Bryan,

I have been discussing the need for a weight rule change since electric first came out. Maybe not in public, but with the local pattern fliers and others. I discussed this with a local pattern flier who flew my electric Partner in Masters in 2004. At that time he was supposed to submit a proposal but never did. So it has nothing to do with my "lack of preparation".

It is simply not equitable that electric weigh with the batteries and glow weighs empty. Never has been and never will be. But since you are a glow guy I can see why you don't want a change. Right?

I do know the rules. And I do know their effect on the event. The current rules have not been good for pattern. They became even more of a problem when electric became a viable alternative. I have the "advantage" of having been away from the event from 1999 to 2004. I then was away from 2005 until this year. Sometimes you see things better from a distance. Each time I have been away from pattern and returned the event has dwindled. I can see if you have been knee deep in the event you can get blinded by what may be better for it. I have no expectations that if we adopt my proposal that people will come out of the woodworks and start flying pattern. But it may help start an upward trend. Or help to slow down the decline.

Even though planes are not weighed at a local event, the rule still has an effect on what is being flown. It comes from what is being recommended by the so-called "Pros", to what people talk about using here in this forum. Manufacturers have lived and died from what is being posted in forums.

I am not talking about changing the "top". Just the developmental and lower destination classes. Think about this long and hard and try to really see what the benefits of this could be. It won't make one bit of difference about what is being flown at the World's. But it may be the start of helping to stem the tide and make pattern just a bit more attractive.