Mike, this is exactly the problem vintage C/L stunt is running into. They set rules based on set years rather than a number of years back. They stop, I beleive at 1972. Now they have a number of members who would like to fly planes that are just outside the 1972 rule. Now they are looking at changing to a set number of years back from the current year. As a result the date of design a plane would be legal would change each year. If it happens they will allow planes from 1973 next year and add a year each new year.

The reason for the change is they realized that the organization was beginning to stagnate and needed new blood in the ranks to keep it going. I beleive this is in part what you are eluding to. We have actually had this discussion before in an other topic.

Right now the SPA is growing faster than any one was prepared for and with that kind of growth there will be no insintive to change.

The Florida group is hoping that we can generate enough intrest in BPA to at some point have a BPA contest. The upcoming contest will not be the last contest to include "Historic" pattern even if the turn out is low at this first one. We will most likely keep it for all the contests for next year and then decide whether to continue for 2009. The hope is to get enough interest to have a stand alone contest in 2009. We may even have one in 2008 if the interest is there. We are very serious about BPA done here as most of the pilots in our group also fly BPA. So, stay tuned, and please help us get the SPA/BPA, Vintage pattern contest off the ground. You may find that SPA is not as ridged as you think.

Bob Cox
SPA 374