Re: Getting newcomers started in indoor FF

From: jeffrey.hood <jhood_at_hmcon.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:39:44 -0000

I promised myself for the last few days that I wasn't going to chime in here..... but.....

First, when did A6 become the quintessential beginners event...? I know the history, and know all about the original Mather article in INAV proposing the event way, way back... ALL the indoor events that were started for beginners (at least all the ones that I can think of...) have been "taken over" by "experts"... And the reason is -because they are experts-... The -only- solution to having a bunch of beginners happily competing on the beginner level is either to not allow "experts" in the event, or to have some kind of handicapping system... But just like golf, a handicapping system is FAR from perfect, and will most likely discourage more from competing than will be added... Unless there are two events in each contest...

I've said many times that the reason for lack of participation in indoor isn't because of the lack of a beginners event... It goes much, much further than that... It is a -highly- esoteric hobby, that will only attract a certain person for extended periods... It is what it is, as they say... at least in my opinion...

Anyway, to address the following...

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Likely A-6 is not the class for this anymore, it is highly specialized and competitive, the 1.25 gram minimum weight is ridiculous, that is 4 lb wood, what beginner can work with 4lb wood, let alone find a piece of 4lb wood.
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I'm not sure where it comes from that 1.2g is so hard to hit with A6... The second USIC that I went to I built two that were between 1.2g and 1.3g, plenty strong, and I didn't buy and "uber special precious 4# indoor wood" to do it... I didn't fly well enough to compete with the 10 min crowd, but did almost 7 min... and they were the first two that I built... (an none of the super special condenser paper, just some regular condenser paper that I got to build those...) And BTW, I have -plenty- of 3.5# to 4.5# wood to sell if anyone wants it...

The part of A6 that is the hardest is getting the right rubber/prop/plane combination... getting a huge loop onto the short motorstick and keeping it from getting knotted up and binding is far more difficult in my opinion than building the plane...

But go ahead and make a new event or change the rules to entice budding indoor fliers... And 5 years from now, we will be having the same discussion again... And probably will ruin a good event in the process...

JH
Received on Tue Feb 09 2010 - 14:40:29 CET