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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>You've hit the nail right on the head Bill. In fact, the
talk in the circles I was in before I met Gray and Lance was that the "old"
style pattern was dead, or dying, and "everyone" was moving to IMAC which has
more interesting sequences and maneuvers than the "old" pattern flying (this of
course coming from people that hadn't probably flown pattern in a decade or
two).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>The ironic thing about IMAC being more popular than
pattern is that the number two reason on the survey to not participate in
pattern is that it's too expensive. However we all know that competitive IMAC
planes are WAY more expensive than the best pattern plane. This should tell us
something. The real reason pattern is not growing more is because of the number
one reason, "No local interest", or better translated, "not enough
exposure/mindshare". As you point out IMAC is the rage, from the manufactures to
the magazines, all across the board. Why, because people don't understand IMAC.
They think it's all about Torque Rolls and Harriers, not precision aerobatics,
and let's face it, that stuff really draws attention. Also, TOC has done wonders
for giving mindshare to IMAC. One of the guys at our club had his plane already
overpowered and told me he was going to put an even larger engine on it. I told
him I didn't see why he'd add a larger engine as the one he had seemed way more
than adequate. He told me was going to do this because was learning how to fly
"IMAC". I could tell he had no idea what he was talking about so I said, oh
really, what sequence are you flying. "What do you mean?", he says? "Well, you
know IMAC is primarily flying precision patterns much like pattern fliers do", I
said. "Oh, I'm not doing that I'm just doing the 3D hovering stuff", he
said.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>This is pretty much the view that many have about IMAC,
they think it's all about 3D. This masses of people are really just flying IMAC
style planes and goofing off, which is OK, but it's not really IMAC. And with
all those IMAC planes in everyone's hangers when people do decide to compete
where do you think they're going to go? Once they get involved in IMAC they may
be surprised to find out they're going to spend most of their time on sequences,
but this isn't going to make them leave IMAC and come to the pattern crowd. BTW,
I wonder how participation in IMAC competitions is growing compared to pattern?
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>So what from the survey can we exploit to draw new fliers
to Pattern over IMAC? Ironically it's exactly what was stated as being the
number 2 reason not to fly pattern... cost! When talking to potential new
pattern fliers get the message across that 1) Sportsman pilots can compete with
virtually any sport plane, no need to be a pattern plane. Just fly what
you've got, there is no cost in that! 2) If participants progress in the
sport and become competitive at higher levels they can be on a level playing
field even at the FAI level for a reasonable cost, unlike IMAC where they would
spend $5,000 to $7,000 for a 33% or 40% plane. 3) Competitive 33% and %40 IMAC
planes are so big that it's difficult to carry and store them, most guys have to
buy a trailer. 4) IMAC and pattern contests are very similar as they both
fly sequences. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>And don't forget to communicate what's probably the best
kept secret in the non-pattern circles, the best pilots in the world all started
in, and many still compete in, pattern. It's the discipline they learned in
pattern that allows them to do well in IMAC. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>BTW, regarding the competition for mindshare between
Pattern and IMAC, we all recognize that sequences (Pattern or IMAC) will never
be as interesting as freestyle. So now we have people in the pattern
community trying to get Artistic Aerobatic going. I think this is great, but
honestly I feel the name "Artistic Aerobatic" does not benefit the pattern
community as well as it could. If AA does take off and grow in
popularity people may not associate it with Pattern (RC Aerobatics). For that
matter did anyone consider that the initials AA are the same as Alcoholics
Anonymous? Everyone knows that IMAC Freestyle is associated with IMAC, in fact
most think that's all IMAC is. We should call it Pattern Freestyle, or RC
Aerobatic Freestyle or something that ties it to pattern (it's all marketing
folks). Furthermore, I think everyone in the pattern community should jump on
this AA bandwagon starting next season. Holding an AA event at the end of
every pattern contest could draw local interest, get mindshare, and who knows,
we might even find that we enjoy it, sounds like fun to me! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Keith Black</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
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=wkrueger1@wi.rr.com href="mailto:wkrueger1@wi.rr.com">william
krueger</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=discussion@nsrca.org
href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">discussion@nsrca.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, November 01, 2002 1:07
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: WAS - KFactor Now
"Members"</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>One of the things that is not mentioned much is that any
facet of R/C that is growing is attracting more people than one that is not
growing, this is obvious. The point being that Pattern is in COMPETITION with
other forms of flying. By this I mean when a flyer that is getting past the
trainer plane/sport plane stage, he or she looks around to see what
interests and IMPRESSES them. One of the more impressive things they will see
is the large 30 to 40% planes being flown with many being flown in a 3D
fashion of sort, watching this can be a big attention getter as
they see these things hang in the air. Some of the owners of these planes
fly them around without doing a lot of fancy maneuvers others do the
stunts, it is obvious that you can go from simple flying to fancy
stuff with the same type of plane. The people that have progressed far enough
to decide what part of the hobby they are going to get into next see these
planes at the field and all over in magazines, it amounts to one
heck of a selling job and that is what pattern is competing against. The flier
that is ready to make the change to something other than simple sport flyers
is more impressed watching the big stuff fly than he is watching pattern stuff
fly if there even is pattern planes being flown at his local
field.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I would be willing to bet that the reduction in pattern
numbers corresponds very well in time with the growth of the 30 to 40% planes,
specially the 3D style, pattern is in competition with these and other
non-pattern parts of the hobby. Pattern is fun to fly once you are in it
but not very impressive to the non pattern flyer to watch, unless that
flier knows someone who is in pattern he probably will not very often consider
getting into it, the visual impact is not as great and they are so quiet
you hardly notice them, IF someone has one, while the larger 3D
planes get most of the attention these days.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Bill</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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