Personally, here is my thought. Since it has been mentioned that in the early-mid 70s the upper classes had pipes and retracts, I'd make this "evolution class" if you will, one class, like the old early 80s masters schedule, and allow planes up to 1985. You could work thru the current SPA classes to get to this class. This way the huge surplus of Tipos, UFOs and the like can be put back into service, and since it's only one upper class, it will not destroy the current SPA classes and rules, but bolster them, which I also like. But I think if the evolution class were allowed, contest attendance would boom. I'm planning on building a plane for next year, as Steve knows, but if there were an evolution class, I could fly my tipo this year, as many others in my situation could as well. If the date I arbitrarily picked "1985" isn't satisfactory, perhaps the limiting factor should be .61cu in motors. That way, those designs stopped evolving at a time when a 1985 piped and retracted plane can still compete. My last pattern contest was in 1991 maybe 2 I think. I flew a tipo. I flew against LA2s, Auroras, Desires, SL1s, etc. I remember feeling self conscious cause our family budget didn't allow for a new plane at the time, and we knew turnaround was coming so it didn't make sense. I had the only plane at the contest with an exposed pipe, and it seemed like everybody had plug in wings. I flew that tipo to third place that weekend. For what it's worth, you could get a regular SE .61, header and pipe, and trike retracts for the price of the .91 4cycles. From a sound standpoint, my piped Rossi is quieter than my Rossi on a performance specialties muffler, which would currently be legal under SPA rules. I think if .61cu in is part of the evolution class rules, It leaves a lot of designs open to use, leaves it in the hands of the flyer,and it's all about the flying skill, which is pretty much the mission statement of SPA. From my experience, patternships didn't get much better until they got bigger. Thanks for listening,
Eric