AMEN Lou!!

SPA members are basically happy with the rules as they are, and the organization has been around for 15 years now. I feel it is a good idea for newcomers who are considering joining and competing to accept the rules as they exist, rather than attempt to change the rules in advance to suit their particular style of flying. SPA will not change its rules due to outside pressure from non-members. If you were in an organization and were happy with the existing rules, (otherwise we would have changed them ourselves), and someone comes and tells you they will join if you do X.Y and Z, how would you feel?

We want growth, yes, but not at the cost of being required to change what works for us. We want you to try SPA on for size, (that's why you can compete in Novice with any legal AMA plane--you can try things out without needing a special SPA-legal plane), but if you can't enjoy yourself and compete unless the rules are amended, (the retracts and pipes are more important than competition itself), then you might be better off finding others with the same feelings. That's how SPA started--a group of pilots who wanted to compete under a certain set of rules.

I honestly wish you the best with a Ballistic Pattern Association concept. I might even go and watch, but that's not the kind of flying I personally want to do.