Meschmidt

My Feedback: (15)

As an active club rc flight instructor, I have noticed a considerable drop in new pilots wanting to learn this hobby in the last few years. Five years ago we had an instructor shortage and trained some 20 or more new pilots a year. Now we may only train 3-5 new pilots a year. Can we blame this on flight simulators, arfs, the emergence of small electric planes and park flyers , or these new super video games? Other local clubs' are having the same problem too. What do ya'll think? Paul

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

Our club has become affiliated with 2 Junior ROTC groups at 2 different High Schools. One of the groups had a plane ready to go and no real interest in it. I brought the plane home and went through it stem to sturn and gave it a test hop and it is a great flying plane. The second group contacted us about a month ago and they have about a dozen kids that are interested. With my son being part of the group that did not have any interest, my son already being an accomplished RC pilot already, I played the trump card that niether group want's. As they are cross town rivals at drill meets, I told my son that I was going to put together a beginers contest of sorts pitting the 2 groups against each other. My sons group now has about 6 people that want to learn. Going to be a busy New Year. Just a thought and Good Luck, Dave

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

I think much of it has to do with the cheap plug'n'play electrics now flooding the market. Our club has picked up several new members who bought these, got their appetite whetted, and wanted to "move up" to real models. Two of them told me that when they bought their park flyer, they didn't see the need to join a club. It was only after they realized the limitations of their purchase that they knew they would have to get help with the "big stuff".

trioval00

My Feedback: (17)

can you say " PARK FLYERS " i actually think in the long run, these park flyers will not help this hobby, but just the opposite. park flyers are just a cheap way to fly. what would a parent do at christmas time, for a father and son who never flew. will the father spend near 500 bucks to get started or spend 150 bucks, bingo 150 bucks on a park flyer

mark

scottrc

In my area, the economy has had a lot to do with it. Many of our newbies experienced lay-offs and cutbacks, so RC was the first to go in their budgets. I too have not bought any new planes, radios, or engines since 2001 because of being laid off, buying a new house, increased property taxes, increased operating expenses, additions to my family, and still bringing in the same amount as I was in 2000.

Now that the factories are getting back on their feet, we are getting a few of our new pilots calling about flying again this next summer. This year was the first in five years that my company was able to pay bonuses and part of mine is going into new batteries, radio upgrades, and parts for my engines.

What we see in the trend with park flyers is that they do only keep interest in the hobby for a short time. When a lot of the younger people come to the field and see, hear, and feel the effects that a 1/4 scale gasser gives off, they get a glazed look on their face and then have to make the decision about how serious they want to get in order to satisfy their potential addiction.

Scott

jettstarblue

Park flyers....if you can semi-succesfully train yourself, why join a club?

I wish there were park flyers when I started out. It would have been a lot cheaper and easier.

Waldopepperaxel

There is nothing like going to field to hang with other Modelers, It makes flying just that much more fun, Park flyers are good to get someone started for sure, thats about it though, but we have a bunch of Electric flyers that just came out this year for their first time, They are pretty cool planes and definitely do the job.
BUT,,,,,, after about an hour of watching them, I let my Gas stunt plane show them what REAL R/C is all about... They loved it, and now are buying gassers too, Love that Nitro-methane smell in the morning MMMMMMMMmmmmm. And there is nothing that compares to the roar of a gas motor ripping up the skys, I've been flying for about 35 years now and I hope to be able to afford the Quarter / Half scale models this year. Did you ever see a gas plane hit a lil' park flyer,,,

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I guess that I'm just the opposite. I've been an instructor for about 6 years now, and the last 2 years I have been totally swamped. I trained 6 2 years ago and 5 this last summer. Before that I was doing 2-3 each summer. So it's picked up for us here.

Ken

Time Pilot

I started in the hobby a couple of years ago with electrics thinking I'd advance to glow soon. I am making the transition, but it is taking me a bit longer due to convenience. I can get to the park, fly and be home before I'd have made the trip to and from the field.

Another thing is size. I'm not even sure if my Tower 40 will fit in my car!

