Please don't get me wrong I love what the SPA has done and is doing now. Without them I strongly believe that Classic Pattern would pretty much be dead today, and I would most likely not be active R/C right now. However, I really don't think that the money spent on these (SPA and BPA) is a factor with the average modelers by todays standards. Just look at how much money is invested in ONLY electronic entertainment equipment in the average house hold for a child under the age of 10. I think most would be surprized.
If a modeler is starting in competetion, they would be flying in the novice class, where flying skills would attribute more than the landing gear or the exhaust used in the plane.

Personally I would like to see the day the SPA and BPA merge into one group. To me it just makes sense from a contest stand point to be able to have more contestants to spark interest with the public. I completely understand why some members would resist this to preserve the style and models to that era. But competitivly speaking, the radios would have the most impact. Not the engines. Have you guys looked into the features of a 14MZ? It's insane.

My primary concern is preserving Classic Pattern as a whole. I'm 40 and it seems that I am in the younger crowd here. That is not too good for the future of these planes. My primary concern is preserving Classic Pattern as a whole. The only way to do that is to get younger people involved in these designs. After all it IS about the planes. The addition of retracts or efficient scavaging exhaust is related to the plane a lot less than the servos, batteries or the transmitter in the pilots hands.


DM