Re: Getting people started in indoor FF

From: Thomas <parkreation_at_msn.com>
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:00:58 -0000

Hey Marty and all,

Been a long time and am glad you have added your thoughts. For those who don't know, Marty was a long time coach in Science Olympiad. He and I spent many years officiating at NATS. Our witnessing thousands of novices flying "indoors" gives us a unique perspective. Having two classes of "novice" and "expert" should be given strong consideration.

AS for plastic film I vote- yes. It am a convert. (Thanks Ray Harlan) It is much easier to trim an airplane when the flying surface remains stable while the atmospheric conditions change. This gets a novice that much closer to success. We do need to get info and video up on how to apply- YouTube at its finest...

For 50% Stab- I say yes, again. We spent two years recently with very small stabs in Wright Stuff and stability was an issue directly attributed to the tiny stab surface area. So lesson learned, let's keep the variables for trimming manageable.

Finally, after one of the longest event runs in SO history, Wright Stuff goes into hibernation for two years. Grinding out rules for A-6
will help nurture some of these novice student fliers who have gotten hooked by the indoor bug.

Regards,
Tom Sanders
National Supervisor
--- In Indoor_Construction_at_yahoogroups.com, Marty Alderman <mda35@...> wrote:
>
> I've seen pages of discussion about the details of the A-6 rules,
> admittedly not an easy thing on which to get consensus. If people agree
> that A-6 is a class which is supposed to get beginners hooked on indoor
> FF competition, then why has there been only one comment about my post
> on having ONE two-division class where only beginners are allowed to
> compete for the trophy in the beginners division? It means an extra set
> of trophies, but c'mon guys! Focus! How can we bring newbies into
> trying indoor FF competition AND get them hooked????? I suggested we
> put out some candy (trophies!)
>
> I find the rules discussion interesting, but it has become a separate
> issue from getting and keeping newbies, and our hobby NEEDS to get and
> keep newbies if it is to survive. There has been some discussion of how
> to bring newbies into the hobby in the past, but IMHO we need a more
> robust 'Survival of the Hobby' thread separate from the A-6 rules
> thread. Or is this hobby actually another 'creative anachronism' like
> using Morse code on Ham Radio?
>
> Best,
>
> Marty
>
> P.S. - I like Morse code, too.
>
> --
> Marty Alderman
> Physics Teacher!
> Cornell University Visiting Faculty
> 2007-9 Cornell PhysTEC TIR (Teacher In Residence)
>
> 128 Clark Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
> 607.255.0165
> mda35_at_...
>
> At some point in their lives, most people ask themselves:
> "Does my life have meaning?"
> Most teachers answer it emphatically:
> "Absolutely! YES!"
>
Received on Mon Feb 08 2010 - 07:04:22 CET