NOTICE
To all forum moderators Do not modify this post. Thanks.RC Storick
To All:
I recently recycled an older Bad Boy Stunt column, published 5 years ago in Stunt News.
It was a sideways look at how to get youngsters flying CL Stunt and you can see it here:
http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=441.0Okay, okay, theoretically that approach can work--just ask Bill Little and Randy Powell--but very few can actually put it into practice. There are many examples to cite here, but to take just one, can you possibly imagine a gentleman such as Ted Fancher actively keeping young modelers at arm's length based upon the supposition that what is presented as an adults-only activity will thus be viewed as attractive and so worth pursuing?
Still, there is a known and proven way to attract CL modelers. Some of you have already been successful here. Others should probably reconsider past actions, plans being made.
I can't actually remember in which issue of SN this column appeared. It has been very lightly edited.
And not being able to leave it alone, what I view as some good ideas have been added to the end of this piece, are clearly identified as being late additions.
Dan
IT'S OVER...Seems it's years and years beyond the point where we Stunt fliers--indeed, CL fliers of all stripes--should have acknowledged the obvious. It's over. We are toast. We be dinosaurs.
If preceding is obvious, why write about it? Because perhaps we shouldn't just give it up as a good job gone bad. Additionally, I am more than a little nonplused to see well-intentioned folk suggest and then implement recruitment campaigns which can't possibly succeed, to expend energies upon deeply flawed programs, contributing very little toward the stated goal of getting more people involved in CL.
If we can first agree on a major point, it would in fact be nice to have more like-minded people showing up to sport fly at local flying sites, some of these same people entering weekend contests. Can we also agree that all promotional efforts should be directed toward the single group of people most likely to drop whatever they are doing now in order to fly CL?
As this is actually a discussion about marketing, the old sales axiom of "Pick the low-hanging fruit first," definitely applies.
If we are to be totally honest about the current situation and the direction we should we taking, there seem to be some misconceptions out there which need to be knocked off. Or at least very seriously questioned the next time you hear one or more.
First what I suspect but cannot confirm: Many advocates of attracting newbie CL fliers are actually seeking some sort of affirmation that one of our very favorite activities is a worthy sidebar to daily life. The vision of a flying field full of children and young adults drives them. Not to see increased CL activity, not to "save the hobby." Instead it appears to be a quest for self-congratulatory evidence that they have not wasted thousands of hours and dollars on something which is rejected on a wholesale basis by the youth of today.
That's harsh. And I do not intend to take any overt actions to confirm my suspicions. You should probably do the same, along with not applying this sort of thinking too widely. You may, however, want to keep it in mind next time you're asked to dedicate a good block of time, money and effort in someone else's self-serving fantasy. Along with asking about the results of previous campaigns.
Because all evidence to date shows that at this time getting kids interested in CL is a tough act. Not impossible, obviously. But the world has changed. A lot. I'm not just talking about the many distractions and attractions available to today's kids. Our little world of CL has also changed significantly. As we have grown and matured, so have CL models and the various events in which we participate.
By and large this is good. Few of us active today are interested in buying a Ringmaster kit on Thursday, flying it come Sunday. I have certainly succumbed--twice!--to the temptation of going back to models for which I have pleasant memories. Gad, it took forever to get them built to current standards. Straight. Light. Polished. Are youngsters of today expected to be inspired by models of the same quality and flying abilities as Dad and I built 40 years ago? I think not...
Some think we are viewed as playing with toys. The radio guys have the same problem, although to a much greater degree. I can't tell you how many times, while in the pit area at local RC sites, I have overheard whining of this nature. The conversation generally leads to what can easily be one of the most destructive of human traits, the need to "Do something," no matter how silly or ill-advised.
The problem statement has not been made, no analysis has been undertaken, there is no real goal in mind. Only a selfish desire to reverse what is perceived to be a universally held opinion. Flying demonstrations of various sorts are proposed. Enthusiasm shoves common sense aside, the situation gets really funny or supremely distressing, your choice.
Because Big Goober's got a flying witch on a broom. Butt Crack has a flying STOP sign. Pant Load just finished a new flying lawn mower. And Goat Roper's gonna pull his Snoopy's dog house out of retirement because Chuckie Shultz has passed on and thus is less likely to get pissed about unauthorized use of his intellectual property.
Whoa! How better to prove one is playing with toys than to line up a grouping of models perfectly suited to a clown show? But they do it all the time. Alas...
And so do we. A well-flown Bi-slob is entertaining, admittedly. I even look forward to flying the model owned by Nils Norling. But it's a horrible device to use in introducing CL model aviation to the uninitiated. As is a honkin' AMA Combat model, demonstrations of which are tantamount to doing a burnout with a Top Fuel drag car in order to illustrate throttle control to student drivers.
Note to those who care: A great many people will always think we are playing with toy model aircraft. I count myself among them. We do not have the resources to change this perception, especially as it sidles up so close to reality.
