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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dave you came up with some very valid questions and
here is how I would answer....I hope others will put their views in as
well........ </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If it's used gear then it's used gear but you are
not going to get a used Focus for $100. It will have certain market value and if
it's still available like a Sequel then you would take the new value in this
instance $375 for the kit. Some may argue that this is ridiculous but why not in
sportsman which is where you want people to feel comfortable and get their feet
wet. I buy YS engines because I love them but I don't buy brand new 1.60 DZs. I
buy used 1.20 and 1.40 FZ engines and pay around $300 to $400 for them. My
latest plane is an Excelleron 90 $279 street price, my old OS 1.20 Surpass II
with pump I think I paid around $330 for it....there's my $600 mark. Not hard to
do. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Once out of sportsman buy as much as you can
afford.....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There used to be an R/C Aerobatics article in Model
Aviation. Why not make sure you get that exposure. I fully agree with supporting
FM but you won't find it at any of the news stands in my area, so you are back
to main stream media.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Besides.....nothing is perfect and you will NEVER
make everyone happy. I tried for a few years as my club president and put a lot
of effort in to grow my local club. I got us in the local paper and got us a
website and spent time with prospective members and made sure they bought the
gear they needed not the cool stuff they wanted. That's why forum discussion
like this is such a good thing. It sparks ideas and gets various perspectives on
the subject.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Pete</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">DaveL322@comcast.net</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, February 09, 2005
11:22</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Rules don't grow
sports!</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Pete,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I'm familiar with the "claim" concept, and the dollar limit idea.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Questions I have -</DIV>
<DIV>-How does one deal with used equipment? Much of the top of the line
stuff from the top fliers gets recycled to flyers in the lower classes - I
know in the northeast alone that myself, Don Szczur, Eric Henderson, George
Asteris, Earl Vincent, and Joe Lachowski (to name a few) have all sold
planes were capable of flying at the highest levels to Sportsman and
Intermediate pilots - some of the planes were well used and bare bones
(relatively cheap) while some were backup planes that were close to new and
pretty much RTF (relatively expensive).</DIV>
<DIV>-How do you set the price limit - ie, no matter what price limit you set,
somebody will always want the number raised .5%, or 2%, or 10% because "your"
arbitrary price limit is "needlessly" shutting out some really good equipment
combinations that would otherwise allow more people into the event (gee,
sounds a lot like the discussion on weight limit).</DIV>
<DIV>-Do "professional" building fees get included in airplane cost?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>BTW - it might be harder than you think to get "face time" in some of the
major publications - like Model Aviation - pattern used to get more coverage -
but it has dropped (probably proportionate to the reduction in our numbers)
because the magazines view the pattern group as a small demographic and devote
what they consider to be an appropriate amount of coverage. Best way to
combat this is too support magazines that support pattern - like FM - aka Mike
Ramsey and Dean Pappas on this list.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Regards,</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Dave Lockhart</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:DaveL322@comcast.net">DaveL322@comcast.net</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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Original message -------------- <BR><BR>> From an outsiders point of view
Eric hit the nail on the head. If you don't <BR>> get some "Face Time"
the masses are not going to notice you. The NSRCA has a <BR>> website and
it would be easy enough to post some WMV files out there for <BR>>
download and make sure there are ads and articles in Model Aviation at the
<BR>> least and more mainstream magazines if possible. <BR>> <BR>>
As for the debate about rules changes, the biggest stumbling block you have
<BR>> is the perceived need for a full blown pattern ship to even compete
in <BR>> sportsman. I know....I went and bought one before I did any
homework on the <BR>> issue. If you want people to be more comfortable.
put a spending cap on the <BR>> gear you can use in sportsman like some
auto race organizations do with <BR>> "Claimer" classes. You can onl
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