Hey Jim.

Just got back from the Albuquerque contest. Had tons of fun.

In Colorado contact either Jeff Carrish or Larry Falsetto. The Crosswinds contest is 4 weeks away, I think.

What happened in Co is a series of bad luck catastrophes. My first contest in Alb had 36 or so pilots. I was wickedly impressed with 12 Masters pilots. This was 10 years ago. The next year, a significant drop in upper classes began. Sean McMurtry moved from OKC so within several years the OKC contingent dropped to 2-3 guys when it had been 8-10. In Co, one club lost its field, another had to do something to the field to make it flyable, and very quickly, the guys that had competed for years went away. Then Troy Newman moved away. He had been a catalyst to keep pilots flying pattern. On and On. Alb contest has really really suffered. Some of the pilots have tried IMAC. Some liked it some didn't.

I disagree the sequences are as responsible as some suggest (sorry Tommy) The reason I say this is when Pattern was booming 10 years ago in your area, the Sportsman sequence (now named Intermediate) had 4 breaks in the sequence, had 3 loops (which everyone hates) had 3 rolls continously, had a double stall turn (everyone hated that one also) Advanced wasn't very exciting either and Novice (now Sportsman) most people laughed at, being too easy they said. however, this series of sequences BUILT SKILLS, and I will say the skills have served me well. I have seen a number of both IMAC and Pattern guys who move up to soon and simply don't have the learned skills. I started flying in the early 90's but find the current sequences fun, and looking at next years, are much better than the old sequences. On the flip side Snaps are present in the lowest IMAC class with Spins in the Sportsman class. IMAC changes the sequences every year, and Pattern had a snaffu with only changing the Masters sequence(which may affect my opinion) I think they should have changed all classes but that is another story.

$$ is a huge factor. In the early 90's, a kit was $400 and all up finished cost of a plane was probably $1500. We didn't use $100 servos, the engines were cheaper and could be used in anything you wanted (YS DZ is almost pattern specific) I agree with that point.

In the 70-80's, there were very few options for the competitive spirit so just the sheer increase in opportunities, Heli, Jets, IMAC, 3D and freestyle, now small indoor electrics are partially responsible.

From a societal viewpoint, it is extremely clear to me, people from Jr High, to High School to young adulthood don't want to practice hardly anymore. If it doesn't come naturally, most won't take the time to work on it. This automatically rules out Pattern. Have seen this numerous times where a talented pilot will try a manuever 3 times and if he can't get it right, he gets mad and starts doing something else. I have seen this happen in competitive Racketball, pre-teen baseball, swimming, and the list goes on and on. Computers, couch potatoes, competitive events w/o a score or the notion that everyone are winners and shame on the person who states the truth. This point goes on and on also. Ever wonder why "going postal" happens, or massive school shootings occur. If we can't be the winner we don't want to play, or we want to blame someone else, or I'll get my revenge. Letting 2 boys with boxing gloves go into a room and one walk out is not a bad thing IMO (and I was always the little guy.)

Pattern is not dead, although it is absent in Co. If there was a catalyst to draw new pilots to try Pattern, that could change. I have tried very hard to recruit pilots, within my abilities, with very very little success. There are a ton of misperceptions, that simply don't seem to go away. So, I continue to practice and go to the contests I can, and have fun.

Truth be told 30 pilots is about the most you can get to fly in a 6 round contest now a days. More than that and the contest only runs 5 rounds or you're so dog tired after being in the sun for 14 hrs you don't care. 20-25 is IMO the best size for Pattern at this point.

The last issue is club participation. Many CD's have very little club support, so the contests have to run almost by themselves. there can be a number of reasons for this. Other contests have lots of club support and what a blessing when it occurs. Lots of opinions on all this.

These are just my opinions. I can try to get you Jeff or Larry's phone #'s if interested. PM or E-mail me.

My big thing is HAVE FUN, in what ever RC fun that is.

Ed