Tony, I think combining the two events is a great idea. Sadly what I have seen the past couple of years is clubs have less and less interest in holding competitive events. My home club is sponsoring less it seems each year. Last year at the final pattern contest we had about 25 pilots I think. It was asked what would be needed to have a two day contest this year and the answer was " Double the attendance". A 50 pilot contest is really pushing it with a very well organized staff. Myself I took the answer as " We are not interested". In my clubs case, Ihave seen events that draw 25 to 30 pilots being called a " Huge success ". What I have seen time and time again is that what the clubs current board members interests are is what they sponsor. The Sacramento Area Modelers club is mainly racing guys and because of this they put on a great event. My club used to do alot of racing as well and when the club president stopped racing, the events dwindled away. The Hollister club was the same with IMAC, when one club member stopped CDing the contest, it went away. Hollister still has a pattern event I feel mainly due to the efforts of Jon Carter.



Like it's said in the movie," Build it and they will come" I think holds true. If an event is well planned, advertised and scheduled I most likely will be well attended. Then again you and I have been doing this long enough to know things come and go in waves. Aerobatics my be on the downside for a while. I see helicopters are on the rise again the same as what happened when John and Walt couldn't ship enough Legends and X-cells to fill orders.