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

Going along with Waldo, sometmes i go to the field with nothing. Just don't feel like doing it but hang out and help. Still go home feeling good.

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

I value the camaraderie at the field and club meetings as much as the flying. I usually bring a bird along just in case and occasionally scare a bird or two. I guess I'll always be a builder first and an intermediate pilot always. I flew electrics before the park flyers were ever on the scene. Days of the heavy nicads and underpowered designs. Park flyers can be either a blessing or a curse depending on the encouragement we give them. In general the Walmart types are a lost cause.

JohnW

My Feedback: (6)

Our club has seen a modest drop in both new pilots and membership over the last five years, but I think we bottomed out last year and are heading back up. Along the lines of what ScottRC posted, I believe the drop is economy driven, or at least the perception of the economy. I belive most people in my geographical location have less disposible income and/or they are more nervous to spend money on thier hobbies. We get taxed to death in my state. My propery taxes on my house have gone up fron $1,400 to $2,400 in the last three years. There's a plane a year right there. Fuel costs, sluggish stocks, you name it, it all cuts into my play money.

I don't think park flyers cut into our hobby much. There really is no comparision in flying a 1lbs park flyer vs a fully aerobatic larger ship. If anything, I think park flyers are a gateway drug for those who might become addicted to the more advanced ships. While we may lose some to the parkies, I think overall it helps the hobby. Most who stick with parkies I think do it for either cost or ease. They probably wouldn't be flying at all if not for the parkies, so its not like we lost them to the parkies.

To help build membership, we started a program at our club where we give free buddy box flights every Tuesday evening in the spring/summer and offer free dinner (hotdogs, etc.) We advertize this at the local hobby stores, which sell both parkies and more traditional RC planes. We get enough basically every week to keep two or three instructors busy until sundown. Sometimes we get pilots with parkie experience that attend on Tuesday evening, and once we give them a free taste of a larger glow plane, they are generally hooked.

Cheers

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

You're talking like those days are long gone...

edge_pilot

My Feedback: (73)

I think it has alot to do with the Electric craze. Alot of people are teaching themselves on a simulator and eletrics. I don't agree with this if they want to really fly in the hobby. I also place blame on the magazine articles that sell stuff as "uncrashable" "flys itself" and all the other terms used to sucker the innocent guy into spending money thinking he can fly it himself. I see alot of people spending money, crashing several times and calling the whole hobby stupid, waste of money, and calling it quits before they give it a fair shot with an instructor and good equipment. I try to talk everybody I know into buying good equipment, finding a club w/instructor, and having fun instead of greaf. Electrics are great, but they have there place in the hobby. ARF's are great, but there ALOT of junk out there. I think the hobby will continue to grow even with the economy not doing so well for alot of people. And I hope the serious people who want to fly don't think it is going to happen with $150.00 invested in the hobby. This hobby you get what you pay for.

Meschmidt

My Feedback: (15)

Edge Pilot, well said. What about the other 75% of this hobby,( building, setting up radios and engines, and repairing damage) this important part is being almost eliminated by the RTF market. To some, this is the most enjoyment along with the flying part. Paul

049flyer

My Feedback: (18)

Here are four reasons:

1. There exists a small but vocal number of modelers that do not want any new faces at "their" field because it causes a wait at the freq pin board.

2. Many younger modelers, having grown up watching and participating in "extreme" sports, are interested in 3D type flying. This activity is strongly discouraged and/or heavily regulated at many fields.

3. Many clubs have a few modelers that fly very little but seem to enjoy making as many rules as possible for others to follow, all in the name of safety. The best way to make our hobby 100% safe is to not participate. Perhaps that is their intent.

4. Finally, how you feel about each of these issues and how enthusiastically you support or reject them defines who you are as a modeler or club member.

Many folks get so carried away in their support or rejection of these issues that insults and colorful language are traded to the point that the attitude becomes "US versus THEM".

We are no longer fellow modelers sharing a common hobby.

If your club is grappling with these issues, you will have problems attracting new members and eventually you will have problems retaining the ones you already have. What is worse, safety is diminished because more people will be flying on conflicting frequiencies in the vicinity of established fields.

