dwbebens
Posts: 200
Joined: 4/25/2005
From: Dickson,
TN, USA
Status: offline
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This is my contribution to the discussion of how to invigorate and revitalize pylon racing in the USA (North America).
A CALL TO ACTION TO THE RC PYLON COMMUNITY
First of all, I do not propose changing the existing pylon classes at all! I would suggest we leave them alone and consider them to be three further degrees of advancement beyond entry-level pylon racing. My implication here is that 424 is NOT what a novice would consider an entry-level event. There will be more on this later. Endless discussions about tweaking a lot of little rules within the existing pylon classes, or modifying or expanding existing classes, in my opinion will do very little toward reviving pylon racing in this country. I think that major changes are needed. I’d like to make a number of points first before I propose a solution to the problem.
RECENT OBSERVATIONS:
About a year ago I came back into RC and lately back into 424-pylon racing. After an absence of 20+ years, I’ve noticed a number of changes.
- Many RC flyers are resistant to any kind of competition.
- Many don’t know much, if anything, about pylon racing.
- There are very few races, and going to them involves a lot of travel.
- There aren’t many people pylon racing anymore.
- There seems to be no central scheduling clearinghouse for all the pylon races that are held. Sure, there are some special interest sites that show a few local or area races, or only a few types of races, but no national, all types of racing sites. It seems that there should be some organization out there that could do this. If not that, then a simple listing of up-coming races on a racing forum.
- Technological speed creep still exists (and I guess always will). It’s in the nature of racing to be this way.
CURRENT INTERNET DISCUSSIONS
I’ve been following a lot of the discussions that are on Internet forums concerning the sad state of pylon racing. So far the discussions seem to be:
1. By existing pylon racers. I think the existing pylon pilots are too close to the matter. Their opinions are often colored by their own self-interest within the classes they are already racing.
2. About what existing pylon racers would like to see or what they imagine would appeal to newcomers. If existing pylon racers already knew what is wrong we wouldn’t have a problem, would we! We obviously don’t know what’s wrong or how to fix it. Has anyone actually conducted a serious study of non-pylon racers and non-pylon race hosting clubs to see what would induce them to become involved?
3. About what would inconvenience the existing pylon community the least. If you are doing well in a particular pylon event, then you don’t want any changes. If you’re not doing very well, then you want changes to “level the playing field”. Those two forces have a tendency to cancel each other to some degree. Therefore, no really meaningful changes can occur.
4. About tweaking various rules within existing pylon racing classes. These small rule changes are at best incremental. Whether or not a certain propeller is allowed, or whether the weight should be 3-1/2 # or 3-3/4#, etc., etc., etc., are of absolutely no concern to the average potentially interested non-pylon flyer or his local club.
5. About creating new classes or modifications of existing classes of racing. Since we have so few races and so few pylon flyers around the country already in the existing classes (422, 424, 428), I’m thinking that these new or modified classes will probably dilute the existing class attendance. Some current pylon racers will opt to add a class and others will opt to switch or “trade up” or “trade down” so to speak. This still doesn’t address adding more races around the country or adding new people to the racing community. The Q40 sport pylon concepts that are being discussed do actually appeal to me. But, do you really think that will appeal to non-pylon RC pilots for a first time event? There will be more on this later.
6. By people who have a local specialized class which seems to be working for them for a while. I applaud people, who out of desperation for more local pylon racing, have, with a lot of local effort, devised a class of their own that works in their area. This takes a lot of work and cooperation. It would be nice if that kind of local grass-roots effort would spread. The problem is that yet again another class is introduced. Though, this does in fact bring new flyers into the pylon community. The thing I like about this is the “grass-roots” effort part. This is the only item of the six that actually improves the situation to any degree. There will be more on this later.
