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  #11  
Old 06-12-2020, 08:01 AM
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GuyNoir GuyNoir is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEC
The jury is still out on whether the reformat has really helped more people do contest events, but it's early yet


Having flown and run contests under both the old and new systems, for me, the new one wins hands down.
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  #12  
Old 06-14-2020, 09:27 PM
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blackshire blackshire is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fulldec
You are most welcome.

I agree with your point and alluded to the same idea in my message(and in our announcements) but did not make that case very strongly.

The fact of the matter is that the newer format of competition, the National Rocketry Competition, or NRC, that Bernard referenced was driven in part to facilitate access to competition by rocketeers with constraints like you point out. In addition to those folks, there are those who go off to college and are removed from most of their supplies, shops and club support. We lose many competitors when they go off to college (for a variety of reasons, of course). Flying the same NRC events year long reduces the number of models you have to build each year. Our busy college students can squeeze in a few flights with a box full of stuff you can store under the bed.

Through the year, these folks can compete in contests with as few as two NAR members, yet they are competing with fellow contestants all across the country. It is essentially an ongoing nationwide postal contest where you can fly over and over to improve your standing.

I think the challenge, in this case, is getting the word out to that world of isolated rocketeers and encouraging them to participate.

The Virtual NARAM is an even more informal event, more of a reason to go out and practice fly. With so many things closed, cancelled, or postponed these days it is good to have something to do.

Don
Mass media (radio and television) would be one way to inform isolated children and adults about these competition opportunities. Advertising rates for radio and TV stations in such areas are surprisingly reasonable--literally, sometimes "a dollar a holler." (People could even, absent local hobby shops or chain stores carrying spacemodeling products, purchase the kits, motors, and accessories by mail order, toll-free telephone numbers, or online [with this contact information being included in the ads]--mailers could also be sent to the schools, Scouting groups, and 4-H Clubs, etc., in these areas.) Maybe Estes, Quest, and/or other firms could offer a combination beginners'/competitors' Starter Set [with motors] and/or Launch Set [without motors]?). Also:

Many competition model rockets and rocket kits are, physically, quite simple 3FNC/4FNC, often minimum-diameter rockets, whose designs are optimized for higher performance (and streamer duration, parachute duration, and egglofter models are often similar, but with enlarged recovery system or egg compartments). Including such competition rocket airframe parts, along with a beginners' model rocket kit (just off the top of my head [I'm sure there are other sources], Apogee Rockets, ASP, and Quest are good sources of competition rocket parts) and plans (with contest types information, good-performing fin planform [and cardstock boat-tail] patterns, aluminized Mylar streamers and parachutes, a NAR Standard Payload, etc.) in the sets would enable *anyone*--isolated or not--with an interest in competition model rocketry to get involved.
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