Boorish behaviour, declining membership, declining club revenue, and frequency congestion is the perfect receipe for field loss.

Be thankful if your club has avoided these issues, treasure the harmony. You are the envy of many!

edge_pilot

My Feedback: (73)

Very well said. I haven't seen any fields around northern Ohio that don't have these issues.

fliers1

Also add that despite what anyone says, teaching can be a royal pain. Those who claim to be "eager" to teach usually only do so on a very limited basis. Although they may present and even have legitimate reasons not to be there for the tons of beginners out there, it doesn't help the big picture. For the most part, there really isn't anything that can be done, as unlike the average club instructor, the RC aeromodeling industry has a profit oriented customer satisfaction above all agenda. No doom and gloom but what is happening in the real world of RC aeromodeling.

CCR

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

I just went through the "most annoying sayings" thread, all ten pages. If you look at some of the replies to these so-called sayings you might see that a great number of them would discourage most people from wanting anything to do with the hobby. No matter how annoying the spectators may be, a smart ***** answer will be almost certain to drive them away. Questions from a spector may lead to a new pilot. Common courtesy is a rare occurrence in the world today. A little of it at the field might lead to an increase in club membership. We're enjoying ourselves. Why would it be out of place to ask a visitor to come to a club meeting or take a few minutes to explain what we're doing ?

Waldopepperaxel

All I can Say Is that all forms of flying is flying, I love to help anyone in this hobby and I also know Allot of pilots who feel and do the same, Sure there are some people who just feel bothered by the whole thing and just want to be out there with very few people, but to me its just a great time, and to hang out with as many different people as possible is only more different planes your going to see, and electric or fuel driven, even sail planes are always a great sight to see in the sky, my personal preference's are the glow plane and building it from scratch, to me there is just nothing like building a plane from a box of wood and then watching it rip up the skys with a voice of thunder, I know some people just don't have the time to build so thats what makes the ARF a pretty cool thing.

I had spent all last spring building a plane for summer, and the anything can happen law took effect and I smashed my new baby into smithereens, we all laughed at the balsa explosion and I will rebuild her this winter for sure, it can always be put back together,,, ALWAYS,,, I have taken many a crashed plane and put her back in the sky, sure you may need a few sheets of new balsa, but whats that about?? $10.00 to $15.00 the red 4 star 40 kit pictured below is a total rebuild after it hit the ground with a brand spanky new OS Max 40 strapped to her, I was having so much fun I was chancing one more flight on very low batteries, it hit the ground at full speed, when the bats died on her I watched it fly right by me for about 300 yards before it came to rest in the middle of a plowed cornfield and there was nothing left to it at all, the motor was about 2-3 inches buried into the ground, looks pretty good in this picture after around $8.00 in new wood and I glued all the shattered pieces back together, it took me about 3 months to get her back, but it was well worth it, this was one of my main planes for about 7 years, I could pick a cherry off someones head with it.

Anyway way I smashed in the plane I was talking about first so I needed something quick for this last summer, as we were in the middle of moving so I had packed up the work shop area and had no tools to speak of, but for the first time in my 35 years of flying I bought the ARF, it was called the TWIST for $99.00 let me tell you this plane was the best $99.00 I have ever spent, it took me about 3 hours to put this plane together and there is nothing it won't do, 3D, unlimited vertical, high speed, whatever,,, I have a .70 OS Surpass II 4 stroke on her, I now have my work shop area back and I can start the rebuilding process again,, Yahooo I love building, but the Twist has made a great impression at the field and has become a vital asset to my hanger, needless to say it kept me flying all summer and fall.

Don't let the bad apples detour you from this hobby, its a great hobby and I have really yet to meet anyone who isn't a flyer have a bad thing to say about anything or anyone in the hobby, we meet every Saturday and we keep adding new members every year, its just as much fun to watch as it is to fly, and we have the buddy boxes right on hand to entice newbies into the world of RC flight, after all the more people at the field, only enhances the different challenges for Dog fighting after they learn..

