CD after thoughts

[Paul Taylor]

Hosting my first contest was a bust. My hope is that most people checked the wind forecast and opted not to show. I would have done the same thing. For those that did show up I am very greatful. But looking back I dont think there was much interest in people coming to the Memphis Contest. I hope it was not on my account. We had 4 manicured grass circles and free food. I'm sure it could have been run better as this was my first and might be my last attempt at running a contest. I know it was the same weekend as the RM round up but really that should not have superseded a sanctioned event and if so we have a venue for it as well. Not sure why the lack of interest.
I feel like I failed the stunt community.
Sorry😞

[RC Storick]

Hosting my first contest was a bust. My hope is that most people checked the wind forecast and opted not to show. I would have done the same thing. For those that did show up I am very greatful. But looking back I dont think there was much interest in people coming to the Memphis Contest. I hope it was not on my account. We had 4 manicured grass circles and free food. I'm sure it could have been run better as this was my first and might be my last attempt at running a contest. I know it was the same weekend as the RM round up but really that should not have superseded a sanctioned event and if so we have a venue for it as well. Not sure why the lack of interest.
I feel like I failed the stunt community.
Sorry😞

Paul no need to be sorry! You ran the contest fine. The issue was the forecast and timing. The grass was the best I have flown on in my life bar none! So please do not be discouraged next year pick a date mid summer.

[John Stiles]

......I feel like I failed the stunt community.
Sorry😞

Horse manure! I flew 34 flights here at home and have at least a dozen friends that could've shown up. But they didn't. That don't me I failed...it means they did!

[Andrew Hathaway]

Three years ago I hosted a CL fun fly here in Salina.  The turnout was small, the wind was nasty, but we had fun.  I decided on a fun fly vs a contest because I didn't want to try to find judges and wasn't sure what kind of crowd we'd draw.  I figured if there was sufficient interest, I could wrangle some judges and file all the appropriate paper work to host a contest the next year.  Since the fun fly was lightly attended, I debated even doing a fun fly the second year.  We went ahead with a second fun fly, and again the weather was terrible, and we only drew a small crowd, again I debated doing another year.  This year the interest was about the same as usual, and the forecast was terrible (rain storms), but the day of the fun fly the clouds parted and the weather was beautiful.  We had a few different flyers attend, still a small crowd, but it was a success as those who attended enjoyed themselves.  If I'd given up after the first year, we'd have missed out on the fun had the second and third year. 

As much as I would love to host a real contest, and draw a large crowd, I know it would take a lot of work, and it probably would draw the same half dozen flyers the fun fly draws.  Without knowing for certain that it'd be more successful, I'm hesitant to put in the work myself and ask others to donate their time.  I commend you for making the effort to pull a contest together, and I would hope you wouldn't let a bad year discourage you.  If you keep at it, maybe the word will spread, the perfect weather will fall on the date, and it'll be the contest you'd hoped for.

[Tim Wescott]

Hey Paul:

I doubt that the Roundup was the cause of your trouble.

I suspect that it had a lot more to do with the forecast, and the fact that it was a brand-spanking new contest.  I'd say keep at it.

And, if you want to support the Roundup, have a Ringmaster race in one of those circles.  If you go three up, that'll mean at least six flights per heat.  My suggested rules would be simple, and designed to be "run what you brung":

• Plane has to be an S-1 or S-1A
• No engine restriction (but be ready to put that in if things get out of hand)
• 1 ounce fuel restriction, 30cc to match racing rules (I think).  Let people use bigger fuel systems if they want, but for those people hand out pre-measured syringes full of fuel.  Or don't have any fuel system restrictions at all, and just insist that all fueling be done from the official syringes.
• No quick-fuelers or other of that "pro" racing nonsense

[mike londke]

Paul, Regardless of the low attendance I had a blast. I got a needed break from my everyday routine. I put up over 50 flights on my combat gear in 3 days. Got one new guy in the circle and got one who hadn't flown a match in quite a while to go up with me. And I got to fly beginner stunt which has encouraged me to enter more stunt contests.(don't tell the combat guys) I appreciated the tips from the judges after my flights.  It was nice to meet all the people and finally put faces to some of the names I read about on this forum. I'll do it again. Mike 

[Paul Taylor]

Paul, Regardless of the low attendance I had a blast. I got a needed break from my everyday routine. I put up over 50 flights on my combat gear in 3 days. Got one new guy in the circle and got one who hadn't flown a match in quite a while to go up with me. And I got to fly beginner stunt which has encouraged me to enter more stunt contests.(don't tell the combat guys) I appreciated the tips from the judges after my flights.  It was nice to meet all the people and finally put faces to some of the names I read about on this forum. I'll do it again. Mike 

Mike congrats on the win. I wish could have seen your flight. Sounded like your planes was running good.
Thanks for letting me take a spin on your combat plane.

