I may be totally wrong, and I don't want to ruffle anyone's feathers, but I think "Classic Pattern" should be regulated to the style of pattern that was flown back in the "Classic" pattern days. It was the style of the flying that dictated the type and design of the plane. Back in the 70's and 80's there were many types and designs of planes that were flown in pattern, some tail draggers but most were trike. In Novice pattern, I saw some ugly stiks flying.

The retracts weren't allowed in Novice, neither was a pipe. Once the flyer graduated to Sportsman, he could fly anything he wanted. The pattern plane evolved, over time, to what we now like to refer to as THE "Classic Pattern".

So I think if we follow the train of though that we want to fly the Classic Pattern era, we should forget about what we fly, but fly what best suits the Classic Pattern as contained in the AMA rules of the Class Pattern era, the 1970's. If a person wants to design a plane today that will fly the maneuvers of the 1970's and 1980's, so be it. Wheel pants or tricycle or whatever floats your boat, as long as it's not a styrofoam ARF with an electric motor attached to the front.

Like I said, I may be totally wrong......

Frank