ORIGINAL: dick Hanson

It is obvious - IMAC is an equipment race -too bad
Anybody who does not pony up for a 40 %model and transport need not apply.
Sour grapes?
No-just tired of seeing the fun knocked out of the event.
It is very obvious to even the newer flier that larger planes are easier to fly and fly well.
The cost of the latest /largest stuf is not a big deal to the hard core competitors.
The really proficient may even have a sponsership that takes a lot of the sting out of it.
Pattern did the same thing -evolving into a perceived need for very expensive planes and engines.
Marketing of products for the hobby helps drive this "need".
The old "move up" thing is all part of the plan.
Same thing with autos - The market people want you to spend as much as they can convince you to part with.
$60,000 for a grocery getter --
I built planes for TOC starting in the 1970's-into the 1990's- not all that expensive then but the desire to really provide a show for the crowd at the TOC really ramped up the cost and size. With that new equipment available to anyone, IMAC made a mad dash into the same size type stuff and the market was happy to provide even newer bits n pieces .
It happens in all motorsports.
Try to field even the cheapest dragster-on gasoline -
The "rice burners" have created a new sub class on drag racing -and simply ignore the NHRA classes.
The 2006 patterns promise to be even more involved than the 2005.
As CD for our events -getting good judges has become harder each year.
It all goes right to the heart of the problem - trying to make the event a more technically complicated playground which challanges the core group and excites (hopefully) the potential new IMAC participant.
A progressive skill event -it aint anymore. It is far more complicated than full scale aerobatics and the inclusion of the judged free style further complicates an event .
If you are a hard core competitor --none of this will bother you .