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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ken,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I understand your point and am not specifically
looking to take away the "carrot". A repeated theme I've heard from
potential pattern newbies is about intimidation - they won't go to a contest
because they don't have a "pattern" plane and don't want to spend the $$$ on a
pattern plane to find out if they like the event. They also don't want to
go to a contest and fly in the entry level class (currently called Sportsman)
and find they are competing with someone who not only has a pattern plane but
has been flying in the class for 3 year. Real "pattern" planes and long
term pilots in the Sportsman class are both intimidating to a significant number
of potential pattern newbies. And whether or not the real "pattern" plane
is really of benefit to a new pattern pilot in Sportsman - for some it is (they
can handle the plane and are not afraid of it), and for others it is probably a
detriment (they are scared of the plane and likely way behind it) - but that is
secondary to bigger issue that the perception is that the pattern plane is
needed and this is reinforced when the guys winning the entry level class are
flying "pattern" planes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I certainly don't want to see someone as yourself
drop out if the District Championship were removed, but, if it were
removed, I think some of the currently intimidated pilots would try pattern and
maybe stay around. No way to know for certain. I would certainly
welcome any additional thoughts you have.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards,</FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<DIV><BR>Dave</DIV>
<DIV></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
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<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mrandmrst@comcast.net href="mailto:mrandmrst@comcast.net">Ken
Thompson III</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> Monday, January 10, 2005 8:37
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Class Structure</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks Ed,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And for those who are really paying attention, I
meant</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> "receive a plaque" not "achieve a plaque".
<oops></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ken</FONT></DIV>
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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 title=edbon85@charter.net href="mailto:edbon85@charter.net">Ed Miller</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> Monday, January 10, 2005 8:25
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Class Structure</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have to agree, the "golden carrot" is a good
thing. I see no reason why there shouldn't be district Sportsman champions.
If we want to attract and retain, there should be a reward.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ed M.</FONT></DIV>
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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 title=mrandmrst@comcast.net href="mailto:mrandmrst@comcast.net">Ken
Thompson III</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> Monday, January 10, 2005 7:50
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Class Structure</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dave,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As a pattern newbie, I respectfully disagree
with one part of your statement. A lot of newbies, including myself,
have only been in this hobby a relatively short period of
time. </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>In my few contests that I was
able to attend, last year, I got beat continuously. In my quest to
become a better pilot, that championship plaque will always be in my
sights. That Sportsman championship would be a goal of most entry
level pattern pilots, possibly obtainable in a couple of short
years.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When that goal is achieved, the next goal is
the Intermediate championship, in that district, which will be my goal
before I am forced to move up on points.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That progression is my personal goal, and I
believe the goal of many of my entry level peers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And before anyone asks, "Are you in this only
for the wood?", I'm in this to become a better pilot. However the
wood is a nice accompaniment, this year I would like to achieve a plaque,
not because there were only 3 Sportsman pilots, but because I actually
flew better than a few. <VBG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ken Thompson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>NSRCA 3646</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>D4 Sportsman, again</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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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 title=DaveL322@comcast.net href="mailto:DaveL322@comcast.net">David
Lockhart</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> Sunday, January 09, 2005 8:40
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Class Structure</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT
color=#0000ff><STRONG><EM>I don't think the entry level class
should crown a year end District Championship - anyone who wants to
seriously campaign in pattern is already hooked, and should move up to
the next level</EM></STRONG></FONT> - keep a true pattern newbie from
having to compete with some who is already committed to pattern. I
don't see the entry level class being too easy as a problem - someone
can always choose to start in a higher class.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards,</FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>
<DIV><BR>Dave Lockhart</DIV>
<DIV><A
href="mailto:DaveL322@comcast.net">DaveL322@comcast.net</A></DIV>
<DIV></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
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<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=verne@twmi.rr.com href="mailto:verne@twmi.rr.com">Verne
Koester</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=discussion@nsrca.org
href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">NSRCA</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, January 09, 2005
6:58 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Class Structure</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT face="Times New Roman">Georgie,<BR>Here's
a novel idea. Leave Intermediate alone and take the snaps out of
<BR>Advanced. A pilot coming out of Intermediate into Advanced already
has to <BR>learn Slow Rolls, 4 Point Rolls, and a longer schedule with
more crosswind <BR>exposure maneuvers which is plenty.<BR><BR>The step
from Advanced to Masters is minimal at best. The step from
<BR>Intermediate to Advanced is monumental. The end result is a bunch
of pilots <BR>in Intermediate that are getting bored with their
schedule but still not <BR>ready for Advanced so they want to add
snaps to it. Only problem is that <BR>someone coming out of Sportsman
will likely be scared away if Intermediate <BR>is made any
tougher.<BR><BR>It's no surprise to me that the number of Masters
pilots at any given <BR>contest are far greater than the classes that
precede it. Most of us who are <BR>there came up through a balanced
system of steps. We're all out of whack <BR>right now. Unfortunately,
I seem to be one of only a handful of Masters and <BR>higher pilots
that still remembers how hard it was to learn slow and 4 point
<BR>rolls which gets introduced at the Advanced level. Take the snaps
and spins <BR>out of Advanced and introduce them at the Masters level,
put some box exits <BR>back where they need to be, and you'll have a
logical, balanced, and <BR>transitional set of schedules that
takes a pilot from Sportsman to however <BR>high he or she wants to
go.<BR><BR>Verne Koester<BR><BR><BR>----- Original Message -----
<BR>From: "George Kennie" <</FONT><A href=""><FONT
face="Times New Roman">geobet@gis.net</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">><BR>To: <</FONT><A href=""><FONT
face="Times New Roman">discussion@nsrca.org</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman">><BR>Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 2:28
PM<BR>Subject: Re: adding interest and complexity to Sportsman ...