DON’T SCARE POTENTIAL RACERS
I’d now like to discuss my observations of the reactions of local RC pilots to seeing their first time pylon plane (even a 424 plane) down low and tight and wound up to full speed. In my experience it’s usually a mixture of surprise, shock, fear, alarm, and consternation. Also, they quite often shake their heads and say something like, “I’d never be able to do that”, or “that looks dangerous” or “expensive” or “holly #@*%, that’s not for me”, or some other self-exclusionary topic-ending comment. They are not at all left with any aspirations to even try it. It just plain scares and intimidates a lot of people.
Very few first time observers of a good pylon plane down low, tight and fast view them with excitement, wonder, awe, thrill, desire, longing, (and even craving). That’s how I reacted the first time I saw a good pylon race. Not many people have that reaction.
I don’t think it is a good idea to take a fast, impressive pylon plane out to a local club to demonstrate pylon racing, with the intent of showing them what they’re missing. In my opinion, even a 424 plane is way too fast for true entry-level pylon for most prospective pylon flyers and their clubs. A 424 plane is way too fast for a lot of the pilots already flying 424 class now! Come on - - you know I’m right!
My point here is that most RC pilots and their clubs are just not interested in pylon racing as it is now raced (422, 424, 428). We have such a small pool of people in our sport to work with. A person considering getting into pylon racing must make a large leap into at least 424. That can be very intimidating for the average RC pilot.
THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM AND A SOLUTION
My work background is engineering. I have designed various products, fixtures, devices, and manufacturing procedures for many years in former jobs. I’ve applied a concept that I call “the fatal flaw principle”. This principle is “the show-stopper or project killer problems must be solved first - - period!”
In my opinion, the #1 problem in pylon racing is how to get and keep new people. These people then will probably become “feeder” pilots to the already established events.
What has been happening for quite a while is that the natural attrition within the ranks of the pylon community has exceeded the influx of new people. This may seem obvious but this is the “show-stopper” problem that must be solved first. So far, most of the discussions have centered on keeping current pylon people happy. This is good but will not re-vitalize and “grow” the sport.
How do we get and keep new people? In my opinion this has to be done at the local level. Pylon racing must appeal to the average competent RC flyer AND his local club. Some semblance of success must be (or appear to be) attainable, accessible, and even convenient. It must NOT be viewed as exotic, difficult, expensive, dangerous, scary, or alarming to either the prospective pilots or their local clubs.
So, finally this is my proposal, which has a number of parts:
1. INDIVIDUAL ACTION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL: I suggest that every current pylon flyer should lobby his local club to hold even one entry level pylon race per year. We must re-vitalize our sport ourselves with our own individual efforts. We as individuals must attend local club meetings and show them a fun, safe, easy, and profitable method of trying the sport we all enjoy so much. We can’t rely on some committee somewhere to “tweak” some rules for the existing racing classes and expect that to magically revitalize and “grow” our sport.
2. ADVERTIZE THESE EVENTS: Co-ordinate and advertise these and all other pylon dates on ONE website. So far as I can see, this isn’t done now.
3. MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE CLUB TO RUN THE RACE: Have a sharing or pooling of race equipment for various geographical areas within reasonable driving distance. The pylon racing community already knows where this equipment is now. The last person or club to use it is responsible for delivering it to the next club in the area. We need to agree to share equipment with clubs hosting their first few races. This sharing lightens the load on the hosting club. It is imperative to lighten the load (equipment, manpower, costs, etc.) on the hosting clubs.
4. KEEP IT EASY SAFE AND INSURED: The most important part of my plan is to basically re-instate the old AMA sport pylon rules for these entry-level races. Use sport (non-race) engines and non-boost mufflers. Use sport planes (no special built pylon planes including 422, 424, 428, Q40, Q15, F1, F5D, F3D, etc.). The planes are to ROG from idle-up and land with idle. Use the short 3 pole course or the two pole course - - which ever the local club itself chooses. Relate engine displacement to wing area*. Operate the race under AMA sanctioning, and of course comply with the AMA’s pylon safety guidelines. For a novice, this would be a very appealing format. He probably already has a plane that he could use and is used to flying. These should be open invitational races, not just club only races.
