Let me respond in sections:
ORIGINAL: TonyF
What would be good for Sportsman, Intermediate and Advanced would also be good for Masters. As I have said before, it is a matter of making the airplanes fall under the same weight requirements and of reducing the costs, primarily of electric models. Also, keep this in mind. A legal, just under 5kg F3A model that can get through the pattern with plenty of pad on 4300maH batteries would not work in Masters. Do not some of those used F3A airplanes go to Masters competitors?
I do believe that what is good for the advancement classes is good for Masters which is precisely why I do not advocate a weight increase. The sequences of the advancement classes certainly allow smaller and lighter batteries. Two years ago a set of batteries that could be used in a 2 meter plane was a bit expensive; now however there are more affordable options and as technology progresses we will see a further reduction in cost and weight.
Sure some of those FAI planes make it to Masters competitors, but is it not incumbent upon the purchaser who decides to fly at the Nats to make sure their plane meets the rule criteria?
ORIGINAL: TonyF
I feel that any competitor, in any class of pattern that wants to win bad enough at the Nationals level will do whatever they need to do to attempt to achieve that goal. Certainly not just in Masters. But the entire idea is to try to make it just a bit easier on the wallet to reach that goal.
I fully understand that making it easier on the wallet would be a great thing, my wife lost her job this past year and she brought in 70% of our household income. I can tell you from experience in quite a few different venues of competition that if you increase the weight limit there will be those who use it to more the performance bar up and widen the disparity between low cost options and the winners circle. I was relaying this conversation to a friend of mine who is still in drag racing and has never flown a model airplane and his response was the same as mine....not a good idea because of the very same reason.
ORIGINAL: TonyF
Don't you think that there is a basic flaw in a rule that you just recommended I should violate at a local contest? Just so you know, when I discovered my model was over the limit with 5000 maH packs I never competed with them again. I used them to practice and flew the 4350's in the contests. I've got new models coming for this year and a wing kit from Dave Snow for my current model to get some weight out.
There certainly is a problem with breaking the rules, but people do it and no I do not advocate it. If you choose to compete using electric in a current airframe then you do what you need to do to make weight. It's the same as flying glow, I can't power a new widebody airframe effectively with a 1.20 and some will need more than a 1.40 so the choice is pay the money for the power you need or be happy with level of competition that you can afford.
ORIGINAL: TonyF
I think that if they do indeed process all models at the Nats next year we are going to see a significant number of people not bother to attend. I know for a fact that there were many there last year who knew their models were over the weight, but also knew they would not be in contention to make the finals.
I think you are correct on seeing a lower turn out for the Nats for a variety of reasons, the economy being a good one. As for those who went with overweight models, they were not in contention for the finals and did not get caught, right or wrong that is fact of the matter, now if all planes are to be processed they have a good 7 months to put that baby on a diet or come up with a plan B.
To further this exchange, which I do enjoy, let me offer this; at one time I raced a Ford with a 302 in it that regularly beat the Chevys that I raced. A small block Chevy at that time (mid-80s) was a whole lot cheaper to build than the Ford. Then the 5.0 revolution came and building a small block Ford became very affordable. My point to this anecdote is that electric is becoming more affordable by the day and we don't need a rule change to level the playing field.