Marty79

Thanks Jecchile! I will Check it out!

It's kind of sad that there aren't more people building their planes today. To me that was and still is a big part of the hobby. I can get in the shop and turn on the Stereo and enjoy. I guess most people are to busy nowadays to spend that amount of time. I do have one of those Chinese foam ARFs that I take out and fly time to time, that I bought it when I first got back into the hobby. My wife at first wasn't thrilled with me getting back into RC. But when she talked to some of here friends she changed her mind. Now she says she glad that I didn't start going to the local boozer and watching Baseball and football and at least I have something to show for the $30 or $40 buck that I spend through the week and not sporting a beer gut!

jecchile

My Feedback: (3)

HIHIHI - that is the excuse I used when my wife complained about how much money I spent on the hobby... the truth is that you´d probably spend more at the local boozer and have nothing to show for it except a hangover. Besides, now that I am retired, it keeps me out of her hair - hihihi.

DeferredDefect

Funny this would show up;
Just passed my flight test yesterday for my PPL.

Ultimately, I'm working towards my multi-IFR rating and should have it finished in a couple of years.
It's a lot of work but obviously R/C has been an enormous help for understanding engines, aerodynamics and flight theory.

pappyd6

My Feedback: (21)

Started R/C single channel in early '60s. Earned private license in college as part of Air Force ROTC. Flew at the local airport for 4 years during college earning glider and rotary wing ratings. Went to pilot training in 1975 and retired in 2001 with a little over 12,000 hours, mostly in the KC-135 flying to or through every continent and a list of countries too long to list. Continued to fly R/C throughout my career and am still a very active builder, flyer and competitor.

toolmaker7341

single/multi engine land

redskyhawk

I own and fly a '61 B model Cessna 172, the fastback with swept tail model. Just VFR local stuff. Love it, but even burning auto gas it is getting more expensive to keep so I don't know how much longer the love affair will last.
I have also built most of a 80% replica Dehavilland Tiger Moth. It was an all wood kit and went together so much like one of our RC planes that it was a blast to work on. About a year ago I had it to the point where it was up on its gear and I was starting to rig the wings when I received an offer for it that I just couldn't refuse. It was packed into a container and sent off to a new owner in New Zealand. I might build another full size some day, but I am having so much fun building RC that I am in no hurry.

mjduet

My Feedback: (23)

Since 1958 I've spent twenty years working on aircraft (USAF) and after that thirty years flying full size aircraft. I got my Private Pilot in 1977 when I was thirty six years old and retired from commerical flying with over twelve thousand five hundred (12,500) hours in my log book, I started flying U-control in high school and didn't get into RC until 1967. Been doing that off and on ever since. I've been lucky to have part of both worlds.

Snides

I don't wish to burst your bubble but you should look long and hard at what you hope to gain and where you are headed. Ie: ultimately what do you hope to achieve ? Flight instruction , Charter , Corporate, Airlines ? This represents a very expensive venture not only monetarily but mentally as well. Really tough to make a living as a CFI, CFII and MEI. The best paying Airline jobs to be had today are overseas, Qatar, JAL etc. I know because I have friends who've left the US airlines for those jobs because of the current US management mentality. The US Major airlines have managed to lower wages and benefits to substandard levels when compared to what they once were and globally as well. I am a recently retired , CFI, CFII, MEI, Simulator instructor, Captain, and FAA designated Check Airman with ATP typed in SF 340, CRJ 50, 70, and 90 with over 20000 flight hours.

thatairplaneguy

My Feedback: (50)

I've been flying for 16 years.
Not a lot of hours but I've flown it all
150
140
152
172
182
3 champs
pt17
at6
swift
cheeta
rv4

probably forgetting a couple

im looking to buy an ultralight right now just for fun. I don't have time or money to fool with anything bigger right now.

RCFlyerDan

My Feedback: (54)

I started flying r/c when I was 11 years old, due to a shop teacher flying them. At 18, I gave up r/c to pursue a full scale career. Couldn't afford both. I was a Hawker 125 Jet Capt by the time of 22. Could get my ATP until the following year check flight when I turned 23. At 25, I was a Flight Engineer on a B-727, at 27 an ATP B-727 Capt. Early thirties, went back to flying Corporate jets in a Westwind II, and retired at 39, due to loss of medical. So, for those who are pursuing this as a career, make sure you buy "loss of license" insurance. I got back into r/c at 40 and now 54 flying r/c turbine jets, and having fun in life. Going to Cape Coral today for their Big Bird or Gathering of the Giants. Good luck to the young men starting their careers. Even though parts of it were hard in life, I would do it all over again.

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Retired ATP. 13,000 hours. 5,000 hours in jets. Type Rated in Falcon 20 / 200 / 50 and Citation 500 rated.

