Table of Contents - SEN 1335

1.  More to Munch on
2. iPhoney
3. no iFake on this one
4. Ron's rep is real

More to Munch on

From Lueken the laggard

All,

 Seems like the finals go through this every 2 years. To the people pushing for Muncie.... remember, this is about picking a quality team to represent the USA. And, It's actually quite simple, if you don't want to travel to Lost Hills... don't. If you don't want to travel to Muncie... don't.

I would like to make one further comment out of concern for our program.  So far most of our comments have been associated with which field produces the best team.  However I think there is an even more serious issue of how could we be affecting the future of FAI free flight in the US.  Many smart business people will make decisions based on a benefit / risk analysis and I think it would be prudent to consider the benfits vs risks for a possible finals at Muncie.  Here are the ideas and concerns that come to my mind:

BENEFITS:  I am aware that there are some young flyers from the east that might be able to attend a finals if it were held during the summer when school is out.  Also the location may benefit these flyers so I will make an assumption that perhaps the program will gain say 3 flyers.  Pure guess, but there could be a gain.

RISKS:  My risks are all associated with a large number of models landing off the field.  There is of course a chance that extremely good weather would minimize this, but smart people always consider what could happen in average or wprst cases.

1.  Our numbers are already in decline and our state is fragile.  Models can be expensive.  If some flyers lose too many models or become frustrated because their times were clocked off early or they become discouraged with very challenging retrievals they may quit and never return to the program.  They may look at many of the other more simple less stressful events and decide to move away from the FAI events.  How many people might we lose?  3?  5?  7?  Who knows, but it is a risk.

2.  The potential high number of models landing off the field could strain the relations with the local landowners and farmers.  Unlike the Nationals and small contests where events can be postponed and flyers might elect to simply not fly when models are at risk, I believe flyers going for the team will fly regardless to get their flights in and compete for a spot and the organizers would be under pressure to finish the contest and would not postpone.  Flyers in a hurry to get the models and return for the next round may not respect the farmers property as they should.  I'm not a local and expert here, and maybe the locals should verify this, but it seems to me that there is a real risk to all future free flight at Muncie if a bunch of these landowners get upset and run to the AMA office.  Is it fair to risk a nice small field that many people love just so we can hold a finals there?

3.  Risk to AMA relations and AMA support.  In the above mentioned worst case of locals becoming upset and running to AMA, how will this make us look in the eyes of AMA?  Again, I'm no expert here but it seems to me that it would not hurt AMA at all if they quit supporting the FAI free flight program.  I'm not sure they gain much by helping us and their big interests are clearly the RC crowd.  So could they cease or minimize future support to free flight after a bad experience?  I don't know, but is it worth the risk?

So that's my analysis.  Please others add other benefits or risks I am missing.  But in my eyes it seems that the Muncie finals could benefit a few flyers but add risk to the future of the entire program and local flyers at Muncie.

Thanks for reading this, Ken

iPhoney

Matron SCAT and Sir Jules,

All this talk about iPhone apps and spirit levels got me thinking. Why not integrate the spirit level with the timer programme and get the kit to set up your model automatically. So with a little help from a few bods in the know a program was written, a special connecting lead manufactured and a trial run was performed.

All didn't go too well, and I guess I shouldn't have started with a fully wound F1B. Having scrapped the remnants off the recently painted walls (colour - 'A Touch of Summer' now 'A Stain of Rubber') and picked up the pieces of Mrs EoB's priceless 3rd place at the Malvern Cockerill Show 1983 medal, I tried again. Well maybe a fully fuelled F1C wasn't a good idea on hindsight but the loss adjuster has been round and I'm told we'll only be in the caravan for 6 months with Fort EoB is re-built (although this will include a Scottish winter).

Doesn't the name 'iPhone' hint at the best use of this product ? Yep, bin it and buy semaphore flags instead !

EoB

PS I'd vote for a World Champs at the MMM site !

 Ron's Rep

Roger, FYI, Ron Felix's rep. DID NOT VOTE FOR Muncie. Please correct. No names need to be used.

Just trying to keep things straight.

Thank you,

........

Roger Morrell