<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">Way to go Leo, I'm glad you found out for yourself.
Pattern can be a sport for life, and for some of us, it is. You need the right blend of seriousness and fun; and for many of us the seriousness (competition) is the fun, win, lose or draw. As far as trophies go, these are inversely proportional to age<BR>
<BR>
I have done almost everything else in RC, but have always come back. Heck, I've got my next World beater on the drawing board, and it's beckoning<BR>
regards,<BR>
Matt K<BR>
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<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Subj:<B>Re: Decline of pattern / Translation </B><BR>
Date:10/18/2003 6:41:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time<BR>
From:<A HREF="mailto:maac35@shaw.ca">maac35@shaw.ca</A><BR>
Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">discussion@nsrca.org</A><BR>
To:<A HREF="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">discussion@nsrca.org</A><BR>
<I>Sent from the Internet </I><BR>
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I have been following this thread with interest and feel compelled<BR>
to comment-----I "m a relative newbie to pattern but having built my first<BR>
model airplane in 1939 I do have some credentials .<BR>
About five years ago ( arter flying rc for over 30 years) I was just<BR>
about ready to give it all up,chuck the whole thing and try something else.<BR>
I was just bored with boring holes thru the sky . Mabye I should try<BR>
golf----I 'm a northern snowbird and winter in Southern California and a<BR>
friend (Harry Gould) said " hey why do'nt you try pattern ---you might like<BR>
it" ----Well to make a long ,and enjoyable story short---I was hooked .<BR>
After flying intermediate , badly , for four years , last year I<BR>
got a good airplane ( ZN Synergy) and this year I'm flying Masters ,very<BR>
badly, completely pumped up , totally focused and fully challenged . I<BR>
wake up every day and think "wow ,what a great day----I can go flying"---I<BR>
can assure you all that those that take home all the hardware and trophys<BR>
can have no more fun than this old guy. I find it hard to describe how much<BR>
I have enjoyed all the new friends , the cameraderie , thecontests,the whole<BR>
pattern scene.<BR>
Yes we are losing pattern flyers to other disciplines ,but is it any<BR>
wonder-----30 years ago we didnt have IMAC , helis , jets , and all the rest<BR>
.<BR>
So whats the point of my post? I guess ,it's that for every pattern<BR>
flyer we lose theres a sport flyer out there somewhere ,just like I was .<BR>
The point ? I dont know----Just relax , build and fly , compete and enjoy<BR>
this great hobby/sport we're fortunate enough to be a part of.<BR>
Leo Katila</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
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