R_G

My Feedback: (1)

Just wondering how many Classic Pattern pilots there are up here in my neck of the woods in the North East. Not just competition pilots, but anyone, sport fliers included, interested in building and flying the classics. It seems that most of the organized activity is down South or out West. Too far for me to go!

I have to believe the guys that build and fly these for fun out number the competition pilots in a big way. I'm guessing most of the people on this forum build and fly the classics for nostalgia and have no interest in competition. So where are you guys?

RG [8D]

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

Ralph,

There are only 2 CPA members in the NE, a few in the mid section and yes alot south and west...

#2

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

Ralph,

Here is how it looks right now

1- AK
4- TN
1- CT
1- PA
3- FL
3- CA
3 - TX
2- NC
2- IL
2- OH
3- AL
5- GA
1- MN
1- MO
1 - IN

6 others have not renewed yet......

#2

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

Ralph,

A Northeast get together would be cool, kinda like what they are doing in CA. It would be at least a start... Maybe Pitstop or you can get a CPA chapter stated in the NE...

scott #2

pitstop000

My Feedback: (26)

"NE" ??

KLXMASTER14

GO FOR IT! The So. Cal. Get-Together is shaping up to very cool indeed. Stay tuned.....

-Robert

R_G

My Feedback: (1)

How about an organization that perpetuates the Classic Pattern breed?

An organization who's main focus leans toward the Sport Flier that has an interest in building, flying and keeping Classic Pattern models alive?

An organization who's focus is not only on competition, but also on sport flying these great Classic models?

RG

pitstop000

My Feedback: (26)

We’re still working with the logo, just about finalized.
Just some final tweaking left.

EscapeFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

Would your NorthEast Classic Pattern Organization still be an in-house branch of the CPA?

Brian

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

Brian,


I hope Paul will head up the NE chapter of CPA...

scott

R_G

My Feedback: (1)

Brian,

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "in-house", but at the moment there are no plans to become part of any other organization. NECPO will be a north east based group who's members have a passion for building and flying classic pattern airplanes. Ideally the group's membership will consist of both competition and non-competition pilots. But I suspect the serious competition pilots will lean more towards the contest oriented groups like the CPA, SPA and BPA. Which is fine because NECPO is not looking to compete with these groups. NECPO's main focus will be on promoting and preserving the classic pattern designs and not necessarily on competition. There's nothing wrong with competition if that's what a person is interested in, but I believe there are more guys flying these models for fun than are flying in contests.

RG

EscapeFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

That really seems to be the hurdle here. I just wish another organization did not have to be created to do what you are proposing.

Couldn't the CPA be all those things you are wanting as well? Does the CPA HAVE to be solely competition minded? By "in-house," I was thinking in terms of; a "division of the CPA," or a "District of the CPA," or a "Chapter of the CPA."


Brian

R_G

My Feedback: (1)

Brian,

I can't speak for the CPA or the others, but from what I've seen they seem to be more interested in the competition side of things and not so much in sport flyers. I think they're missing the boat by not making an effort to somehow include sport flyers within their groups.

RG

pitstop000

My Feedback: (26)

NECPO’s main emphasis is for the Guys in the North East that build and fly these planes at this point.

The focus is on local promotion and participation.

National rarely can help at the local level, local helps local.

…. and this coming from a cpa member.

Brian if you want to discuss this further please call me, PM me for my number.

Skylane

My Feedback: (3)

I guess I'm missing something here, but I am open to new ideas when it comes to promoting pattern flying of any kind. You say that the exisitng groups (CPA, BPA,SPA) are focussed on competition and are ignoring the sport flyer. I don't think that is the case. In fact, I am writing an article for our club's newsletter on the history of these organizations in an effort to raise some interest amoung our club members. But let's get back to the organizations. What function would they serve if not to coordinate contests? That's where we all get together. These planes were designed for competition and our contests allow us to fly them as they were intended. Would you be more in favor of some type of informal fly-in where people came to show there planes, but didn't fly the patterns? I suppose that would be possible, but really, a lot of the interest in pattern is centered around learning and perfecting new maneuvers and being able to fly them while being judged. That's one way to progress. One can learn a lot at these contests both by being judged and by talking to the competitors. Finally, with gas prices what they are, it takes a lot of motivation to go to any gathering that involves driving some distance. Competition is a motivating factor for many of us. I live in Florida and most contests are well over 200 miles away for me. I wouldn't go to very many fly-ins if each one cost $500 or so, but i will go to contests. At any rate, I would be very interested in any ideas that you or others have for encouragin g sport flyers to try pattern.

Jeff
Vice President SPA

R_G

My Feedback: (1)

Jeff,

I don't believe the existing groups are intentionally ignoring sport flyers. They just don't seem to be doing anything to bring sport flyers into the fold since they're more focused on competition. At least I haven't seen anything in that regard. Maybe I'm missing something? I have nothing against competition flying. I used to fly in a lot of contests back when I was flying helis and they are a great place to learn. These days I really have no interest in competing but would love to go to a classic pattern Fly In, no stress, no pressure, just flying and mingling. Lots can be learned at Fly In's too without the pressure. I have to believe that I'm not the only one that feels that way. I guess it should have been mentioned earlier that the main type of NECPO events will be Fly In's. Initially there will be no membership fee to be part of the group.

The north east needs something to stir things up in this part of the country. Hopefully the NECPO will be the ticket, but I think it will be a long row to hoe considering the lack of posts in this thread from north east modelers. Not sure where all this will lead, but we'll never know unless we give it a try.

