I do understand your disappointment..... I've been critical of some of SPA's "rules" too. But flying RC airplanes is a hobby and most of us don't have unlimited resources to buy whatever and as much of, whatever we want. Every one of us, I'm sure, has local RC flying club affiliations. I'd bet that if you could visit every flying field in this country you'd find a vast mixture of RC activity based upon individual preference. I belong to two local clubs, and I see various forms of power systems, different types of airplanes, different styles of flying, etc. It boils down to ....we buy what we like. I don't know anybody who bought "E" power systems because of SPA. They buy them because they want to. I belong to two local flying clubs and I see some who won't fly anything but electric, some who won't fly anthing but IC, and some who fly both. The point is, that most likely, you bought into the "E" movement because you wanted to, not because a few guys in SPA were trying it out. I also suspect that you will use that equipment at your local flying field until its worn out, broken, or until you become interested in some other "latest and greatest" equipment change.

It took SPA a while to figure out what its position would be on "E" power. There was a lot of internal wrangling about technical details going on. I'm a SPA member, but I'm not privy to the thinking that went on that resulted in this BOD decision, but I'd bet that when they finally decided the "E" power was not "right" for SPA, they also decided that the longer they left it in, the more difficulty getting it out. As far as I know, there was never an explicit approval of "E" power in SPA. A few folks started using it because there was no rule against using it. There was a little effort to try out the "fit". But now there is a final decision. There is no "right" time to cut something off.... sorta like pulling out those "baby" teeth, quicker is better, less painful, and leaves less discomfort than dragging it out for another full year. All this is my opinion and my opinion only. The BOD is not a Democracy. They're not required to consult with the membership. Their responsibility is to do what they think is "right" for the organization, not necessarily what's "right" for each and every member of the organization. That would be an impossible task in any case since the membership is all over the map on this issue. But, and again just my opinion, if we could poll the membership, I'd bet that far more members think SPA should stay as it was originally framed than to evolve with the existing trends in our hobby. Some change is always inevitable, products we used then are not available, building techniques change, our skill set changes. But keeping it like it was "back in the day" is, I believe, the bedrock this organization was founded on.

If you've "dumped" all your internal combustion engines and are fully electric, you'll have to fly on without SPA. You can convert your SPA planes back to IC if you want to... I have one of those kind of conversions, or you can use them as practice planes if you choose, or you can find a "E" power oriented group to join... lots of possibilities. All your decision to make. In the real world, "change" happens. In SPA change reluctantly happens.... and that's the way most of us like it.

Sorry about your disappointment. Hope you see lots of fair sky's and gentle winds in your future, with or without SPA.

ChiefK