NCFRgal's Scale Aerobatic NATS Perspective

[SleepyC]

	Quote:
	This year at the Nats there was day to day coverage provided by non competing IMAC members and it was posted on the IMAC site. Its not impossible to get done.

Ok.. but why was it not posted here?

I mean seriously, since I don't compete in IMAC, and I have been occupied with traveling, getting called out over the coverage was the first time I have even heard about the NATS, and when they were. As someone who is not currently following IMAC closely (I enjoy it, but since I do not compete, it's not on the top of my everyday to-do list) I did not have the NATS marked on my calendar.

I'm sure there were a few mentions on the IMAC threads here, but again, I have the "contact us", "help" and "lame thread" reports I focus on. Again the reason why we have additional staff members to hopefully spread the load.

Also, as the Director of the North Central Region I would think that I would possibly get a heads up in the board room. A simple "Hey Steve we need someone to cover the NATS which takes place the week June 29 - July 3rd." And I would have gone after the coverage. With a few weeks lead time, I can usually get someone to cover any event.
I was told about the Nats on Saturday of this week. July 4th, as I was at a family BBQ. The entire week, no one brought it to my attention at all. I'll take the blame for being completely oblivious to the Nats happening. But again, I ask.. with all the IMAC guys on Staff, why didn't anyone say anything prior to the event, instead of just complaining afterwards!

I can assume that everyone thought I was fully aware of the NATS, and maybe I should be, but MAN.. think of how many events take place, and try to keep track of them all.

[Andy Thomas]

It would be nice to see this contest added to the FG coverage and travel budget.

[SleepyC]

I think everyone is losing site on what FG is.
FG is a platform for ANY member to do coverage.
If your at an event cover it! And if the event is notable, we will gladly move the coverage to the home page.

Right now, I'm looking to cut back on attending events, the traveling is more than I can accommodate, and the costs are not recouped.

With proper foresite, almost any event can be covered. Just need the lead time and notification to do it.

[SleepyC]

Look at the posts on the home page thread now. Guys will provide the coverage if given the opportunity.

There are full on scores, placements and full pilot lists now.

[hubb]

Excactly the purpose that this thread was started for. There was a bit of dissapointment that there was no FG coverage of the NATS. there are updates and pictures contained within this thread as well as standings and photos of the winners within minutes of the announcements. accually quite a few people contibuted to this thread via Mobile, Text and phone calls. it was done totally by Contestants and bystanders (Myself, Seth's Dad..) I guess I then have to wonder why this thread itself could not have just served the member as the Home Page thread instead?

[SleepyC]

Hubb, it could have been.
You guys did an excellent job. (I've jut been going back through the thread)
The truth is, it was not pointed out to me by anyone.

As you can imagine with the hundreds and thousands of threads and posts on FG, I do my best to keep on top of it all, but it is literally not possible. There are so many posts in the IMAC region threads that tend to be related to just the pilots flying at the competitions that honestly I don't always read all of them.

If ANY of the guys would have shot me a "Hey Sleep" IMAC NATS this week" email, PM, PAGE, i would have looked and perhaps even contacted a few of you about coverage. At that point I'm sure I would have seen this thread and BAM.. problem solved!

FG members are capable of amazing coverage of events, and many of you do a great job of documenting the events.
I would be happy and extremely excited to feature this coverage. I just need to know it's going on!

[Wayne]

No problem.
My fault for not notifying you or others on the FG staff that we need to cover the Nats.
Just so its written down in public.
Tucson needs to be covered. Next years Clover Creek needs to be covered as well as next years Nats.

If FG wants to truly be what its image in the RC community is, my suggestion would be that paid staff needs to be seriously looked at. Not me. I dont want to get paid. I am talking 3 or 4 guys on staff who's only job is to cover events. If you have more than one or two people doing it you could concievably have two events on the same weekend covered. One person doing it doesnt work and stuff of course, will be missed.

And yes, I am sure the money is there for those staff positions to be put in place.

[Craven]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Wayne
	And yes, I am sure the money is there for those staff positions to be put in place.

I'm sure your employer, State Farm, has 4 pilots available, instead of 2, being paid full time wages, for every leg you fly. I'll even bet you told your company CEO that didn't you?

[twostroke]

Just some thoughts.....NATS coverage can be a slippery slope. There is almost a month's worth of NATS activities and I am sure pilots as well as spectators would love coverage of "their" event. (Soaring, combat, etc. etc.) I agree that a front page FG article would have been nice, but I can't see Sleepy hanging around Muncie for a whole month to cover the whole NATS. Maybe we can take what everyone is saying here today and put it to good use next year. If someone wants a particular event covered at the NATS, then maybe Sleepy can get a Laptop and a camera available and a responsible person for each event to hand off to as each event happens. Hind sight is 2020, lets use what we learned this year and really step it up in 2010! I appreciate all the info we did get from different ones posting during the NATS. Just organize it a little for next year and it will be great here for all of us on FG! No rant here, I enjoyed every bit of what we did get on FG through the eyes of NCFRGal, Will, and others!!