Waldopepperaxel

ABSOLUTLY MESCHSMIDT & EDGE_PILOT Here here

quint-rcu

My Feedback: (24)

Before we 'pile on' the park fliers, entry level electrics, and toy store RC's let's look around at what most younger types are getting into... Computer and X-Box style games offer instant, no damage from crashes, hi excitement fun that don't require an instructor, AMA or club dues, or treks to a flying field. While we old guys love the fellowship and building facets of our hobby, this is not the direction usually chosen by prospective 'newbies'

We get competition from TV and other media ads for customer dollars with the 'Wham-Bam' stuff bringing in more bucks for the manufacturers. Money talks and customers get directed to the electronic games long before they get exposed to flying models and such. I used to build crystal radios and play with Tinkertoys (who even remembers them now?) I got into Ham radio and model airplanes long before color TV and computers. Times they-are-a-changing and we must adapt to include the 'electronic gaming' and park flier generations into flying 'real' models or go the way of many other fading hobbies.

As for me? Let's go welcome the electrics and simulator crowds with a series of transitional games that link (read it lead-to) the electronic flight games to actual models somewhat like a RPV game that starts as a sim and ends up with 'real' missions with a programed drone model. Maybe an 'intermediate' or progression of electrics that grow into full models. Any other ideas?

quint

Waldopepperaxel

Hey Quint-RCU

I have to completely agree with you, however, I don't really have any other Ideas like the one you suggested only because I haven't really thought about it in that way, our club has grown only by word of mouth and the people driving by that spot us and pull over to watch for a while.

I can tell you in all honesty though every time I hook up the buddy box and let a newbie experience the thrill of a fuel powered aircraft, he is usually at the field in a couple of weeks with a new plane and ready for flight lessons, it is a very addicting hobby, and all of the people I have trained in this hobby over the last 20 years, are still flying to this day that I know of.

I personally love flight Simulators and pretty much fly every night on my MSFS 2004, especially once the winter months strike us here in the North country, I have also had a few people come to me to learn how to fly and had already had flight sims they were using, and it definitely helped them to cut the cord very soon after a few lessons.

One particular guy, I took off his plane adjusted his trims and then started coaching him in the sky for about 4 minutes telling him a little right,, left,,, etc.... he flew that plane around for the entire tank ran out of fuel and landed it without me saying anything else to him, so that proved to me right then and there how helpful those simulators can be, and it wasn't an RC sim either it was Microsoft Flight Sim 95 I had also been using that sim for quite sometime but never thought it would help a beginner R/C pilot with no real flight stick time that well, So I always support any sim now. that was back in 1998 the Technology is so much more advanced now too. so I say fly any and everything you can, its all a blast anyway.

AgCat1982

One day I picked up a mag and saw what advances had arrived in electronics, motors, batteries, etc. and I wanted in! I did not, and do not, want to fly gas. Period. I have built some of my own planes from scratch. Some from kits and some ARF's. I have no desire to fly anything more than four or five pounds. This is a part of RC flying that I am fascinated with and love! I have a LOT of money tied up in electrics. So, when I read stuff here and other places, I am in the "them" category. I fly "park fliers" so I am not committed! Really? This stupid "we are great and they are nothing" drives me away. I am an AMA member. There is no club near by so I TAUGHT MY SELF! And, had fun doing it. I have seen all the gassers fly, so don't give me the "you ain't flown until you fly gas" routine! I don't want to and never did want to. I want to fly models. Not "remote controlled full scale planes"! I have done that while sitting at the controls. My planes have lots of power and do lots of stuff that yours can do, just smaller and less noise. It's a shame that I, and others like me, have to be put into some "lower class status" You can feel it all through this thread.

Well, you can have it. Glory and all.

quint-rcu

My Feedback: (24)

agcatsbest is right when he states: Maybe we also give this impression to the newbies we meet wanting to try electrics. Still, the question is how to get more new fliers if we want to keep the influence our hobby has for obtaining and/or protecting radio frequencies, flying fields and such. Any more ideas?