... really, this just speaks to the hobby and sport nature of the events. There is not enough money in this per se' to go to local contests, get the scales out, get the sound meters out, and start turning people away who don't pass. The key here is that the guys who fly pattern, and the manufactueres that support it, have gone a long way's towards ensureing there is equipment available to make for an adequate plane. A quick example - you basically can't buy a loud (offendingly loud) setup anymore if you were trying to setup a 2M plane.

I think it is safe to say the pattern community has institutionally accepted the airframe parameters and seeks to have planes that meet the requirements. At the Nats though, we all want the hobby/sport combination to switch to sport first, hobby second, and have rules in place that make for a fair and competitive event.
Jim W.