Fair unknowns

[ssmdive]

Those who are new to competition often fixate on the "competition" aspect

Might be because it is in the title.... If a pilot just wanted to hang out with pilots, we would be talking about a fly-in.

I suspect this sport may not be for you

I often suspect the same thing based in the responses I have been given.

you'd get a lot of respect from other pilots for potentially doing so well with a 7ECA.

I don't fly Acro to impress others.

I'd be happy to run a one-design contest for all the hopelessly disenchanted-with-IAC 7ECA pilots out there...if there are any others.

And a true one design contest would be fun. But I wonder how many pilots in aerobatic capable aircraft have been chased away from competition based on discussions like this? Read the posts from a neutral perspective.... There is a ton of underlying comments making claims that I want it given to me, I am not a good pilot, I don't want to train....etc

Just for fun, I'll add some of my resume.... Competitive skydiver with silver medals at the nationals in 8way open, 16 way open, 10 way open. Won the Advanced class in 4 way, silver in Intermediate 4 and gold in 8 way, two world records, skydiving instructor and competition coach. My first aerobatic comp I placed 2nd in primary in the ECA. Every other plane was a Pitts. All the local guys said I could fly the plane in Sportsman, but I would stand zero chance at a medal and I'd have to fly the plane at redline and VNE to stand a chance.

So:
1. Beat on the plane to compete and lose in Sportsman
2. Stay in Primary (which they removed the 45* upline and the spin.. Making it uninteresting to me and retained the 1/2 cuban and roll which if done correctly drops the oil preasure and kills the engine).
3. Buy a new plane.

Pointing out that an ECA has zero chance in Sportsman has brought me a bunch of people saying I 'irritate' them and claims that I want it given to me or claims that I lack basic skills.... Not exactly a welcoming wagon.

But the Pitts S1S goes into prebuy soon. So I'll have nothing to cry about when I get my ass kicked in Sportsman in the future.

But the main point still stands. The sport is dying, the sequences IMO should really have min and maximum aircraft, and new pilots are not always welcomed with open arms and instead talked down to... I have noticed in person they all tend to be nice, but online that is not always the case.

The majority of people I have run across have been great.... But the ones that say I 'irritate' them, or claim I want it 'given to me' or claim I must lack 'basic skills' are the ones that stick out and close the sport to people who think they may want to try it.

Just something to consider.... How many people get pushed away when they are talked down to?