What is going on with this organization?

[Cubcrafter]

Item #1
I recently got an email telling me that the 2013 Competition Guide was available so thought that I would take a look.
I see that we now have ProAm/Pro and ProAm/Sportsman.

ProAm/Pro: This category is available as an entry-level class for new and developing scale competitors. Contestants may enter the ProAm/Pro category provided they have not previously competed in Expert, Team Scale, or Advanced.

ProAm/Sportsman: This category is available as a novice class. Contestants may enter ProAm/Sportsman provided they have not previously competed at any level other than USSMA ProAm/Sportsman,AMA Fun Scale Novice or any other scale R/C contest above the novice level.

There is absolutely no difference between these two classes and will have the same pool of non-experienced pilots competing in both.
As a competitor in the Expert class I can still only fly in one event at the championships, (other that Team Scale) yet at most all qualifiers I am able to fly in Expert and a Fun Scale Class, which is like ProAm/Pro.

Item #2

Today I got an email about the British Columbia Scale Classic.

The British Columbia Scale Classic is a graduated competative event for developing Scale Modelers from Novice level through to Expert (see BCSC Guidelines below). The event is a "Scale Masters Qualifier" utilizing the current US  Scale Masters Guidelines.
Event scores will count towards the Northwest Scale Championships (Including Fun Scale).
The 2012 Championships will be hosted by the Wenatchee Red Apple Flyers' in Wenatchee, WA. on August 23rd - 26th, 2013.

Doesn't anyone think that this event will have some impact on the attendance of the championships in NAS Alameda, CA.

I have been campaigning for an east coast championship along with the west coast championship for a long time.
So why is there a Northwest Scale Championships endorsed by the organization and not an East Coast Championship?

And don't tell me that we don't know where to have it because there are many clubs that could be contacted that have the experience of hosting an event of this type.

We need the leaders of this organization to step up and lead. This organization is not doing a very good job of promoting scale flying in this country.

Larry Folk

[Mitchell Baker]

Item #1, not going to comment, there is a proposal now to remove that from the wording even though it was reviewed several times... 

Item #2 - It should not.   The USSMA Champs are in October.  This is not a new event. They have been holding this even for 3-4 yrs now.  Just like there has been a Texas State Championships for many years... At one time there was also a New England Championships.

You are welcome to do a Midwest Champs, or Ohio Valley Championship, what ever you want to call them. 

Are you stepping up to host an East Coast championships?  Think you can get the funding to pull it off?  Support 2 sets of trophies?  Where on the east coast would be fair?  When they were hosted in Sarasota FL, there were complaints from the NE, more than from the NW about them. 

See-ya
Mitch

[j_whitney]

Larry - there is absolutely NOTHING stopping you from holding an East Coast Championship.  You just can't call it the US Scalemaster Championships.  And it too would be viewed as a Qualifier for THE Championships.  Years ago my club hosted a pattern contest; we called the West Coast Championships.  Was it a championships?  No, but the name sounded good!   Think about it - there is one Superbowl, there is one World Series, etc.  You can only have one Championships.   USSMA tries to alternate between the coasts so there is equal opportunity, but financially supporting two Championships events per year is beyond our means.  And two Championships events would dilute both of them.  It is difficult enough to transport our large models already but giving an "out" like that would hurt both events for those that CAN afford the travel.  The way it is now, the West Coast gets to see some East Coast pilots and vice versa.  Not a lot, but some.   So far as I can recall, the only Championships that was actually on the East Coast was the Sarasota one and that one (for several reasons) did not do that well.  Where on the East Coast are you proposing, anyway?   Jeff

[Cubcrafter]

I never met Harris Lee before he passed away as I did not start flying in competitions until 2000. But from reading about and hearing how he started, and why he started, this organization I see that he had a vision of what r/c scale flying could be in this country. Because he had this vision I believe that he would have changed the organization as the demographics and other factors came into play. You must change, adapt and innovate or you will die.

Scale flying today is a lot different than it was in the 80's and 90's. A large number of aircraft today are 1/3 scale and larger and we have ARF's in the mix. Costs are a bigger factor, traveling to events, the aircraft themselves.
There are other events that pilots can attend, such as Dawn Patrol, Warbird and large local events where their planes can be shown off and fussed over.

The Pro Class snafu is just one thing that hurts the growth of Scale Masters, wasn't the text for the classes read?

My push for an east coast championship is really for an east of the Mississippi and west of the Mississippi location.
It should be the job of the Director and the East/West Director's to scope out these locations and have either long term commitments or clubs waiting to host these events.

We are having a qualifier here in central Ohio at the club that Mike Barbee and I belong to.
When the championships is on one side of the country or the other there just isn't the excitement about it on the non championship side. Scale Masters needs to promote scale flying across the entire country year round.

This year I will attend the Mint Julep, AMA Nats and the Central Ohio Scale Challenge, not because I want to qualify but because I want to attend some scale events. The bonus would be to have a championship event at the end of the year to attend that wouldn't be more than a two day's drive, and this will also certainly increase attendance at "east coast" qualifiers.

Larry

[Mel Santmyers]

I see the competition guide has been updated. Not to be overlooked are the recent changes that will benefit everyone.                 #1. Some class changes,although not a change per sey but a change in some class names that will bring us more into todays world of competition. #2. The very important change that means a far greater number of pilots may finally qualify for the masters.[see page four of the guide.]        #3 The new turntable for static judging can now be used enabling everyone. [See the last page in the guide book.]
Although not a change I think it would be extremely important for every CD to remind every judge that Photos shall take precedence over a three view just as it states in the rule book.
So! Things are beginning to change and we need to support the Scale Masters by joining the organization today in case you do not already belong.