Okay, Jim.
(Clip)
I made a point that I don't believe it is building your own model if you use wings and tail pieces others made. Nobody wants to address that point. Why?
Anyway, I agree with Peabody, the thread is going nowhere. If you wish, I will delete my posts. What I think is not going to change anything. The system always wins. You can't beat city hall.
To Rusty Pieper
OK, I want to make a couple of points here.
First, I took the advice of others and went back to look at some of your posts. Yes, it appears you have been involved with models for some time. I found it interesting, however, that on May 31, 2018, you wrote "I am willing to support the hobby even though I don't fly."
Does this mean you do not fly CLPA? If so, then you are an observer looking in on an event with which you have little or no experience and you are telling us how it needs to be improved. You are certainly entitled to your own opinions, however misinformed they may be.
Over the years, there have been numerous attempts from various people to eliminate the BOM from our CLPA event with the claim that this is a flying event. Those initiatives have been thwarted by the majority in this event that consider CLPA, as we believe it to be, is a modeling event which includes the building AND flying these model airplanes, thus we have provisions in the rules for appearance based on a BOM rule and a very carefully worded section in our CLPA rules that define what the BOM requirements are. This CLPA BOM rule is based essentially on the fact that the majority of the CLPA community understand that purchased wings have been a part of our event since foam wings (built by others) first appeared in contests, including the Nationals as early as the 60's. (It could be argued that since foam wings have appeared in kits for various designs/events, that such foam wings could be considered as part of the "average kit" that was in the applicable BOM rule extant at that time.) Certainly, Event Directors at the Nationals found no problem when these models appeared including two people who had significant influence in the evolution of our event and the National CLPA event including George Aldrich and Bill Netzeband.
In the following, I believe your definition of a "true CRAFTSMAN" is one who completely starts from scratch using original plans to build a model)
Now, let's fast forward to the present. I am sure you are aware that our CLPA enthusiasts represent a broad band of interests and capabilities, both in the designing, construction, flying, and contest participation. So, let's address those who are interested in contest participation. This encompasses those who are only interested in local or even regional level participation where some are totally satisfied with ARF and RTF or borrowed airplanes foregoing any appearance points to those who participate at the highest level of competition including from the few really competitive regional contests to the Nats and to our US CLPA fliers who participate in the FAI F2B event. Even at the Nationals, some will fly models they did not build in the Skill Classes, willingly giving up appearance points and are not concerned if they or those they compete against are the "true craftsmen" you say should only be competing in our CLPA event. Now, let's look at those competing at the highest levels.
You should be aware that most of the competitors capable of competing in the top 20 rounds of the Nats build their own models entirely from scratch. Many of those, at least a significant majority, use their own design. You will also find that the models these competitors bring to contests are generally capable of being found in the front 3 or 4 rows during the Nats appearance judgeing, so there is very little difference to discern one master modeler from the other regarding "CRAFTSMANSHIP". So, the question becomes, what would be gained by trying to improve our event by somehow giving additional credit for elements of appearance over the the curent system? Right now, the system seems to work fairly well and the participants seen comfortable with it. For an interloper who does not fly/compete in this event to come in and make absurd claims of what the event should be will not be warmly received.
Sure, people can use a procured wing. But the important parts in a CLPA model is the skill and craftsmanship of the builder to align the components, install the control system, apply the finish, integrate the power train while maintaining some weight control and then deal with flight trim.
You are correct on one thing. What you think regarding this matter will not change anything. I hope you have had fun in the meantime.
Keith
Topic: If it walks like a duck (Read 9001 times)
