I like contests. As a kid I really wanted to compete; RCM and MA really had good writers and contest coverage that made me want in; even made the family go on vacation to take me to the 81 NATS, but my first plane was not finished so I did not get to fly, but got to see the great planes and lurking behind Tom Cooks F4 you can see my legs in MA. I got back into RC in 2000, and flew in my first contest in 2007 and all I can say is I wish there were more around; I would go to them all if I could. I think it is good for the soul to try something different and the people are the greatest, because it is a bunch of people wanting to be in the same place doing the same thing. Most of the pressure is self imposed and everyone I have been around will go out of their way to help you out. I just need to set my self down and build a real competitive plane; I will say my "weekend "scale planes have always been accepted into the fold.