Boy, I sure stirred the pot, didn't I!

Chris, as I said, if the field conditions dictate, fine, shut off if you must. And operations during a contest are another matter. But if the practice field is adequate, there really is no reason why a pattern flier cannot demonstrate sufficient control over their model to be able to land and taxi off the runway. And unless you're flying F3A, all flights start with a judged take-off and end with a judged landing. So good ground control should be a requirement of any design being flown in those classes.

I used the word excuses, tongue firmly in cheek, because many of the technical reasons some were using here for shutting off the engine, IMO, don't hold water. Pattern model are not really super sleek designs. In fact, current designs have added drag to help control the speed in flight. If the engine won't idle low enough to land, there really is something wrong with it. Every engine I have ever used in competition could be set-up to idle very well, certainly well enough to keep it running during the landing. Do I use a slightly higher idle in flight, yes. But I can alway lower it for the landing.

Anyway, you guys do whatever you feel you need to do. But I'll still think it's silly if I'm at big field and a pattern flier can't land the model without killing the engine. I guess I'm just "old school".