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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It would be interesting to know the demographics of
the sample group. What regions/states? How many? What classes
did they fly when they quit?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And - I've said this before - and usually NO one
chooses to get realistic about it and respond- in our region, we have MANY
contests where everyone is busting their butts to be able to FINISH flying a 5
rounder due to numbers of entrants. Some only become a FOUR
rounder.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Then, there's the lopsided
numbers of folks in Masters, who have all the other classes done, or juggling
flight lines, or whatever while that class has to finish. And since
contestants of OTHER classes are always in the J. chair, THEIR lines can't start
(frequently).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I've CD'd and struggled with
that issue. It's real.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Many contests have plenty of flyers to fill up a
weekend. There are already many regions with conflicts because there are
SO MANY contests, so close together that THAT issue becomes a problem. And
only so many weekends to have events.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I guess I'm getting old enough, and narrow-minded
enough, to begin to wonder - </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> WHAT IS THE
PROBLEM?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Do we WANT a bunch more pilots trying to wedge in
logistics of practice times crowding at club fields, and contest times on
contest day....?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Or is it "okay" to have the
typical ebb and flow of participation that seems to follow the
game?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Of course, if a particular area/region/state has
some participation issues, maybe THEY should work on it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I just don't think we have a
Pandemic-Pending-Pattern death cycle upon us.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>P.S. - I also am just "noise" on the list, have no
knowledge of what I'm talking about, and haven't contributed at all to the
game. YMMV.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><BR>Bob Pastorello, Oklahoma<BR>NSRCA 199, AMA 46373<BR><A
href="mailto:rcaerobob@cox.net">rcaerobob@cox.net</A><BR><A
href="http://www.rcaerobats.net">www.rcaerobats.net</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </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=Eric.Henderson@gartner.com
href="mailto:Eric.Henderson@gartner.com">Henderson,Eric</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> Wednesday, December 10, 2003 1:36
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Why quit pattern.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>In a
previous note I said that I would post the results of my informal survey
of pilots who quit the sport in the last six years.The good news is that many
people continue to contact all of us and get into pattern. Personal contact
helps enormously and it soon shows up as a regularly competing pilot. We
attend contests for many reasons. It is a birds-of-a-feather gathering. We can
talk pattern-speak up-the-gazoo and see what is the latest gizmo or plane or
engine. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>So
why do people stop competing?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003>There are many reasons, some are unique and some are
unavoidable. I listed the reasons in uncommon to most common. (The last reason
on my list is the most common.) [All identities are absolutely protected,
so don't ask who please]</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>1.
Once in a while a person competes who is just not cut out for competition. It
affects them badly, degrades their skills temporarily and just plain gets to
them if they are not successful. Even when successful the stress of
Competitions just makes them behave badly. Sooner, rather than later, they
quit, usually for some other sport.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>2. A
big change in their lives. A new partner, new job, losing one or both.
Children getting older - T-ball, b-ball soccer etc.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>3.
Cost. Not that it was too much, but they began spending too much for very
little in return. They felt that unless they had the latest
equipment they would not get the scores.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>4.
Time. Interestingly enough it was not building time but flying time. They
could not dedicate the practice time to handle new routines or do well with
existing ones. Not happy with their performance because of lack of
practice.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>5.
Age and eyesight</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>6.
Judging. The common thread was that none of the pilots felt that they
could get a fair shake There two main reasons for their conclusion. The
first was that they found the standard of judging did not meet their flying
skills. They knew from contest after contest and personal contact that the
people behind them did not know the rules. They felt that no matter how
well they executed the geometry it would not be scored correctly against
pilots who did not execute as well.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003> The second reason was that they
had built up enough prejudices in the folks that coul could be judging them.
Old feuds from previous classes. Guys who they used to hammer were now
getting even on those who had now moved up. Personal grudges and personality
conflicts regards less of competition history. How many times have
you heard this "I know that if so-and-so is in the chair might
as well not fly?. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>(The
last one is the down side of pilot judging. I also heard it about non-flying
judges of the past and present). </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003>I spent a lot of my time looking a how to fix
these issues. I had to conclude that I could not do much with 1, 2, 3 and
5.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>With
#4, we should think very carefully about changing schedules too often.
Changing masters every three years is enough for the core who pay to
compete.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN class=428594118-10122003>With
#6, I don't have a lot of ideas that would work. All I can say is that if we
drive people away and we have very little influx of youth, then we will have
less folks to judge!</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=428594118-10122003>Regards,<BR><BR>Eric </SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>