I look at it this way . .Basic is a "anything goes" class. . no scale requirements, very basic maneuvers, and the ability for pilots from other disciplines,(such as pattern 3D, pylon, etc.) to jump into Scale Aerobatics routines and see how it is. 72-80" is still the most common sizes for about 90% of flyers out there, and about where it starts getting expensive compared to not so expensive. So it stands to reason that the best way to get MORE participation in Basic, and thus more participation a few years later on in higher level classes, would be to encourage easy transition from being a Sunday flyer to a Basic competitor by encouraging the same planes that people fly every day.

Erich is correct about people buying over their head, and then performing poorly against less expensive, but much better flown, planes. There really is little logic NOT to have an 80, or even 90, inch limit in Basic, and the arguments against such a limit always seem to fall back on the "it's the pilots choice what to fly" argument. Yes, it may be their choice, but is it a GOOD choice, especially where a $5-6000 40% plane is concerned ..

Sometimes the wiser and more experienced flyers need to set down a few rules to keep the novice from getting in over his head. .A size limitation in Basic would be, IMHO, just one of those cases.