again and again <BR>and<BR><BR><BR>> <<I'm not flying
masters, I'm flying advanced, the reason is<BR>> Masters is<BR>>
more difficult than I think I can reasonably fly at this time,
so<BR>> I'll work my way up. >><BR>><BR>> I
respectfully disagree with your assessment of schedule
difficulty.<BR>> I get the feeling that you haven't taken the time
to sit down and<BR>> really study the current Master's sequence. I
commend your attitude<BR>> of working your way up!!!IMHO, I find
the current Master's much less<BR>> threatening than the Advanced
sequence.<BR>><BR>> Somebody mentioned "going to contests
without practicing", and<BR>> indeed I can remember, back in the
60's going to a contest myself<BR>> having never performed the
required routine and doing quite well at<BR>> the time.However
those were significantly different times and I<BR>> myself would
not desire to return to the mindset of that period.It<BR>> was
called a "Pattern Contest" and the attendance was probably a<BR>>
couple of hundred guys, but the mindset was more like a current
day<BR>> "Fun- Fly". Nobody really took it all that seriously.
Somewhere<BR>> along the line, the few individuals that did have a
more serious<BR>> approach organized and brought a more serious
aspect to the sport<BR>> realizing that the basis for guys going
out and flying a routine<BR>> that was in fact JUDGED meant that
the concept must<BR>> be"COMPETITION". I think that this is
probably the reason you still<BR>> find the most heavily attended
events to be "Fun-Fly's". When it<BR>> gets too serious there are a
lot of guys that start to feel<BR>> threatened regarding their
status within the group structure and<BR>> when the pressure
becomes, in their estimation, greater than feels<BR>> comfortable
to them, they gravitate to a different venue that<BR>> restores the
level of comfort they deem appropriate.<BR>> The same thing seems
to happen, in my judgement, with schedule<BR>>
complexity.Some of us realize that if the schedules become more
and<BR>> more complex, at some point the difficulty factor will
become<BR>> significant enough to threaten our currently hard won
achievement<BR>> status, and indeed this is true.The decision that
probably needs to<BR>> be reasoned through is,in light of this
truth, should the pursuit of<BR>> excellence be sacrificed to
satisfy the inadequacies of those of us<BR>> who are clammoring to
maintain their elevation?<BR>> I consider myself a part of this
equation and recognize my own<BR>> inadequacies, however I
also realize that this same pursuit of<BR>> excellence will not be
enhanced by any concession to tilt the<BR>> playing field in my
favor. Noone will be served by that tack. Least<BR>> of all ME! My
flying prowess ranks somewhere between Sportsman and<BR>>
Intermediate(my assessment), and though I find a couple of the
FAI<BR>> maneuvers really tough to execute in a graceful manner, I
still feel<BR>> that there is no maneuver that I could not learn to
do and given<BR>> another 50 years of practice I might even be in a
position to<BR>> challenge Jason.<BR>> It's about STRIVING guys.
That's what COMPETITION is! And it's<BR>> purpose is to determine
the most skilled individual, with the rest<BR>> of us rated in
descending order beneath the rating of the BEST! So,<BR>> as you
can see, I'm not in favor of wussing out to make things<BR>> easier
for anybody who finds their position at the pinnacle<BR>>
precarious(and that includes ME).<BR>> Now, all that being said, I
do feel that we may have a void at the<BR>> bottom and should
probably go back again and reconsider a pre-novice<BR>> class for
the guy who has only been involved in the sport for 2<BR>> weeks
and has never practiced flying a straight line.This shouldn't<BR>>
take much additional time as the number of guys showing up to<BR>>
participate in this class will indeed be very few (which begs
the<BR>> question, how far do we have to concede in order to grow
the<BR>> ranks?).<BR>> The Sportsman sequence I proposed a
couple of days ago DOES appear<BR>> to be too difficult for some of
the respondants(but not all) and<BR>> maybe the old Novice schedule
should be made available for anybody<BR>> showing up to try (as a
pre-novice event).I also think that the<BR>> Intermediate should
introduce it's participant to the 45 downline<BR>> snap or at least
a center snap on a horizontal baseline as<BR>> preparation for
Advanced.<BR>> Only a bunch of opinions, guys! Don't mean I'm
right!<BR>> G.<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>>
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