed. Bill Glaze
<p>Tony Stillman wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE><style></style>
<font face="Arial"><font size=+0>Keith:</font></font>
<p><font face="Arial"><font size=+0>It's great to hear stories like this!
The guys you name obviously are great ambassadors for the sport!</font></font> <font face="Arial"><font size=+0>GOOD
JOB, GUYS!!!</font></font> Tony Stillman
<br>Radio South, Inc.
<br>3702 N. Pace Blvd.
<br>Pensacola, Fl 32505
<br><a href="http://www.radiosouthrc.com">www.radiosouthrc.com</a>
<br>800-962-7802
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<div style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----</div>
<div
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><b>From:</b>
<a href="mailto:tkeithb@attbi.com" title="tkeithb@attbi.com">Keith Black</a></div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org" title="discussion@nsrca.org">discussion@nsrca.org</a></div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 29, 2002 1:45
AM</div>
<div style="FONT: 10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> Re: bureaucratic organization/
beginners!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font face="Arial">I
was in this hobby many years ago and got back into it again the first of
2002. I've know about pattern since my first entry into the hobby but never
considered for a moment that I could or would compete in pattern. For one
thing, I've always assumed that one had to be an incredible pilot with
many many years of experience to compete. >From the pattern contest I've
seen in the past it was obvious that the pilots were way above my head
in experience and skill. Another factor was that I'd never had any discussion
with anyone involved in pattern and quite honestly I did have the impression
that pattern guys where sort of "elitist". That impression was not earned
but just my impression probably due to how skilled I thought all pattern
fliers were. </font></span><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font face="Arial">Then,
early this summer I was visiting a local club that I'd never been to before
and three guys were flying their pattern planes. One of these guys, Gray
Fowler, came over and started telling me all about pattern, how it works,
invited me to stand next to him when he was flying, and just generally
being very friendly. Actually all of the guys were very nice. Gray told
me I could download the Sportsman sequence and based on watching me fly
he thought I could fly it. That night I went home and downloaded the sequence
and started trying it out at my regular field (which has no pattern fliers).
It took me several flights to finally get all the pieces together. I was
shocked at how hard it was to keep the plane where I wanted it, but pleased
that it wasn't beyond my reach. At that point my goal was simply to build
the skills enough to fly the sportsman pattern under control. I was only
doing this because I felt it would make me a better pilot, I had no plans
on ever competing.</font></span><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font face="Arial">Well,
a month or two later I joined the club where I had met Gray, Lance and
Bill. Gray stood with me while I flew and was extremely complimentary and
encouraging. He answered my questions and gave me pointers. He told me
that I could easily compete in Sportsman and probably do very well, this
I doubted :-), but it made me feel good to hear him say it. Lance also
worked with me and was very helpful. They answered all the questions I
had and then Gray started prodding me to go to a competition with them.
He told me stories of how he and many new Sportsman pilots are all over
the place in their first contest, strangely enough this made me feel good
to know that I wouldn't be the only one. To be honest with you I thought
I would be scared to death to fly in front of the judges, but I knew deep
inside I really wanted to give it a try.</font></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font face="Arial">At
my first contest everyone I met was incredibly encouraging, friendly and
helpful, they made me feel right at home. And guess what, I wasn't scared
to death, I didn't crash, and I had a great time!</font></span><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font face="Arial">Now
I'm hooked, want to attend every contest possible, and I couldn't wait
to get a plane that was capable of flying the intermediate pattern (that
I'm practicing for next season).</font></span><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font face="Arial">And
guess what, I spoke to a couple of non-pattern fliers at the club the other
day about pattern and encouraged them to download the sportsman sequence
and the very next day one had already downloaded it and was planning to
begin practicing!</font></span><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font face="Arial">For
pattern to grow everyone in this organization just needs to engage non-pattern
fliers in friendly conversation and tell them about pattern. Provide encouragement,
let everyone know that the sportsman pattern is well within their reach,
and do a little prodding to get them to go to a contest. Tell them how
much fun you have at contests and describe the camaraderie pattern fliers
have (which honestly is a big part of what makes everyone travel so far
to be together). Once new guys see how friendly everyone is and find out
they can actually compete many of them will be hooked just like we are.
:-)</font></span><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font face="Arial">Keith
Black</font></span><span
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><o:p></o:p></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
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