ORIGINAL: dphillips3
ORIGINAL: jquid
I would say that the SPA's date cutoff makes sense. Let's say for argument that the Tipo continued to be modified up to today. Would it still be allowed into the SPA as a vintage pattern with no retracts or pipe? Say today's Tipo is carbon fiber structure, pounds lighter, full electric, and can do 3D hovers? Would that still be competitive against a Daddy Rabbit? I could say no tuned pipe on it, so that's legal, and no gear. So I think this is why you need to have something to frame the models in the SPA. Remember it was supposed to be what the weekend modeler could afford, not the high end pattern guys. A Tipo of today could be put into the high end as in my extreme example, but still be a Tipo.
Make sense? or am I whacked?
Make sense? Yes kinda, but explain to me what in the timeline of ''non-turnaround'' pattern does 1975 serve? I know of nothing that happend in 75' that makes that year stand out anymore than say 78'. Why not make the cutoff date when turnaround died? Please don't say that your 1972 daddy rabbit couldn't compete with my 1978 Tiporare, because if you have been to any SPA contest you would see that the daddy rabbits,dirty birdys,tiger tails etc. that are flying have been built to a newer flying standard. I don't think a modified airframe should be any more legal than an airplane designed after the cuttoff date.
my 2cents DP#3
If you're old enough to remember Ricky Nelson's song "Garden Party", you'll probably remember the line that says, "You can't please everyone, so you might as well please yourself".
That is what Mickey Walker did/has done with the SPA. If we don't like the rules, we can always start our own organization. (smile)
Ed Cregger