This is an entirely different situation today than it was back when the skill classes were developed. A resurgence in interest in C/L stunt by former pilots and a whole new batch of newcomers happened at the same time. A typical beginner had to learn so much to get to the top pedestal at the NATS, and the retread flyers has some new technology to adapt to, along with some rules changes. A typical regional contest may have had 10 to 15 entrants in beginner and intermediate, maybe a few less in Advanced and fewer yet in Expert. I started out at a local contest here in St. Louis at Buder Park in June of 1987 and it took me two models to get through the two official flights. I had gotten to the point where I could do the beginner pattern, but my only contest experience was with R/C sailplanes and free flight models. Luckily , Norm Whittle was there and gave me a pointer or two. Norm was actually in the sailplane club I was a member of, and i had no idea of his back ground in stunt, and he was in the Air Force at the time and stationed at Scott AFB across the river. Bill Calkins helped me out quite a bit that day also. Jim Lee was the first to really impress me with what bottoms should be at that same event!! That was one thing I noticed right away, no shortage of helps and advice, and that encouraged me to keep at it. Lots of brotherhood and camaraderie.
As the years went by, I improved and so did everyone else. It took me 17 years to go from my first contest in beginner to when I won my first contest as an expert. I got a lot of help and gave out a lot of help also along the way. That was the main thing I liked about the event. There were a few years at the SIG contest where the beginner entries numbered up[ around 30!! Only time in a day for one round!! As time went on everyone moved up at their own pace, or they dropped out of the event. I wonder where all those people went off to? I used to be able to fly 6 or 8 contests a year here in the Midwest and it was pretty much the same crowd with a few new faces depending on where i went. But again, time marches on and as it did, entries dropped, and contests started to drop from the calendar with ageing members, retirements, members passing away, and lack of manpower being the critical reason. I noticed along the way also that the beginner ranks got very thin. The last contest that SIG held in 2012 was lightly attended and some of us could see the writing on the wall at that point. Some of the guys I flew against in beginner were there in Advanced or Expert but Beginner and Intermediate was lacking. No new blood coming into the hobby. One of the last contest I flew in that I remember was at Paducah, KY at what was Allen Brickhaus' contest. There were little to no entries in Beginner or Intermediate, and a fair number in Advanced, with 16 in Expert. I took some magazines and such to give to somebody there, so didn't have room for a good model to fly in Expert, plus Mark Hughes', airplane, so I just took a Ringmaster to fly in OTS and Classic and a beat up Sakitumi that I had traded some one for, but is a very good flying airplane and I had it trimmed about as well as anything I had ever flown. Expert had some heavy hitters in it like Eric Taylor, Kenny Stevens, Tom Dixon, Jim Lee, Matt Neumann and several others. It was a nice, stunt heaven day and I had my head screwed on right and was seeing things well. I had an early flight in both rounds, and put up flights in the 560 point range, flying in front of Jim Lynch and Charlie Reeves, so no gimmes being handed out that day. That's the highest score I have ever received. I felt I had flown about as good as I had ever done that day, so just sat back to see how it would stand up. When the dust settled, I ended up in 13th place out of 16, but was only 9 points off the podium!! That's the kind of environment that any new comers that do come along these day will be working to over come!! Jumping right in at the Advanced level may be discouraging to some, and justifiably so.
When I came up through the ranks, a guy had to lean how to build, finish, learn how to operate and maintain engines, trim a model for best performance which included getting the best engine run with the best props, fuel and plugs available. The skill levels helped with that because you could share your experiences with your peers, guys flying at your level. Plenty of experts around to ask for help also. We had a lot available to us also in the way of materials and product support. Lots of new engines and kits available, new glues, techniques and such to learn and adapt to. This all fit in well with the Builder of The Model rule and another reason for me to stick with the vent. ARFs came along and helped people get in the air faster and helped some of us that didn't have much time to build stay in the game. I also bought models from people and estates. And now, this far down the line, it may be that the ARF supply train may be drying up due to economic reasons. The BOM survived all of this and I am glad about that.
I don't think there is any reason to expand the skill levels, because there is no one to fill them!! Even fewer beginners around today. One thing affecting the hobby today is cost and availability of kits and supplies at reasonable prices. Anyone that I have talked to that inquired about getting started seems to be immediately turned off by what it involves to get started from scratch. There are tons of used equipment out there. Engines, kits, used models and such, but lots of other once common items are not. I know what I am looking for or looking at when I see an add, but the newcomer will not. The level of activity looks to me to be pretty regional across the country. It ranges from a fair amount of activity to none at all!! It's really hard to predict where things may go from here in the future but looks for sure to be that only the strong will survive. Money is beyond tight!! I'm glad I accumulated and hoarded some stuff to keep me going but I have hardly cornered the markets. The concept of advising and providing newcomers with the most modern equipment to push them along right into Advanced just may not be practical. The main obvious reason is expense and availability that I mention before. Electric is supposed to be filling some of that void, but there are some people out that there can't put the batteries in their flash light correctly. Electric has it's pluses and minuses just like I/C models do and those learning curves will still be up to the newcomer to navigate. That will depend on who the newcomer is, an adult, teenager, of 10 year old kid. In the past, we have had all of those. in today's world, maybe not. people these days are just not interested in developing any type of manual skills, and even in the use of ARFS it will require thinking your way through something, soldering, gluing, building up small assemblies and such. The other aspect that this may affect is the BOM rule itself. Todays' mentality for the most part is still instant gratification. Buy it today, fly it tomorrow!! . Would that big bank account still get some one to Final Five at the NATS?? Do today's potential participants even have any interest in taking things that far?? Could we be looking at the end of the BOM, just to get some entrants??
In my opinion there is so much more involved that complicates things today. Peoples ages, general interests, other trends, and so much more. I would never have thought that I would have such a hard time finding and buying small items like we do now. I have 50 years of modeling experience that helps me figure out a way around somethings, but some road blocks still exist. Sonic Tronics still does not show their R/C long plug in stock and the last ones available were $12.99. I finally solved my fuel issue for now, but who knows what the future brings. Kit availability and balsa prices and availability will definitely keep some out of the hobby. It's just a fact of life that keeping food on the table, a roof over their heads, and at least one car running and reliable is a major effort and priority for many people today. There could still be some bad times ahead for everyone.
What's the main thing lacking in getting new blood? Finding anyone that is simply an aviation enthusiast, airplane nut , airplane geek, how ever you want to put it. I still think that has to be something inside a person, whether they know it or not. Many of us came running if we thought we heard an engine running somewhere. I live near Lambert Airport still by choice, because I like seeing any kind of airplane fly over, and even that traffic has really fallen off from what it once was. It's down right quiet over there, unless Boeing has some F/A-18s or F-15 EXs to test. Flying in general just does not seem to hold the same allure or romance that it once did for people. It's not only model aviation feeling that lack of acceptance. General aviation is feeling it also in a lot of ways, some very similar to what modeling is. One of those factors is continued and growing Government interference in our having fun. "Times, they are a changing" like Dylan said in the song but I don't think any of it is for the better!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
Topic: Skill Classes (Read 12194 times)