[scaleguy]

Originally Posted by airframe

I'm going to be at the Nats for the whole thing. I'm competeing in SA at the beginning and Precision Aerobatics at the end, it is going to be a blast.

Mike Sebastien

Nike,

Glad to hear your coming to the NATS for SA. Hope it's not BASIC! Will be nice to me some of East Coast brotherin. Any other SA pilots making the journey with you?

[airframe]

Originally Posted by scaleguy

Nike,

Glad to hear your coming to the NATS for SA. Hope it's not BASIC! Will be nice to me some of East Coast brotherin. Any other SA pilots making the journey with you?

As far as I know from the Moncton area it will be just me. I'm going to compete in Advanced unless the last maneuver in the sequence kills me. It is a figure 9 with a 2 of 4 pt roll followed by a positive snap roll and then a Negative snap on top. I hate it because by the time you get all this done and keep the lines straight you are in orbit.

Mike Sebastien

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Morison

Chad,
The AMA Nats are showing 955 event registrations
With a typical 10:1 factor for US:Canada population (which is bourne out in AMA membership numbers) a Canadian Nats that has 96 event registrations is actually better attended than a the US Nats

The 'typical' Canadian nats was running between 150 and 200 event registrations as I recall

Quite true, however the Cnd Nats does not draw the elite as the US Nats does. There is good reason why the entire Cnd. F3A team will be in Muncie this year You just cant get that exposure anywhere else (save the Worlds)....at least in F3A anyways.

Having been to the Vancouver and Brandon Nats, and having a great time.....I will absolutely attend Vancouver next year if it goes forth.....but its not nearly the same caliber of contest that the US Nats is.

If you are looking for competion experience its tough to beat.

Although this is quite off Ed's topic.....its a shame that MA is not covering the Nats, I always liked to look back at all the pictures.....however the Nats News (those who have gone will know of this daily newsletter).....is now far better from what I have seen posted on the net.....I dont recall this being done in a timely fashion in previous years as it was this year.

Anyways, for those who cant go...you can follow along

http://www.modelaircraft.org/events/natsnews.asp

Myself along with the other team members will be competing the 18th-21st

[airframe]

I'll be watching.

Mike Sebastien

[ken park]

Come-on Guys! Everyone can help with the reporting. Iam taking my digital camera and I'll be taking tons of great shot in-bewteen flying in my events. It would be great if there is a central website/email location we can submit photo's to MAAC to use in the daily updated reporting?

Great idea?

PS: Iam really looking forward in playing in SCALE RC-COMBAT and OPEN RC-COMBAT at the NATS.

signed Already prepaided are you?

[JimMcIntyre]

Originally Posted by can773

Quite true, however the Cnd Nats does not draw the elite as the US Nats does. There is good reason why the entire Cnd. F3A team will be in Muncie this year You just cant get that exposure anywhere else (save the Worlds)....at least in F3A anyways.

And as long as that attitude exists, that situation will remain....

There are a alot of modellers in Canada, many more just the other side of the border.... Correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to recall that prior to the AMA providing a permanent home (ad date) to their Nats, they were seeing a downward trend in attendance...

[Usetobechair]

Jim is correct. The US nats where in the same state as the Canadian Nats.
They provided a home, slatted a time and here we are today. it takes them a month to complete there nats.

We may never need a month, but it would be nice to get back to the 300 entrants they use to have. The key is to have Nats each and every year supported by the MAAC, controlled by MAAC, and delivered by MAAC. in the same place and time each year. We could then plan to attend.

I understand the exposure thing and it would be great to be in the same catagory as we once were.

[ken park]

For me the I've made a simple rules to live by with any group!

#1 Did you Participate in the event? if so I've got all the time in the world for you. If not I can't hear you. ATT this is the only NATS we got if its to improve than participation will incourage improvements

People work very hard to make these thing happen. No matter the size of the event wether its local or National. These people are 99 % Volunteers!!!!!!!

Only you can make these MAAC Nats great by your participation. That could be as easy as being a spectator. Huh!!!

If I see you there! your a buddy of mine ok. Don't be an arm chair general. If your still in your armchair your only talking to yourself.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by JimMcIntyre

And as long as that attitude exists, that situation will remain....

There are a alot of modellers in Canada, many more just the other side of the border.... Correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to recall that prior to the AMA providing a permanent home (ad date) to their Nats, they were seeing a downward trend in attendance...

The US Nats being a permanent location and set date (mostly, it does move a week sometimes) is a real plus.....

This is the 4th time I have gone, its 3500 km, but I know the route I stay at the same hotel I know the facility....there is no planning anymore. I just send in the form and go. I know when to be ready for.....if the Cnd Nats goes this route I expect attendance will increase.

The plus side is its much easier to organize as most everything is the same year after year.....for Muncie they have established awesome hotel rates because the hotels know they will be full for that duration....it just all around makes things better.

When you acheive that state more people show, when more people show the competition is better.

I knew when Muncie was going to be in September (our dates moved 1 week later than normal).....I didnt know the dates for the Cnd Nats until maybe Feb....or so....and to my knowledge pattern has been moved to the weekend which is not reflected on the website or in the MAAC mag. How can I plan flights across the country to compete in an event on relatively short notice?

In our world Cnd National Champion doesnt mean much for potential sponsors.....in fact you would be lucky to get any sort of sponsorships with that.....now be a US National champion and they will beat down your door.....my 11th place finish last year in Muncie does more for me than a 1st place here. Until the Cnd Nats get that kind of status it will be tough to draw the best unfortunately.

I am all for a Cnd Nats but from my perspective I need bang for the buck....if I can only choose one or another today I would choose the US Nats...hopefully that will change in future years.

[JimMcIntyre]

Ask not what the Nats can do for you Chad but, what you can do for the Nats.