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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And all this time, I thought I was George's
father. Hmmmmmm <G></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ron Lockhart</FONT></DIV>
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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=vanputte@cox.net href="mailto:vanputte@cox.net">Ron Van Putte</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, February 27, 2005 4:31
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Weight limit
discussion</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>I am "George's father".<BR><BR>Ron Van Putte<BR><BR>On Feb 27,
2005, at 11:58 AM, David Lockhart wrote:<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Bill,<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>I
think you make an interesting point regarding differentiation. I would
point out that by competitive definition the majority in any
competitive event will not be "top notch". I think I see some other
differentiations as well.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>I
see a group of flyers (let's collectively call them George for purposes of
this discussion) that have been in the event for a substantial length of
time. George is/was a top pilot, or maybe never was and
never will be - but common to George is the long duration spent in
pattern. George has seen a number of rules changes and observed the
motive/basis/desire that drove the rule change (almost always with best
intentions), and George has seen the unintended consequences that
resulted. George is maybe trying to keep the mistakes in the
past from repeating. Maybe George is tired of throwing away perfectly
good equipment that has been made obsolete by yet
another misguided rules change. Maybe George misses those that
left the event to never return because of the specific rule changes, or the
resulting added expense to compete in the event that was the unintended
result of changing the rules.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>I
see a second group of flyers (let's call them Fred) who appear to be unaware
of the history of rules changes, unaware of unintended consequences (in the
past), or have not considered what effects changes to the current rules
might have beyond what is intended. I see a ton of enthusiasm from
Fred, and believe Fred is truly interested in making pattern more accessible
to the masses. I see Fred on the average as new to pattern, or having
less experience in pattern than George, and Fred may be the future of
pattern (no new additions, the event will die). But I see Fred
covering a pretty big range of demographics - experienced pilot (or
not), flying lower or higher classes in pattern, have a history in pattern,
or being relatively new to pattern - and it is not uncommon for Fred to
achieve better than average results in
contests.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>George
is correct about history - and George has posed several questions that have
gone unanswered (to the best of my knowlegde) such as -<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>- When
has a rules change resulted in pattern being less costly?<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>-
Why are the readily available planes that are easy to complete under 11 lbs
by any builder not being used in pattern by "Fred". Not only are these
planes easy to build under 11 lbs, in many instances they are also less
costly.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>George
is very passionate about the event and the rules that shape the event.
So is Fred. George has watched the last few rules changes and has
unhappily been in the position to say "I told you so" when unintended
consequences came to fruition. Fred is primed to say "I told you
so" when the weight limit is increased (lets assume 2007). Fast
forward to 2007 - it is the ONE year when heavier sport engines and the
slightly overweight (11.25 - 11.5 lbs) current designs will be legal and
reasonably competitive with the stuff the top guys are flying (the
same current designs, but at 10 lbs). In 2007, Fred is the
happiest guy in pattern. Late in 2007, after seeing a couple 2008
protypes that take full adavantage of the increased weight limit, George is
comtemplating changes - leave behind the current designs and equipment that
will be obsolete in 2008 (at any weight), or pack up and leave the
event. George is unhappy about being able to say "I told you so yet
again" in 2008 - assuming George stays in the event. In 2008, George
may not be around to talk to Fred about why Fred's plane is no longer
competitive. And maybe Fred, like George, will leave the event,
recognizing their equipment is obsolete and not wanting to remain in the
event uncompetitively, or at the expense of upgrading all new equipment that
is at a more costly level.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>"I
am George".<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Regards,<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><BR><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Dave
Lockhart<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>DaveL322@comcast.net<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR> <BR>-----
Original Message
-----<BR><BR><B><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?x-tad-bigger>From:<?/x-tad-bigger><?/fontfamily></B><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?x-tad-bigger>
<?/x-tad-bigger><?color><?param 0000,0000,FFFF><?x-tad-bigger>Bill Glaze<?/x-tad-bigger><?/color><?x-tad-bigger>
<?/x-tad-bigger><?/fontfamily><BR><B><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?x-tad-bigger>To:<?/x-tad-bigger><?/fontfamily></B><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?x-tad-bigger>
<?/x-tad-bigger><?color><?param 0000,0000,FFFF><?x-tad-bigger>discussion@nsrca.org<?/x-tad-bigger><?/color><?x-tad-bigger>
<?/x-tad-bigger><?/fontfamily><BR><B><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?x-tad-bigger>Sent:<?/x-tad-bigger><?/fontfamily></B><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?x-tad-bigger>
Saturday, February 26, 2005 2:18 PM<?/x-tad-bigger><?/fontfamily><BR><B><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?x-tad-bigger>Subject:<?/x-tad-bigger><?/fontfamily></B><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?x-tad-bigger>
Re: Weight limit discussion<?/x-tad-bigger><?/fontfamily><BR><BR>I am still
failing to see how widening the pool of available designs, the use of which
are optional, is going to add to the expense, when these airplanes are of
less expense. Nobody of any knowledge is going to opt for a heavier
airplane if they can afford to buy a lighter airplane, true. If
availability of the better airplane alone is the only consideration, then I
can certainly see how it could become a money race. (sound
familiar?) But, the state of the art equipment belongs, and is a
must-have, as I see it, only in the upper classes. And, even with some
top of the line stuff in the hands of a lesser flyer, I believe we'll find
the more practiced person will always have the advantage. We've all
seen that again and again.<BR>Does anyone notice the differentiation here
between the handful of extremely top-notch flyers, and the (by far) majority
of us?<BR><BR>John Ferrell wrote:<BR><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>This one gets an "Amen"!<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>John
Ferrell <?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller><?color><?param 0000,0000,FFFF>http://DixieNC.US<?/color><?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080><?x-tad-bigger>We
need to start catering to the lower classes more and helping grow the sport
that way, not making large rules changes that in the end are just going to
drive up the cost even more.<?/x-tad-bigger><?/color><?/fontfamily><BR><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080><?x-tad-bigger>Arch<?/x-tad-bigger><?/color><?/fontfamily><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>