ORIGINAL: TimBle
+1 <div>
</div><div>if it fits in the box and weighs 5.5Kg or less it can be used in the lower classes over here. Only in F3A must it be 5050gr and no more and even then my 25% IMAC model meets the criteria. Its powerful enough and economical to run. It flies likes its on rails and is cost effective to repair or replace... yet there will always those opinionated people who feel is not pattern until you fly something that looks and costs the part. The latter is the wrong approach.</div><div>
</div><div>There are plenty of sports fliers out there with smaller IMAC type aircraft who won;t participate in pattern because they are made to feel they have ot joined the frat club because their plane is not an OXAI or CA-Models or Krill pattern ship.</div><div>
</div><div>I've never seen a top F3A pilot come to a pattern clinic with a Stik and show the newbies how to fly pattern with that aircraft. The always demo their best pattern planes which again sends the wrong message.</div><div>I'd like to see the F3A guys voluntarily fly a cheap plane in F3a just to get the idea reinforced that its not about the airframe. Sadly, I doubt this happens very often.</div><div>
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I'm sure that most pattern flyers would be more than happy to fly the model of a new flyer to help them when starting out.
I myself will fly any model a new comer has and offer advice on trimming and assist them to trim/set up their model.
As for experienced pattern flyers flying a sport aircraft in pattern contests, this defeats the purpose of flying in contests. When i compete in a contest, i want to do the best i can so i will fly my patternship. When i go to the field, 95% of the time i fly my patternship as i practise as much as i can.
In regards to cost, well this is no different to any other sport. Good pilots can do well with a average model but the rest of us need all the help we can get and as in other sports, those that can afford the more expensive equipment will go that way in the hope that there will be a benefit. And to a certain extent that is true.
And the ones that can't afford or are not willing to spend the money will continue to winge about the high cost.
As i said. No different to any other sport.