shawnskx100

I find it that I like building more then flying. There's something about spending countless hours taking something that started off as a pile of balsa and ply and turning it into a life-like replica flying whatever it is that I really like. I just don't seem to get the same joy or satisfaction out of flying then I do building. I've been thinking of just starting to build really scale kits and sell them, as like a side job thing. Anyone else feel this way?

/Thinking out loud

Mode One

I do. However, I still feel flying is the culmination of all the hard work. But, I spend far more time building, then flying and it is where the majority of my interests lie. I am a good flyer, so it's not due to a lack of skill that my interest in building exceeds the interest in flying. Actually, B.S.ing with my flying buddies at the flying field is more interesting to me then flying.

krayzc-RCU

My Feedback: (31)

no i enjoy flying more......

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

For me it is somewhat time dependent. I've got a young one who isn't quite old enough to take to our public field. I REALLY enjoy flying and I REALLY enjoy building when I can't get out to the field. My main field is about 30 minutes away in no traffic - unfortunately in LA there is almost always traffic. I've been working pretty hard on my "honey do" list lately as well so my mornings on the weekend are pretty busy the last few weeks. I usually have an hour or two at night where I can work on things though so I've been building instead.

Not to mention the fact that I am quite tired of the same old same old arfs out there.

flipstart

I enjoy building more than flying-even when I finish a nice scale plane, if a really good flyer can show it off to its best, and it performs like it should, then my satisfaction level goes up. Course, I got into the R/C flying part late in life, and I have been building since I was 9, give or take a few years for a career. I love to build scale planes, and like to fly a throw around that I don't worry about. On the other hand - Life is too short to fly UGLY airplanes. So I keep trying to improve my flying skills. Hope I have enough time.

8178

My Feedback: (17)

50% build and 50% fly!

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I have always enjoyed the building more then the flying, that's why I learned to fly. At the moment I'm built out and doing as much flying as I can. The mood to build will hit me in A couple of weeks and I will be back at it again. I just finished two good builds in 5 months and started to make up another kit last week when the mood left me.

Live Wire

Building is for me A set of plans and a box of balsa and I am hooked. But I can't wait to see the finished project in the air

and G B they moved me to scratch building P 38J

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Building is a 6-7 day a week opportunity for me...flying ONLY on Saturday and/or Sunday....so I'd say Building is my favorite.

Bud Faulkner

My Feedback: (1)

Building 90% flying 10% Nothing more relaxing than building and hiding away in my shop.

Bud

kerrydel

My Feedback: (2)

It's definitely somewhere around 50/50 for me. I enjoy both aspects. I wouldn't just build planes if I never got to fly them. But, even if weather allowed, I wouldn't spend every day flying either.

Kerry

ptmac3

My Feedback: (3)

30% building, 30% flying, 5% doing something for the club, 35% sitting on my big derrière bs'n with the guys down at the field.

bridog

My Feedback: (7)

Um I would say For Now 100% building as I have been build for 5 years Have around 15 planes mostly built by me.. a few arfs and A couple Park flyers but i'm gettin rid of the Arf's! Don't want anything I haven't built! Where is the Joy In that?? And I'm Really into warbirds and Arf warbirds Are A joke unless you thousands of bucks for a decent one
As of yet I still haven't soloed. I am a memeber of a club and have been for 4 years..It's just my job gets in the way.. Work Sucks! So Most of my free thime is at night which I don't mind I really love building.. and I know I will get around to flying someday.. I have countless hours on the simulator so I feel very confident about it.. I am Kinda freaked about crashin one of my Babies But I guess that's part of the hobby or should I say Obsession??? Plus I Like to get out in the garage away from the lady.. so I can Watch my sports without her sayin Are we watchin Baseball again?? It's so Boring let's watch Oprah!

later
bridog

TomCrump

I spend countless hours in the shop, and countable hours at the field.

My dad was a builder. I grew up watching him carve static models from balsa and hardwood. He switched from static to control line when I was 10. He built. I flew. Within a couple years, he had me building, too. Close to 50 years later, I'm still building.

jrbmoto

My dad was an old school builder. Silk and dope, stick and tissue, C/L, R/C, you name it. I was hooked at 5 years old!! I'm 42 now and still would rather build than fly! I do love to fly but as so many have commented, when I am at the flying field, I'm usually BSing with the guys. You can always tell who likes to build and who likes to fly by their planes. My friend, who would fly 24-7 if he could, has just one plane. He bangs it up just about once every weekend trying to perfect the latest 3D manuver. Me on the other hand, being a builder. I have a whole shop full of hardly used, ready to fly, kit built planes, one on the work bench, and a stack of spare kits! One interesting observation. Years ago, people would always come over and admire the craftsmaship of a fellow's newely finished airplane when he first brought it out to the field. Nowadays, guys will walk right by a beautifully finished kit built plane. Just to check out "Joe Shmoe"s latest 3D arf!

-Johnny-

snys

jrbmoto: I have noticed that here too. In fact, it seems like most of them (the newer guys) think that it is unthinkable to build an airplane yourself. If you say you built it from a kit, they automatically assume it is ARF, and want to know why you redid the covering! Then I have to explain the difference between a kit and ARF. It is even worse when I take one of my plan built planes! )

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

I've noticed the term 'kit' now = ARF along the flight line! Maybe we will have to come up with a new term BYO? (build your own) or something.....

TomCrump

why should we change??? We build. They assemble.

FokkerAce

Ditto to most of you guys: Building is better...long or short sessions (even 5 minutes stolen down to the shop to glue something or just ponder a problem!) I love flying, but when it's really hot I prefer the Basement.


Biplanes are best........and more wings means more building!

FA

Don J

My first plane was a RTF trainer.
I kit built the second plane.
That's all it took.
Every plane that I've owned from that point,
came to me as a box of sticks.

The guy that trained me to fly, suggested I try a kit sometime.
Glad I took his advice.

Don J

sscherin

My Feedback: (1)

Lets call kits ARB's
Almost ready to build

Scratch built..

ARC= Almost ready to cut.

I've done about 10 kits over the years, 2 rebuilds from plans and had 1 ARF that was given to me.
I'll say one thing for the ARF. After I replaced most of the hardware it was a fun plane to throw around.

I stil prefer to fly the ones I built.

These days with the kids I maybe get to fly one day out of 2 weeks..
It's not to hard to sit down with them and get some building done provided I have a good pile of scrap for them to "build" with

mgnostic

I've been flying since 1986 and never had an arf. I live an hour's drive from the nearest real RC field so I have more time for building. I enjoy flying but it's a dissappointing day when I have the field all to myself.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

mgnostic,
Where do you fly at?? I thought that there was a field/club in Iowa Park.

Ken

Black Arrow

About 60/40 I guess. I used to think I liked flying the most but when I look at all the planes I have sitting there that have never been flown I guess it says that I like building and hate to see the things I build get destroyed.

tlgibson97

I haven't been building long, almost a year now. Iam pretty much hooked on it though. The problem is I don't have the money to build as much as I would like. I don't have time after work to fly so I only fly on the weekends. Build during the week. At least I suck at flying so it gives me the opprotunity to make repairs. Sorta like mini builds.