Started building models around the age of 8.

Threw in RC flying somewhere along the way. LOL

Not going to bore you with all the details, because it is boring listening to pilots histories.

oliveDrab

I'm always curious to know what type of planes full scale pilots are qualified to fly and what does it take to become qualified to fly for an airline. When I was taking lessons in a Cessna 172 in Arizona my instructor said his dream was to fly long distances in aircraft such as a 747. But he wasn't a former military pilot. He was trying to accumulate lots of flight time by being an instructor. He said he was over $40,000 in debt due to activities related to flying.

What does it take to fly an Embraer Regional Jet (ERJ-145) for an airline such as American Eagle? I'm fond of the ERJ-145......especially if I can sit all by myself in one of the single seats on the left side of the plane.

lawrence b

I started flying control line at 6 years old, made the jump to R/C at 12 years, soloed full scale at 17 and now at 53 after having built 3 experimental airplanes I'm back into R/C scale. Maybe I should get back into control line and then I'll have gone full circle! The photo's are of my Early Bird Jenny, the Emeraude, and the stab of my Challenger II clip wing. I posted the stab photo because I'm proud of the "off the wall" paint job that I did. It took 30 hours of airbrush work over the whole plane.
Larry B

lawrence b

I could not get four photo's in one post so I'll put the final photo of my Challenger down here. I just enjoy building, does not matter if it's a big one or a little one, airplanes are just cool!!
Larry B

blhollo2

My Feedback: (278)

I fly r/c because I'm poor

11blades

I designed and scratchbuilt the bipe back in '06. Cruises @ 60 mph on 50 hp. My RC jet is EDF powered and does 180 mph. For me it's all about being in the air

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Not poor if you fly R/C models. LOL

Rob2160

Started RC in 1978 and full size in 1981.

FAA ATP with ratings for Hawker 900XP (HS125) and Global Express (BBD700)

CASA ATPL (Australian version of FAA ATP) with Command endorsements for all model Citations except the 750 (Citation X)

I think a career in aviation is 50% hard work with no guarantees and 50% luck. Being in the right place at the right time with enough hours.

Most airlines go through cycles of hiring and not hiring, some corporate flight departments don't hire new pilots for years. I started with my current company 5 years ago and they have only hired 1 additional pilot since then.

If you want to fly, go for it. There are no guarantees but its better than regretting never trying.

oliveDrab

How many hours? I suppose that would vary a great deal. Are military pilots preferred over others?

RCFlyerDan

My Feedback: (54)

Depends on Economic times of the day and if there is a shortage or surplus of pilots. Unfortunately, Due to my age of experience, at times, only military, college educated, pilots could attain the "Airline Capt. Dream" of a life style. I was fortunate to be at the right age, when there was pilot shortage, and so, the demand out required technicalities, as always. I was a top 10% grade of a 650+ High School. Was signed up for AeroNautical Engineering, but told Mom that I wanted to fly them, not design or build them. Never went to college, extremely intense private Jet, and sub training. Burnt out early, and lost my medical at 39. Haven't been a pilot in a plane, since then, and get my aviation fix via r/c planes and jets.

Rob2160

Yes it does vary a great deal from airline to airline. Qantas for example used to only require 500 hours in command for new 2nd Officers, not sure what they look for now.

It also depends on the job, IE 1st officer, or direct entry captain. In Australia, 1000 hours seems to be the magic number to open up a few doors in small charter, Corporate jobs vary but around 3000 hours total with at least 500 hours command on Jets would be a minimum.

thailazer

Back in the 80's, if you had just a hundred hours or so, Comair would come to your nearest airport and pick you up and take you back to their school. They would take you all the way up to an ATP for a fee and on the way you instructed for them until you had the experience and hours to fly for the Comair airline. I almost bit, but a good full time engineering job at H-P was too good of a thing to just drop. There are still many good schools where you can get your ATP rating as long as you have a water-cooled checkbook.

US185Damiani

Here's a little of the full scale stuff I do.

elmshoot

My Feedback: (6)

9500+ TT
4100 Navy tactical Airplanes A-6 Intruder, EA-6B Prowler
949 carrier landings
retired from the Navy aug 94
My first Carrier landings were at the 71 Glenview Nats first place Sr. Profile Carrier
ATP
MD-11/MD-10 type rating
727 type
737 type
i wanted to fly Navy airplanes since age 3 singular focus to make my dreams come true, never accepted no as an answer.
scratched and clawed into anything with wings. Modeling since age 7 it served to enhance my journey to become a Naval Avaitor.
Sparky

cfijeff22

My Feedback: (4)

cfi, cfii, mei, over a 1000 hours, I might get my atp for fun, but really no need since I don't fly for a Job. I love Aviation: RC and full scale