ORIGINAL: WarpedWing
For any of you guys in the NE sitting on the fence about SPA, go ahead and join Jim in starting a NE Chapter. It's loads of fun---very challenging too. Jim's a terrific pilot and a great guy to hang out with. The quality of competition in SPA is very, very high----clearly well above my abilites (I regularly place in the bottom 1/3 of Novice). More importantly, the SPA guys here in the SE are fabulous people, a real joy to be around and compete against.
Duane & I are trying to start an NC Chapter of the SPA. So far, we have 3 folks interested. Duane & I have already had a practice session earlier this month, working on the new 2007 Novice routine.
It just sounded funny to me when I read this--"we have THREE so far"--doesn't sound like too many, but that's how things get started---you see, SPA started in Ga, Tenn, and Alabama. That puts NC on the "outskirts" right now, but just like the NE Chapter, the Carolina Chapter will come as more people come to find out about SPA competition--if they like precision aerobatics, they WILL ENJOY IT. That was part of the reason I wrote the May M.A. article, I wanted others to find out about, and experience what I'd found.
The "SPA Experience" like the "VR/CS Experience" is difficult to describe to others, but Steve is right--if you're "sitting on the fence" come out and give it a try--you've got nothing to lose. Most of us start out as "Novices", (but I'd prefer to call us "future Experts"). It seems hard to believe my first SPA contest was only 1 year ago. My hands shook through the first two rounds, even though I had flown AMA Novice pattern back in the '80s---the adrenaline rush is the same in front of the judges, and you feel everyone is watching, and I suppose they are--but they're "with you" and want you to get better. People are more than happy to help newcomers.
People DO try to do their best, but the general atmosphere, (at least to me) seems more laid-back. We're looking for great things for 2007.