Dear Dick,
Like you I am not religious. Occasionally I do believe in God but these epiphany's
vanish once the model is no longer heading toward me and my Rectal Sphincter
has regained it's function.
My initial
response to your article was the sound of a pressurised gas being expelled through
a moist elastic orifice. Urgent and deep consultation with my friend Stolly
however has mollified my initial response. As you took the trouble to write
in a reasoned and articulate fashion, I will attempt to emulate.
Firstly the use of the term "quote".
To the best of my knowledge I did not say "R/C sucks". For a start
I find Saying the words 'R oblique slash C sucks' difficult to pronounce. I
believe my words were 'Radio Sucks'; my evidence - see our club motto.
Secondly I
agree with you in part, that is, we both rarely comb our hair. I also agree
that scale is better represented by radio or free flight models. Best of all
is a radio model flying free flight. (next week; hate mail from Kim Webby and
John Ryan)
To some of your other points though I disagree. OK for the Metkemeyers, Wisnieweski
et al (and others in Latin. Ed) I guess that when you have proved a certain
level of competence in CL ie. by setting a World record or winning a World Champs,
you may be entitled to seek fresh fields to conquer.
However when
you list ex NZ C/Liners who are now radio active then you are not persuading
me, you are raising a new question. Why did these people stop flying CL ?
I think (based on asking some) most would agree, CL had lost it's appeal not
because of it's simplicity but because participation was falling due to it's
increasing complexity.
What satisfaction is there in winning a meeting with your high zoot screamer
against two opponents ? The increasing complexity of C/L discouraged new participants
reducing the satisfaction for both them and existing participants. To use an
economic metaphor C/L's satisfaction return stopped out weighing it's commitment
investment. (satisfaction includes not only winning but the social or 'bull
shitting' factor) Put simply "It weren't no fun anymore" Putting the
fun back in is a big part of what N.O.C.L.A.S.S. is about. Hence we support
fun or participation events like slow combat and diesel goodyear. I also believe
that deep down many R/C ers would still rather be flying C/L. This is best seen
in Pylon which contains many of the great elements of C/L, thinly disguised.
Unable to form Pilot/Pit crew teams Pylon fliers sublimate their natural urges into the twisted perversion of Pilot/call person. Pylon fliers longing for the legitimacy of C/L can be seen in other areas. You will notice that despite the use of artificial appliances called "starters" (an old naval term I believe) they naturally continue to fly anti-clockwise. There is hope for them yet, Dick is I hope, only the first of many returnees.
Those of us
who have remained "true" have also felt that some R/Cers do not appreciate
the skills and commitment of C/Lers. Former C/Lers or potential returnees like
Dick usually do but general R/Cers by and large do not. This is another reason
for the formation of N.O.C.L.A.S.S., here we are all equal in interest and enthusiasm.
Dick, you state that as time goes by many of us will be excreted into the world
of R/C. Many of us will also develop prostate trouble but in my view neither
condition is desirable or certain. By temperament I am Gothic, by Philosophy,
a Post Modernist, by training a Historian but what I really am is a Combat flier
with N.O.C.L.A.S.S. Dick I consider you too have N.O.C.L.A.S.S. in your soul
and so I offer you the Club salute. To an R/Cer the salute, a finger rampant,
may be construed as an offensive gesture. A C/Ler however will interpret it
as stating "I will support you by flicking your motor(s) till this digit
is a bloody stump".
Interpret
it how you will.
Radio Sucks !
Bryce "He who will not be trifled with" Gibson