Today's kids don't/won't/can't ______________ (fill in the blank). This is the worst misconception of all. Today's kids are great! Take your nose out of the newspaper, chuck the anecdotal stories you have heard, go beyond the fact they look and dress differently than we mature modelers. I feel so strongly about this that no examples will be given. I will not take seriously any suggestions that today's youth cannot accomplish anything we can in CL modeling. In a great many cases they could do all of it better, to a higher standard.
They just don't want to. Get over it.
So. There is no long-term future to CL modeling, in my estimation. As the fliers of today phase out CL flying from their list of activities this leisure pursuit will no doubt go the way of whittling, slot cars, ham radio with gas tubes, tether cars, the Soap Box Derby. Yep, these activities still exist, the adherents are truly hard core. And at one time one or more no doubt were supremely attractive to many Stunt News readers. But if you wish to see our future, look to these examples, one and all being nearly lost to mainstream awareness.
What to do? Maybe we should just relax, admit it's over and fly out the tank.
Or we could take a stand, determining to add to our numbers in the most effective and expeditious manner possible. All the while looking to place emphasis upon first picking that low-hanging fruit.
There is no better way to do this than to concentrate our efforts on has-been modelers, converting them to retreads. To illustrate--and sticking with the NW Stunt Scene, although your home area is much the same, I'm betting--we need only take a few moments to look at those active fliers for who is a real newbie and who is a retread.
Taking my own advice, I have just marked up a listing of PAMPA members in my local area, District 11 and British Columbia. A very few are either life-long modelers or have been flying so long nobody can remember when they didn't fly CL. Of the rest, and limiting this to those known to enter a mere two Stunt contests a year, there is only a single flier--Montana Marlatt, a fine young man who has a mentor in Nils Norling, himself a retread--who does not meet the definition of retread. Myself included. Some have taken rather strange paths in getting to where they are now, some were gone for in excess of 20 years, more than just a few dabbled in FF and/or RC, virtually all invested tremendous amounts of time in raising their families and in the world of work.
Just as important--and not to overlook the hugely significant contributions of life-long modelers at the core of today's NW CL activities--look at the caliber of these retreads, appreciate their influence. Nils Norling is just blazing his way into all aspects of CL Stunt, is the driving force behind an annual contest. Would any of our Fox 35s be more than merely decent power plants, would we fully appreciate the capabilities of Classic-era models without the consistent performances of Don McClave? How could we possibly replace the enthusiasm and humor of Keith Varley? Bruce Hunt was an unknown quantity a mere four years ago, he and Kristen moved to Salem and he has since been making up for lost time in a very big way. Steve Helmick flew CL years ago, got real serious about FF for a good many years, has returned to CL, playing a vital role in many ways from excellent judging skills to CD work, to actively working in securing new flying sites.
The point here is that these people and all the many retreads not named make very notable contributions toward the current successes seen with various Stunt events. So while we as a group seem to want youngsters to be active CL fliers who will carry on for many years, just like a long weekend with Jennifer Lopez, it ain't gonna happen.
Especially when what we need are more people like Nils, Don, Bruce, Steve, Chris Cox, Mike Conner, Leo Mehl, Jack Pitcher, Emil Kovac, Bob Smiley, Dave Baxter, Roy DeCamara, Alice Cotton-Royer, her sidekick Dave Royer, Lee Uberbacher, John Leidle and all the rest.
As the subject is Stunt as a subset to CL in general, we must recognize the reason for the success we have enjoyed over the past years, the reason we can attract still more ex-fliers: Nostalgia in its many and varied forms. In the U.S. at least there is an amazing movement back to the "Good Old Days." The examples are so numerous and varied we'll treat this lightly, especially as it is so obvious to one and all. For now it is only important to note that we Stunt Guys have offerings for those looking to go back in time, who now have the resources to do it and do it right.
Tied to above is familiarity. If one suggests to a person who used to fly Stunt (or was merely a CL guy, no matter his favorite event) that he might drop in at the next contest, and he comes by, what he sees is exactly what he remembers. This applies no matter the era in which he actively competed and/or was sport flying. Potential retreads see Fox 35s, ST 46s, Smoothies, Noblers, Orientals, Sharks, profile models as easily identified as a five-seven Chivvy, on and on. Technology which has not passed them by. They know they can do this stuff simply because they did so in the past.
Still with equipment, new materials have not upset the cart. Sure, lots of trick stuff out there. But one can pretty much ignore all of it, buying balsa, Ambroid, buckets of dope, silkspan and so on. Even the venerable Fox 35--today's production runs of which are better and more consistent than ever was the case in the past--can be purchased new, no need to scour garage sales.
(An edit: When this was written ARFs had not come on the scene.)
A huge factor in all of this, applying even to the most sophisticated PA model, is that the maneuvers being flown will be instantly recognizable. While I do not believe George Aldrich envisioned the pattern he developed would still be in world-wide use come 2002, it's still with us. Another Good Thing, one which makes it all the easier to attract potential retreads.
There are other points to make, of course, but an integral part of this is that friendships can be renewed, old times and old stories rewound and played again. Typically, a retread is not starting from square one; instead, he is rejoining the tribe. Within one or two contests he is fully back in the groove, something which did not take place 20 or 30 years ago.
