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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Good question. Interesting to note that the
IMAC Nats had 73 flyers show up, whereas the Pattern Nats was over 100 that
actually flew. I think it's maybe a combination of the cost, total
time to invest as well as WHEN. I think in the case of IMAC,
when they moved it to compete with the 4th of July, they lost alot of would-be
participants. At one time, they were boasting of around 120 registered
pilots. Then maybe reality set in and only 73 could justify the trip that
would take them away from their families for the 4th. The highest cost may
really be the price you pay for being away.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ed</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=joddino@socal.rr.com href="mailto:joddino@socal.rr.com">J.Oddino</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, July 25, 2005 5:40 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Does Pattern competition cost
too much?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From time to time I hear folks suggesting the
reason the number of contestants is down is due to the high cost of pattern
planes and support equipment. Well I don't believe that is the
reason. This weekend I went to a relatively local IMAC contest in
Camarillo California and there were somthing like 61 preregistered and 56
actually flying. I'd guess 80% of the planes were 40% scale, meaning
they had $1500 engines and $3000 airframes and $1500 worth of servos.
Then you've got the motor homes and trucks and trailers to transport
them. I still say the highest cost of flying is the driving to and from
the field and that is probably why the park flyers are so popular.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So what is the reason for the drop in attendance
and the drop in the number of pattern contests? Or is that only in
Southern California?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jim O</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>