After the exchange between Ray and Phil I have been thinking. Inquiring minds would like to know!
How many builder/flyers do we have at the NATS? Aside from my own curiosity, I think it would be a good gauge for AMA and LSF of the state of the hobby. It would be nice to know just how many people at the NATS build the planes that they fly. I have the greatest respect for the people like Phil that build and fly the molded planes. It takes a real commitment to the hobby and building to acquire the skills and equipment needed to make composite and molded plane. I am thinking that of all flyers at the NATS maybe 10-20% would have built the planes they fly. This is just from observation from being a spectator, timer, and relief driver of the carts at last years NATS. I think we will see even less flyer/builder/pilots this year with the popularity of the Mark D. based design ARFs like the AVA. That said, maybe we should think about where new blood will come from, and who is are target new members. Certainly they will not come from the young people that have families to rise. The silent EXAMPLES we are giving at our contests say that the average cost of a competitive ship is as much or more than the young families house payment. Yes, you can get in cheaper but people learn from what they see (the high percentage of very expensive planes) and the not what they are told (It is not the equipment it's the skill of the pilot that counts). It may be time to re-thing, and redirect, where the AMA and LSF is directing the marketing for new soaring members. Flame proof pants on! John -----Original Message----- From: Ray Hayes [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 6:16 AM To: Phil Barnes; soaring@airage.com Subject: Re: [RCSE] Re: Wood Crafters 06 Announcement Phil, I have tremendous respect for your contributions to rc soaring as well, but maybe you should not be to too thin skinned on what is posted here. Note that I included a smiley face, meaning this was a tongue in cheek thing and not meant to cause hurt feelings. When I think of ARF, I don't think of Phil Barnes or composit scratch builders, I think of Asia and Europe and see through wings. I bet I'm not alone on this. BTW, I was flying " Old Fashioned " composit ( pressed balsa sheeting glued with epoxy over foam cores I cut ) in the 1980 (?) F3B Team Selection Finals, I believe Dave Thornburg was the CD. So a little definition of old fashioned may be needed. Old fashion ways, hmmmmmmmmmm, do I sense a little disrespect, probably not, if there is, I'm too thick skinned to pick up on it. The most satisfaction I get from Wood Crafters is when new guys to rc sailplanes, flying there first contest, get turned on to contest flying. When they say to me, " I wasn't sure I would enjoy flying a contest, but I do ", it is very satisfying to me. Several of these newbies have showed up at the Nats with their woodys and flew RES and Nostalgia and joined local soaring clubs. I wish clubs from coast to coast would do more to promote Newbies. Ray Hayes http://www.skybench.com Home of Wood Crafters ----- Original Message ----- From: "Phil Barnes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <soaring@airage.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 11:53 PM Subject: Re: [RCSE] Re: Wood Crafters 06 Announcement > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ray Hayes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >Nostalgia at the Nats is canceled this > > year and the rumor is the LSF NATS are going to be renamed > > > > AMA/LSF ARF NATS. :-) > > You know Ray, I have tremendous respect for what you have done to promote > woody events and I am happy whenever I see that your events are successful > and growing. The only thing that tweaks me is the way that some woody fliers > show so little respect for composite scratch builders and repeatedly post > things that imply that you can't be a scratch builder unless you build the > old fashioned way. > > How about showing the many composite scratch builders a little respect now? > > Phil > > > RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off. Email sent from web based email such as Hotmail and AOL are generally NOT in text format > RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off. Email sent from web based email such as Hotmail and AOL are generally NOT in text format RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off. Email sent from web based email such as Hotmail and AOL are generally NOT in text format