Can we continue to capitalize upon these good points, drawing in more folk for the retread treatment? Sure. Of course. And we can accomplish this without meetings, planning sessions and all that sort of meaningless thumb sucking.
Dig out that old notebook, the one with phone numbers. Make calls to long-lost friends.
Most all local newsletters have space for classified advertising. Are you looking for a specific person? Tell your buddies with an ad or two, you might be very surprised to find this really is a small world.
Consider gifting a subscription or two of the local newsletter. These newsletters are a terrific resource, spreading the word in a most effective manner merely means coming up with an address or two and writing a check.
Drop by the RC field (groans all around). Look, the fact is a lot of guys, when coming back to modeling, can't find us. So they go to the Dark Side. And that's fine. Because they are again active with models, have probably found the RC sport/contest scene just doesn't compare to similar CL-based activities. (Locally RC Pattern is going through a decline in participation. I'm fixin' to convert a couple of these guys.)
While at the RC field post something. Seems as if they've all got bulletin boards. If not, the transmitter impound/frequency pin area serves the same purpose. Post announcement of the next club meeting, copies of a local CL newsletter, schedule of upcoming CL contests.
Better yet, drop off a spare copy or two of Stunt News. These are readily available, would be read by many. Attach business cards to each issue, anything which makes it easy for those interested to tap into the CL community.
Hobby shops seem to be few and far between today, but they are interested in new customers, a broader customer base, which is exactly what we are after as well. All your local shops need copies of newsletter, contest schedules, information on local flying sites.
And they need a bi-monthly shipment of Stunt News. This hasn't been mentioned recently, but copies of this excellent "newsletter" are readily available, shops can sell them for a profit, maybe we can pick up some more retreads. All it takes is a little effort on your part.
It's all really quite simple. So simple that we have already been doing it, based upon an intuitive answer to the problem we all see. Look around, based upon known and quantified numbers from our existing ranks, it is exceedingly obvious which recruitment techniques result in active CL fliers.
It is also pretty clear which programs and techniques, while occupying big blocks of time and planning and effort, simply don't fulfill their promise.
Let's be clear concerning the differences, putting our resources into rifle-shot methods.
A shotgun is a wonderful weapon, but let's leave it on the shelf for now.
Dan
Added 08 April, 2006:
While I believe the one-on-one approach of contacting old friends from modeling is the most effective tactic, can we not both expand our contact base and institute more formal programs?
As I strongly believe in local solutions to local problems (read: opportunities), the first thing which comes to mind is the archived mailing lists for local and/or regional newsletters. When it comes to renewing contacts, recruiting more CL modelers, such a database is pure gold.
Yes, make a mailing, even though above I dismissed the shotgun approach. How about a compromise, in my view an enhancement? A two-stage mailing, the first being to everybody on the list. A second mailing just prior to our traveling road show of contests coming to the candidate's area.
The first letter would be generic in nature, letting those involved years ago know that we're still here, still having a great time, in fact we are growing. Details are negotiable, but a few pictures of familiar model designs, a description of the events being flown on a regular basis, the PAMPA skill-level system, the availability of ARFs, current flying sites and so on seems appropriate.
The second letter would be area-specific. This would be a description of a CL Stunt contest coming soon to, for example, the old Sandpoint site here in the NW. This letter would be sent to all within easy driving distance. Other and very similar letters would be mailed in advance of all contests over the space of a year.
With just two mailings spread over a few months, in each region of the US we will have contacted all of those in the single group most likely to swing by and take a serious look at the current scene in CL Stunt.
Hmmmm, I have been assuming this would all be done via hard-copy letters, as some mailing lists will go back many years. In the first letter we better include the option of email notification as a third--and possibly ongoing--hit for those who have a low-level interest currently but might be entrapped in the future. After all, once the email list has been built it takes no more effort to send out 100 notices than a mere 10 or so.
At the national level, does PAMPA have a role to play? Most assuredly. Due to various reasons--a substantial dues increase a few years ago, a decidedly unhappy period of about 2005 to 2006--we have in our database easily as many potential members as are currently enrolled.
It seems obvious to me that we as an organization ought be reaching out to those who at one time in the past were close enough to CL Stunt to have been PAMPA members.
Still with the national scene, surely the AMA has records which go back for many years. How much of this information is actually in an easily-manipulated database or is codified as to primary interests is not known to me.
What is known is that an AMA mailing could be made, even though pushing such a program through would be a daunting task and does not appear to be the sort of tactic our national organization is interested in using to promote modeling.
Not a critical comment, just a comment, although recent efforts to act as a lobbying organization on behalf of for-profit manufacturing companies, to give actual model building and competition short shrift in Model Aviation does give me pause as to what the current priorities of the AMA might be...
The local or regional approach seems the best by far, although a parallel effort by PAMPA certainly deserves consideration.
Dan
Topic: An actual plan for recruiting CL flyers... (Read 1794 times)
