Arch,
I definitely see your points. You guys have seen a lot and have been to the NATS and know what a logistical nightmare it is....I haven't (yet). Personally, I think I can fly the Masters pattern and be fairly competitive but I have just returned to pattern and feel I need to regain my skills and just like the Masters guys, I want to attend the NATS and see how I fair in Advanced. I guess I"m just trying to help the guys who want to be competitive and whether it be skill, equipment or simply enough time to practice (this is the key by the way...practice) can't have a chance to win. I believe this is one of the major reasons why we have many drop out of pattern (besides other givens). Why would you want to compete and not win?

Additionally, I think there are a lot more people that attend all the combined local contests than attend the NATS. Are we considering them when we just simply say "no"? The local contests are what feeds the NATS, not the other way around. I certainly don't have all the answers but there has got to be a way to accomplish our goals. In my opinion, our goals are to grow our sport, eliminate, within reasons, people leaving this facet and finally to continue the ongoing process of learning and to continue what we've already started, nurturing the beginning flier all the way through to Masters.

Maybe this isn't the solution. Maybe 4 AMA classes is all we can handle presently but I applaud anyone that tries to figure out a solution to benefit the majority of our hobby. I think there is always a better way to do something. The Pattern community tends to resist change. I'm not shocking anyone by saying this. We can come up with battery trays that slide and counter-rotating props and make planes that are 6 1/2 feet long weigh less than 11 pounds but we can't figure out a way to bridge the gap and have a healthy continually growing community?? Something is wrong here. I'm just trying.to make a difference and help the community. I live for pattern, it's why I work. I've been told I even "hand fly" the pattern in my sleep (don't laugh, y'all do it too). My computer desktop is a pattern plane. I only want to help us grow and try to make people happy. This is only one potential solution and I challenge all to come up with a way to help as well. THIS is what makes us a stronger community. This doesn't have to be the answer but hopefully this spurs others to try to figure out a way. Status-quo is not good enough.