Hi Doug. We used to have 6 contest per year here in the Denver area with 30 to 45 contestants. Now we have one and it got 8 pilots. The younger pilots are not as interested in pattern anymore. Maybe because of the expensive airplanes it takes to compete or just more options in RC today. The field I fly at a lot is being taken over by electric helicopters. I didn't start this thread to cut down pattern, just to spice things up and get some different responses. I flew pattern for 20 years and loved it. My buddy Rob Kelly had a good idea for a pattern event for electrics. Limit the airplanes to use only 3cell 2100ma lipos. Their are lots of great flying airplanes in that catagory that are inexpensive. Jim