Tony,

I don't think anything is broken in Sportsman and/or Intermediate. Most CD's allow any AMA legal plane to fly in Sportsman. The real problem is we don't advertise and invite others to try pattern effectively. One of the things we can do to promote pattern better would be to first let the local clubs know about the contest and invite their members to come give it a try. We will never get past this mantra of being elitists if we don't.

Troy and I are holding a contest in November this year and we are going to try something different. Sportsman entrants are only $25 and we are also holding an "Introductory" pattern contest for anyone that wants to participate. This will likely consist of a few simple passes each with a different maneuver exiting the box on each end. I will be hitting the local club meetings to get the word out so we will hopefully get lots of participants.

Another thing I think may help would be to allow any AMA legal plane in Intermediate. There are lots of IMAC guys that can fly the Intermediate pattern and probably consider the Sportsman pattern too simple. They just don't have a pattern legal plane. Other details can help as well. How many CD's sanction their contest early enough to get the contest published in Model Aviation magazine? Checking all summer, I have seen about 2 contests in there. With most of these contests scheduled near the beginning of the year, there is NO reason most should not be published.

We have a lot going for us as a group. Once I got into pattern, I have found most very helpful with problems a newbie will experience so retention is pretty good. Anyone that flies pattern even a little will see benefits in all their flying.

Sorry for the off topic post. Now back to your regularly scheduled Master conversation.....