5. SIMPLE, NO-HASSEL RULES: I would suggest that this form of entry level pylon racing be governed by a minimum number of rules. Rely on the CD’s discretion as to what is allowed or not. The widest latitude should be given as to the small details. We should not be overly worried about “leveling the playing field” in this kind of racing event. What we are trying to do is to get flyers and clubs to even try pylon racing in the first place.
6. USE QUALIFIERS SO EVERYONE HAS FUN: One solution to the inevitably large differences in flying abilities and airplane capabilities would be to implement a qualifier and two-class race format (A and B) such is used in some 424 races. This format provides a number of important benefits. The two classes would each be racing within their own speed group for their own trophies. The speed differences would be minimized. People from the class not racing at the moment, could be course helpers, which lightens the load on the hosting club.
I think these ideas could go a long way toward inducing a lot of local clubs and their members to try pylon racing. The stress and load on the club would be minimized. This kind of race format would make it easy and affordable for the novices to try. The flyers would be racing their peers. And most importantly, the pylon community would expand and grow.
THIS SOLUTION HAS ALREADY WORKED ELSEWHERE
These ideas and concepts I’ve describe here are much more than just my own “thought experiments”. I have actually had experience with this very format back when I was pylon racing a lot. At a couple local clubs, I organized a very similar racing format for three years. I was amazed at how many local non-racing flyers came out of the woodwork to fly sport pylon and how interested and excited the club got about pylon. We had up to six races a year for a number of years. Just from these two clubs as a result of this local grass-roots effort, not only did we have lot of local pylon fun, but we added about four new flyers who went on to race elsewhere in Q500, 1/2A and Q15 for a number of years there after. As a sidenote, I personally got a lot of extra “practice” at these races which helped me a lot in the Q15, F1, 1/2A and Q500 races that I raced elsewhere at the time.
A CALL TO ACTION: WHAT YOU, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, NEED TO DO NEXT
1. Organize at least one “Sport Pylon” race at your club or a nearby club.
2. Seek and meet with the officers of your local clubs in order to arrange to make your pylon racing proposal to the members at a club meeting. Stress the six points listed above. Explain, in general, how a race proceeds and it is run.
3. Assist this club in any way necessary (advice, phone calls, leg work, etc.)
4. Publicize this race on all pylon racing forums on the internet, to your local clubs, to your local hobby shops, and to all your racing buddies. Include sufficient details as to: Who, What, Why, Where, When, and How. Also, make the following statement on the advertisements: “If you are in doubt as to whether your plane/engine/muffler combination would be allowed, contact the CD well before the race for approval”.
5. Arrange for a loan and delivery of equipment. Or if no equipment is available, revert to the bare minimums such as four stopwatches, five walkie-talkies, a hand written heat matrix on a large poster board, hand-written heat cards, clip boards, a large table, and pylons.
6. Make sure that the event is AMA sanctioned and that all safety concerns are met.
7. As the race date approaches, stay on top of the situation and make sure that everything is being done and on schedule. Bear-in-mind that the people within the local club may be quite capable of taking the concept and “running with it”, so to speak, requiring only a very slight oversight on your part.
8. After the race, follow through by assisting with clean-up, return of equipment, paper-work back to the AMA, etc.
9. Start working on the next local race!!!
I realize that a lot of these ideas individually are not new. I do think the whole package of ideas, if implemented, would rejuvenate pylon racing in this country. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Doug Bebensee
* To the best of my recollection, the AMA sport pylon engine size vs. wing area rule was something like this:
Engine size (cu. in.) .049 .09 .15 .19 .29 .40 .60
Wing Area (sq. in.) 200 250 300 350 400 500 700
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My thoughts about re-vitalizing pylon racing - 