Ralph

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Jeff,

As far as I'm concerned, I have to comment that, gas cost aside, driving a great distance to participate in a classic pattern competition is out of the question. Work and family commitments would generally prevent a 500 mile or longer drive for a day or two of flying. In addition to the cost of gas, there is also the issue of border crossing for some of us (assuming the gathering is somewhere in the US which they mostly are). Of course there are also lodging expenses but those happen regardless.

My interest in NECPO is that it might promote gatherings of guys on this forum who build and fly classics for fun and in the process also aim to improve their pattern skills. The fact that it is "local to my area" makes it a little more feasible for me to consider a trip across the border with a model or two. As far as I know there are no BPA or SPA events anywhere close to where I live. Of course, we organize our own gatherings in Canada as well but with limited shared experience with others on the classic pattern forums.

Just some thoughts on the subject.

I like the idea of NECPO.

David.

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

Hi All,

Well this is a interesting thread now....

CPA is not just promoting competition, many of the members are helping the local sport pilots learning how to better themselves with trimming and flying skills. I know one member who has helped many holding a top novice weekend of flying and learning. Why have a division on a another group, the CPA concept was to promote and fly the planes we flew back int the day. The first CPA contest of the season had many club sport pilots who came out and flew in the contest and enjoined the information learned.

I have proposed several times that a chapter or district system to be set up so all the information can be shared as there are websites etc. in place. I do not see how you can say that a national group or the starting chapter can not help other chapters???

Jeff "Thank you" for your input... spot on....

R_G.... Please explain how CPA is ignoring sport flyers ? As far as dues, if you want a "voting" right then we charge $10.00 and that helps support the website at this part, but is not required to fly at a contest or a fly-in. The mail list is free, the classic-patternrc forum site is free to join.

As far as a contest goes the CPA contest are the most relaxed contest out there at this point with SPA right after that.

Also you guys have to remember this BPA was started 4 years ago in Huntsville AL, and a year ago we have promoted and reworked things abit to put together the CPA, so after 1 year I think we have grown leaps and bound... We have many more events, CPA was at the Perry GA, Trade/swap meet this year and many people including the AMA president stopped by to join in the CPA fun. So you can see we are in the infant stage and still growing and people are learning about the CPA, there will be some major promo stuff shortly.


I think chapters or districts like NSRCA has would be way cool.... and yes maybe a informal fly-in will help promote the idea to sport pilots.

what you all think...


scott

pitstop000

My Feedback: (26)

Jeff,
Might want to read how this originated

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1421786

My comments to follow.

Skylane

My Feedback: (3)

Paul,

Thanks for the link - very interesting. I learned to fly RC while I was a graduate student at Tufts University in Meford, Mass. We flew in a hay field northwest of Boston, just inside the Route 128. My instructor flew a bright red Banshee and I was hooked on pattern from day 1 (1970). My son lives in Chelmsford, Mass and on a recent visit there we went in search of the old field. We actually found it and it is still being used by a local club! It seems that the owner specified in his will that it was to be used for RC flying. That brought back a lot of memories from over 40 years ago. Some of the trees I landed in are still there! From there I went to Cleveland, Ohio which was an active area for pattern in the 70s. That was where I first met Dave Brown and Don Lowe at a local contest. I think that it would be fun to have some pattern-oriented events, be they fly-ins, contests, or whatever. I wish you luck with generating local interest. You may have seen on other threads that there are pockets of interest getting started throughout the US - Texas and California come to mind, for example. For those that are organizing such events, if there is anything that we can do through our Newsletter or website, please let me know and I'll see what I can do. Good luck with the effort.

Jeff
Vice-President SPA

EscapeFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

Paul, Ralph,

Please understand that I have the most utmost respect for you. I certainly do not wish to cause any riff... Guys- I just really think that splitting off of a group like the CPA, or SPA, (localy or nationaly) for this reason works against the very thing you are trying to accomplish.

Even though the idea is aimed to local, and I SEEM to be irrelavant, the implications are much larger than this and effect my locale as well. Chaos is sure to follow so many splinters, which is what made the joining of the BPA and CPA so amazing. The relationsip between the SPA and CPA is not entirely antithetical either. I still have hope the two will find a common point and merge some way as well. I'd rather have their support than otherwise, even though I don't completely follow their prescription.

This is why I am so concerned. I say these things as a friend, not an adversary. The things you are proposing are indeed at the very heart of the CPA and SPA.
I do not understand why there needs to be a disconnect between fun and competition. Quite frankly, I think we shoot ourselves in the foot and turn future participants away by this type of talk. The meets can be laid back if designed, or extremely competitive, or both. The choice is ours as I understand from Scott. The plane choice is pointed towards a specific design as implicated in its name. But the planes do not have to be difficult to build or understand as I am learning in my own upbringing.


edited out sentence below: I like what you are proposing, even for my area. I do not think splitting this from the CPA is helpful in the larger scheme of things. I am, however, passionate for the success of your cause, which is why I am going so far out on a limb to try and persuade you not to splinter this from the CPA.

If you still wish to speak personaly, I will. But my concern and opposition here is not a personal attack localized meets, against you or your ideas. If necessary, can we can still agree to disagree, and still remain allies?

Brian

I pulled the above statement out as I misunderstood what Paul said to me. My apologies to Paul. See next post...

pitstop000

My Feedback: (26)

Brian, my intent was not to silence you.

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

Brian,

Sent you a pm.

pitstop000

My Feedback: (26)

Jeff, it’s something that we all can recall when and where we got hooked to pattern.

Thanks for your support.
NECPO

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

Paul,

any news ?