It seems everytime this discussion comes up everybody jumps in, some get real defensive, some
don't, about why we think pattern is great or not so great. Obviously the ones who fly pattern , me
included, think it's great or we wouldn't be doing it. I like it fine I just think the maneuvers could be
made more interesting for outside onlookers. When a lot of people watch us practicing they don't have
a clue what we're trying to accomplish. Straight lines and equal radius turns mean nothing to the casual
observer but when they watch a 3-D airplane or big 30% Edge flopping all over the sky , they get the
WOW effect. We probably should be trying to make pattern flying something the newcomer "wants"
to do.
Some people like to compare pattern to figure skating, maybe we should do what figure skating did to
attract more people. Mandatory school figures at one time accounted for half the score in skating but
no one wanted to watch them because they were so boring. The skaters and coaches said they were the
hardest part of the competition but all any one wanted to see were the triple loops etc. What did skating do ?
They got rid of the school figures and concentrated on what everyone wanted to see, the exciting stuff.
Seems to have worked for them, maybe we should try it.

I don't think pattern needs any drastic changes, maybe just something to spark a little interest to someone
sitting on the fence, we just need to push them the right way !!!

tommy s

PS: JohnW

I always liked that figure M !!