Hey guys,

I have to get into this one. I think that a person should be able to fly whatever they want. I don't think that Sportsman should have a size restriction, because then I wouldn't be able to fly my Hydeout in Sportsman. I just went out and spent nearly $2000.00 on a new airplane, and now you are telling I can't fly it? That alone is enough to drive me out. I would have to fly in Intermediate, and that would be unfair to me because say (I'm just saying this too!) that I am the best person in the world that can fly the Sportsman sequence, but I have to fly Intermediate and I end up placing 3rd. Even though I still flew in the top three, that number one plaque still looks good, even if it is in a lower class.

I agree that there should be a seperate class that has different specifications, like the ones that are currently in place for the FAI. These should have something like " the aircraft should fit within an imaginary 65 in. square box, and not weigh more than 6 pounds." That would put everyone on equal footing that flys in that class, and there shouldn't be any glamour points because everyone will be flying esentially the same airplane. You know, Bob Fortino won the Intermediate Nats with a 60 sized Boxer, and an 8 channel radio. Everyone else that that made it to the finals all flew a 2m pattern plane and a 9 or 10 channel transmitter.

Money is no substitute for practice. The equipment war is somewhat like the cold war. It is a testosterone party, and the party with the biggest and best toys win.

But I do agree with a seperate class that imposes their own size restrictions, but flys the same sequence as regular pattern (maybe Sportsman and Intermediate) that way if you realize that you don't care for pattern, you don't have too big of a financial commitment, and you still have a good plane to take to the field.

Just my .02