I too enjoyed your post. The SPA is a great organization and doing a good job of presenting a relatively low cost form of competition. Though some of the maneuvers are difficult with the planes allowed to fly, the are not out of reason for most flyers. It is a great place for those interested in aerobatics to get thier feet wet. If in the future they want to move into AMA Pattern they can do it with ease. I have never understood why the NSRCA does not see this as a great recruiting tool for thier programs. But much like the SPA, they do little in actively recruiting in the lower classes. the SPA is a little better at this, but could certainly do better. It doesnt take a 3 or 4 thousand dollar plane to compete in AMA pattern, particularly in the lower two classes.
Your idea has merit, but it also would have to have a box of some kind, or you are doomed to repeat history. eg., I asked an IMAC pilot what it would take to get into competition, his answert was, welllllll, you could begin with a 1/4 scale, but you will never score unless you have a 40% plane. Here comes history!