<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span>"Classic pattern fills the niche for mere mortals to fly pattern. And cool pattern too. Not in a "box"(opinion). One maneuver per pass, the way it was intended (opinion). The larger share of classic pattern enthusiasts are likely guys like me, who got out for one reason or another (family, career, prison, etc) and now that the kids are gone, had some time and maybe some resources to go back and do something that they were once passionate about. Then came the shockeroo. What happened to my beloved pattern?"
<span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Right on the money Robert!
I'm an oldie pattern nut too, admittedly shocked when I read things like "the new Fandagle for FA3 at only $3995!&rdquo; C'mon, only $3995, even at $1795, plus engine and hardware, radio, field support stuff, your dropping $4000 (likely more) to put up one plane. I still say say one can put up a "classic" (w/o buying a 35 year old kit for $400-$500 you know where) 10cc pattern ship for under $500; $750 with a decent radio. Granted, I'mpresuming you do at least some building, set-up, radio install, etc. For $2000 I will have two very nice ships and a good beater for practice too.I must say it is disappointing toread much of the bantering back and forth in some other forums; but Iplan toget to the contests to re-enjoy some of the best times of my past. I flew a fixed gear pipe-less Tiger Tail and competed well against others with retracts and pipes.Afterthat, aBootlegger with retracts and a piped Rossi, it gaveme a lift but I still didn'tget past Chip H. at the 80&rsquo; Nats. I still think we relied on the pipes to get more oomph out ofthe engines turning 11 - 7 or 7 1/4 props. May not need them with the 12 -6 set up; either way I can live withor withoutthemregardless of what the next flyer chooses for his/her ship.Asothers have said, to promote Classicit has to be reachable without forgoing the mortgage payment this month (I too remember how pylon racing came and went, we had more fun with cheap Q-500s). I think Robert said it best, at this point in many of our lives we are more able to afford this stuff(only dreamed of a piped Tipo in 1979-80), but I have to think that many simply choose to not spend that amount of dollars. I like the KISS principle too. Keep It Simpler Simon (or Sally). I too apologize for stepping in the thread if I have. Like the others these are solely my opinions; but I have to wonder how someone outside looking in reads all of this. Long live the Classic Empire!
Hook57</span></span></div>