A-HA!! So that's where the "eness" comes from.

This is how SPA chapters start---grass roots interest in flying this type of plane and pre-turnaround competition. So many former pattern pilots have either moved on to other areas within R/C, or other types of aerobatic competition, and have all but forgotten the experience, or think it's in the past. There is no reason why SPA or SPA-type competition can't be hosted anywhere in the country now, putting the emphasis back on simple, inexpensive, and within the reach of the average aerobatically-inclined pilot. There are a vast number of fliers out there boring holes in the sky doing random loops, rolls and snaps--without purpose. The thought of working on perfecting precision aerobatics hasn't dawned on them--yet. Maybe they don't THINK they would be interested, but they haven't experienced it either. I truly feel we just need to work on hightened awareness of SPA, (and VR/CS for that matter), and how much fun it can be to compete in a "friendly" way, and people will respond. Hopefully you are getting some positive "vibes" from your local clubs, that's where your nucleus will come from, then regional support will follow.

I am considering asking our club to designate one of its fly-ins to sponsoring an SPA event. Every person at my local club I've talked to expressed some level of interest---two even said they'd think about coming with me to Knoxville. I even had a "hotshot" 3D-style guy who normally flies all sorts of wild, random maneuvers admit to me in a candid moment that he was "bored"---he's done it all, and doesn't know which way to direct his flying to provide a challenge. He watched me fly my little Taurus, and withing a few minutes he was practicing stall turns---it was great for me to be instructing HIM on how the maneuvers should be done. It is a totally different type of flying, (graceful and precise), than anything he has tried. I'm not sayin he is giving up the practice of "boring holes in the sky" altogether, put it's a start. He was one of the two considering going.

Good luck Eric!!