Modeling Spoken Here
Bob Hunt Aeromodeling Editor
Competition is a journey—not a destination.
THIS ISSUE is devoted, for the most part, to coverage of this year's AMA Nationals. Each competition discipline is featured in a separate report.
Each year Model Aviation reports on the "Nats" in this manner and has been criticized by some for "spending" so much valuable magazine space on what is perhaps the smallest segment in modeling: the competitor.
It would be easy to just ignore the questions from the modeling masses as to why we do this, but I'm not going to do that.
Instead, I'm going to attempt to give you noncompetitors a look into the psyche of the competitor.
Competition as defined by Webster is "a contest between rivals; a match." That sounds pretty obvious to me. As a society, we have come to accept various forms of competition in sports, in myriad social situations, and, certainly, in business.
Where did competition start? The answer to that question may provide us with a deeper understanding of the human need and want to compete.
My guess is that cavemen Org and Zok staged the first competition over the ownership of a slain mastodon carcass. Each of them probably thought he had delivered the mortal blow to the animal and was then prepared to take home the trophy—dinner!
Naturally, without a recognized and respected judge present to render a decision on who indeed KO'd the beast, the matter soon degenerated into another form of competition: a fight!
No matter who went home with the hairy prize that particular day, you can be certain that the next day the loser was looking into ways of ensuring that the rematch would have a different outcome.
He probably looked for better methods of tracking and dropping the prey, so there would be no question of ownership and victory.
And that was probably the first time competition fostered an improvement in technology.
Things have come a long way from the times of Org and Zok, but the central theme of competition has remained pretty much unchanged. Winning is the goal, and if you don't win, improve your game in every way possible until you do.
If it wasn't for competition, the rate of technological advancement in virtually everything we use in daily life would be ploddingly slow. A good example of this is automobile racing and how it eventually affects the cars we buy and drive on the street.
The engine, brakes, steering, and especially tire technology developed for use in racing cars eventually trickles down to better and safer items for use in and on production cars. You may not have any interest in automobile racing, but you reap the myriad benefits anyway.
The same holds true for model-airplane products. Competition breeds sophistication and improvement in virtually every item that goes into a model.
True, not everyone is suited to competition; most prefer to simply enjoy a particular pastime in a noncompetitive manner. And that's fine.
These noncompetitive types should, however, keep up with what is happening in the world of competition so they can take advantage of the advancements in newer, safer, and higher-performance items that will enhance their own modeling enjoyment.
I think there is a competitor hidden deep inside each of us; I believe it's just a natural part of human nature left over from Org and Zok's early struggles.
We all have moments when that competitive nature sneaks out, no matter how we try to suppress it. I say let it out on a regular basis, even if you have no intention of becoming a serious competitor.
Most clubs hold fun-flys, where they feature low-key, competitive events that are usually geared more toward enjoyment. These events are usually designed to allow everyone a chance to win, or at least do well.
Many clubs also have building contests in which craftsmanship and finishing are the criteria. It's amazing how competitive these contests can become, even for those who are not accomplished fliers.
Competition can motivate you to go beyond what you thought you were capable of. It can bring out creative tendencies that may have been lying dormant for years. It can be exciting and frustrating at the same time. And it can be incredibly rewarding.
To be declared the winner at anything naturally makes one feel good inside. To know that you want something because you worked hard for it and deserve it is even better.
But there are always more who lose in competition than those who win. What do they get from the experience? What keeps them trying even after a devastating defeat?
It has often been said that second place is "first loser." My sister — a championship, professional roller skater — really hates that description. She contends that there are no losers in competition.
I guess it's all in how you look at it. I love to compete. I compete to win. When that happens, I get a feeling that is so rewarding I can't put it into words effectively.
When I lose, I simply make a personal vow to work harder to win. I don't consider myself a winner if I don't take first place. That in no way means that I consider myself a failure.
The winner in anything deserves the mantle of Champion. It should not be watered down by saying that there are other winners in that particular competition that day.
When you don't win, you certainly do learn. Competition is a journey — not a destination. Contests are stops along the way in that journey. At each stop there will be a winner, but that doesn't mean he or she will win at every stop.
True competitors just keep on learning, developing, practicing, and believing in themselves until they do win. Then they repeat the process with even more diligence until they win again.
And just like in Org and Zok's competition over the mastodon, the losers go home hungry!
Yes, competition is difficult. It is frustrating and can be depressing unless you understand the concept of the journey. You only lose when you decide not to try.
Enjoy the coverage of this year's Nats. Try to look beyond the photos of the beautiful models, to the innovativeness and the hours of work that go into them.
Try to imagine the effort and skill that went into each individual competition program and the courage it must take to fly on such a grand stage.
Above all, appreciate the benefits that the competitors will afford you in your day-to-day modeling as they push the envelope into unknown realms and find new vistas of performance.
Org and Zok would be proud!
As always, I can be reached by telephone at <REDACTED> or by E-mail at <REDACTED>. My address is <REDACTED>. MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