[Wayne]

Craven,
If your asking do we have more than we need to cover one trip.. Yes. Absolutely.

[xtra330]

wow - i wasnt going to say anything....but =)

I was the CD for the CCA event last year....yes, i was told and confirmed that coverage was going to be done by the FG staff, then the staff switched hands....and then confirmed again that somebody would be out there to cover the event....then...nobody showed up.

No worries. (disappointed, yes)...we still posted pics on FG for those who were interested. I had asked several IMAC competeitors to step up at the event and report daily what they could.... (thanks wayne, bernie, and the list goes on)...it was then posted on the front page of FG....very much appreciated! And thanks to Wil Beyers, Jerry Smith, and Fred Midgett for the coverage they did on the event! FG knew about this event 4-5 months in advance of this contest, btw.

Anyways....now, thanks to the new BOD in IMAC...we have a kick arse website for all us straight line junkies to go and find out up to date info.....including the NATS....with pictures. I am pretty sure and comfortable enough to say that the CCA event will be covered on the site as well.

Now....some people may not like IMAC or straight flying....but lets be honest here...we all learn from IMAC competitors the secrets about setting up our multi-thousdand dollar airplanes..just a recent post...look at Wil Beningers post on his 43% Carden...its insane!!!!! I havenever seen a 3D maniac hucker do a thread like that.....Say what you want about IMAC, that its not worthy to do a front page article, etc....but we all have the straight line madness in all of us....it just hasnt been released...lol

errrrrrr - why did i start replying to this article....oh yeah.....IMAC junkies report on their contests, to say they dont....you must be blind, as there always seems to be an article about IMAC on the front page of current postings found here on FG.....as well as the new IMAC web site!

sorry for the spelling =/

[Wayne]

Thanks Joe.
I thought for a second I was losing my memory.

[SleepyC]

You guys are taking this in the entirely wrong direction.
No one here is saying that no one is interested in IMAC or that any facet of this hobby is more important than any other.

What I am personally saying is this, I have been occupied setting up the Huckfest series, working with the clubs, and clearing sanctions and sponsors for these events, all while making sure the site was still functioning properly. These events are what has been in my mind. I am aware many IMAC events are taking place every weekend, but I am not focusing on them at this time. This is not to say that FG can't have great coverage of these events, but again, this is why we have IMAC staff. The whole reason we put IMAC pilots on staff was to keep FG abreast of the IMAC scene.

I am sure than many of the IMAC pilots could not tell me when the scheduled Huckfests are, and possibly have found themselves practicing for the next IMAC contest and a home field and got a call from a friend "Hey bud, where are you, the Huckfest is only one hour away you should be here!"
And there is nothing wrong with this, a Huckfest is not where that pilots interested lie. And that is 100% fine!

All I am saying is, Max and I both put IMAC pilots in place here as staff to help FG cover IMAC and stay on top of it. At least notify us of the important dates and contests. it is really not hard for a Staff member to ask "Are we covering this, who is going, and what is the plan" or better, "Hey I'm going to this contest, do we have anyone covering it?!" Then it's a done deal, it would have been set up. DONE!

Personally I like IMAC. I try and fly the sequences quite often. I find it adds focus to my flying and does make me a better pilot. Right now in my life I do not have time to practice on a regular basis, nor can I make a regular contest schedule, so it does not make sense for me to pursue IMAC at this time.
Hence I do not follow it as much as some. Again, this does not make it any less important, but I just am not fully aware of the schedule. I figured out of the 18+ Staff members we would have SOMEONE that would have said something about the NATS.

In reference to Clover Creek, we did everything we could to get coverage for that event.
I was personally going to cover that event, but my house sale fell through which made our new house purchase fall through, and in the craziness, I was almost rendered homeless. This happened 5 days before the event. I then lined up a replacement who 2 days before the event backed out.
Sorry.. but life happened.

[Wayne]

Again,
My fault for not letting the staff here know when the IMAC Nationals were.

For future reference if FG wants to cover these events..
Nationals are always in July.
Tucson is always in October.
Clover is every other year and held in August.

Now you know.

[SleepyC]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Wayne
	Again, My fault for not letting the staff here know when the IMAC Nationals were. For future reference if FG wants to cover these events.. Nationals are always in July. Tucson is always in October. Clover is every other year and held in August. Now you know.

This is great, but please throw a reminder up a few weeks before an event. Sometimes so much is going on, that July 4th seems like it's 4 months away, only to find out it was last Saturday.