[Dan McEntee]

   Hi Paul;
     I was THIS close to making the trip, but would have had to take off work on Friday like I did for the Paducah contest. I couldn't do that because we already had a guy out on vacation. My work schedule and other life stuff have been getting in the way of me traveling, plus the economy, hotel and gas prices. I'm hoping like usual that next year will be different.
    Our Broken Arrow Stunt and Scale contest has a light turn out also. For some of the clubs in the midwest, we are just seeing a big change in the demographic of who lives where and can drive to which contest. It's not any one person's fault, just a sign of the changing times. We had a little discussion after we handed out awards on Sunday after our contest that we all need to look at what we are doing as far as what events to have and such, and change what we do accordingly. With the advantage of the internet, we can discuss what people are looking for, how far they will go, what events we should or should not have, that sort of thing. Most contests we used to go to were one day affairs when we first started out. Then Old Tyme and Classic got popular, and stunt in general took off and attendance grew everywhere. I remember the Beginner class at the SIG contest used to have almost 30 entrants at one time, then slowly dropped off to 5 or 6 near the end when they quit having the event. Lots of guys moved up, and Expert and Advanced are pretty well represented most places you go now. It's just the natural course of things I think. We have riden a wave of prosperity for the last 25 years or so that has peaked and going over the hill. It did the same thing in the late seventies and early eighties. You could read peoples concerns in the magazines of the time. I think all we can do is keep at it, work with each other to get the word out, present what we do to the public and wait for the next wave. I don't know when it will come or what will bring it, but I DO believe it will come.
   The flip side of that coin is the Dallas area! Lots of people moving to that neck of the woods. As the economy changes and recovers, I hope so will contest attendance, especially mine!
    Your fuselage outline went in the mail today. Good luck with the PT-19 project.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Hoss Cain]

Hosting my first contest was a bust. My hope is that most people checked the wind forecast and opted not to show. I would have done the same thing. For those that did show up I am very greatful. But looking back I dont think there was much interest in people coming to the Memphis Contest. I hope it was not on my account. We had 4 manicured grass circles and free food. I'm sure it could have been run better as this was my first and might be my last attempt at running a contest. I know it was the same weekend as the RM round up but really that should not have superseded a sanctioned event and if so we have a venue for it as well. Not sure why the lack of interest.
I feel like I failed the stunt community.
Sorry😞

Mr. Taylor, if you hosted an event for others to come and enjoy, there is no way in HECK that you failed anyone in any way. There are numerous reasons why people fail to attend an event. Here in my area, events are being dropped by many fliers. The average person simply cannot make each and every event. When I came back to the Republic (TX) and started to hosting TX events, I quickly found that Sunday Events just never worked while up in Chicago-Land they did well. In the past year it seems that events are being moved to Friday-Saturday or simply Saturday. However there are so many events that attendance has slowed considerably. No one wants an event either in Summer or Winter. Things are uh-changin ! 

In any case YOU did nothing wrong and Thanks for making an Event available even if the turnout was low. BTW I belong to a small Club (ARF (Always Ready to Fly) - in Livingston TX beside my big two clubs, Jetero RC and Bomber Field. They have had a bad year for a couple years, but this past Sat. they really had a turn-out. Parking was hard to find when I got there. Ya' never know. It was a real Home-Coming. 

So, you did well and it takes some time to get stuff moving. You will probably run out of hot-dogs and drinks next time. 

[Randy Ryan]

Paul,

Thingslike that can certainly be discourageing, but don't give up, my first blowout brought doubts for me as well. 2 things generally cause low attendance. Weather and competing event, and not necessarily modeling events. For years we have competed with the Woodward Dream Cruise and several of our local flyer opted to go there instead of our contest. This year we had regulars opt to go to Puducah instead of our meet. They made a wise choice because our weather was bad, first year we couldn't fly at my Weenie Roast. DOn't give up, CDing a contest can be a great experience too, just remember that its effected by more things that are out of your control than than those that are within it!

[john e. holliday]

Hey, I remember the years when there was a contest within driving distance  every weekend.  The NATS and Wichita were the ones that were more than one day.   Every year I plan on going to different contests, like yours and Paducah, but, things keep popping up.  If the economy ever takes a turn around watch out as I will be wearing out tires going.   There are so many I would like to attend before leaving this piece of floating space rock.  Had a blast at Brodaks this year. 

[Brian Massey]

I'm guessing you did everything right. The small turnout can be caused by many factors, but you mentioned weather which will always be a factor. I'm assuming that since this was your first attempt, that this not was an annual event you were taking over. If this was a "first annual" thing, then that could work against you too. The word has to get out that there is an event that weekend/place, and it's a fun event. I've done many car shows for different clubs over the years, and you just have to accept that there is a curve in getting the event known and recognized. I was fortunate when I took over CD for the Golden State Stunt Championships. A very well known contest that had been well run for years and hence already had a strong following. You will get it there, don't give up. We need more contests . . . more young flyers sure wouldn't hurt anything either.

Brian