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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>MOVE UP MOVE UP!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But seriously.. the rules say move up.
But....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Reality says no one is going to press you if you
stay in sportsman after only one contest. Like Chuck says, sportsman is where
you learn the basics of pattern, period. If you struggle at all with sportsman,
intermediate will be a real challenge.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But what it comes down to in my opinion is this:
have you learned all you can learn in sportsman? Does it bore you to tears? Can
you get through an intermediate sequence, start to finish, without seriously
endangering the airplane? If the answer is yes to any of these, it's time to
step up next season. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I was in a sililar situation a few years ago. I did
very well at my first contest, which was the last of the year, but I was
struggling and had a LOT to learn. I was nowhere near intermediate level, I had
only been practicing for 2 weeks. So I made what I thought was a wise decision
to stay in sportsman another year. It was and it wasn't.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Well, I did stay, and won every contest I attended
that year. By mid summer I felt I had pretty much mastered the sportsman
pattern, I was bored with it and already practicing intermediate, and since I
had a lock on the district championship I was again in a quandry. I decided
after some advice from more experienced pilots that I should stay put and move
up the next season. To this day I wish I had moved up and given up the
championship trophy. Yeah it looks great on the wall, but I think I could have
learned so much more from moving on up to intermediate sooner. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Just some insight from a similar situation. But I
seriously doubt anybody would really want to mess with you over one contest. But
I could be wrong....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Good luck and 10s,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>-Mike</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></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=d77hamlett@comcast.net href="mailto:d77hamlett@comcast.net">Daniel J.
Hamlett</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=discussion@nsrca.org
href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">N.S.R.C.A.</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, September 01, 2004 9:30
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> What class should I fly
in?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello everyone.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I am trying to figure out what class I should be
flying in ( sportsman or intermidiate ). I reciently flew at my first
pattern meet ( Waterbourough ME ). I placed first in sportsman
class. That is the only meet that I will be able to attend for the rest
of this season. I have only flown the 401 class 1/2 a dozen times,
including the meet. I have been told that if you place at an event and
beat 3 or 4 people that you have to move up in to the next class (
intermidiate ). My question is this. I did place first but I think
that it may be a little bit premature for me to move up into the intermidiate
class. Given the amount of time that I have been flying this pattern, should I
compete next year in sportsman. I don't want to brake any rules, so I am
looking for feedback to help me determine if I need to move up. I have
heard mixed feeling concerning this at my local club. There are a few
other members that fly pattern there. I want to know if what their
opinion is shared by other flyers. Any feedback on this would be
apreciated. Thank you in advance for your responce.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dan</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>