F-15J_JSDF

I am new to RC Planes/Jets and having been looking at my spare time and if I have enough to build RC Planes/Jets as well as pilot them. As I own a small Company and spend a lot of time working on that plus learning Japanese Martial Arts, I have noticed my spare time is limited.

I have decided I would need a Teacher/Instructor to teach me about building the RC Planes/Jets and also a Teacher/Instructor to teach me to fly them which I am slowly realizing will take up the little spare time I have during the week, and start burning in to my Family life.


So I have some question.

How many Pilots are also Builders?
How many Pilots are just Pilots and buy their Aircraft fully built??

I have seen a few pilots that have said they buy their planes/jets fully built and just fly them. I am thinking of getting my RC Aircraft built for me, but would like to know

What Builder/Pilots think of guys that just buy their RC Aircraft fully built and just pilot them, Are the looked down on in the RC World??




Kind Regards
F-15J JSDF

Silver182

My Feedback: (2)

Have others build them, Flyem & Buildem yourself, at the end of the day your talent or lack thereof will be evident for all to see...a good kind of pressure! We are all human and mistakes are going to happen. Enjoy and do what you can make time for. Building, flying, learning from others, bullsh*ting, helping others, bullsh*ting, building, repairing, flying, bullsh*ting, solving problems, repairing again, expanding our knowledge, flying, bullsh*ting and flying again and again...these are things we all enjoy...do what you can but just do it. Life is short!

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

50/50 I think. [sm=50_50.gif][sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

F-15J_JSDF

At the moment I have a LACK of TALENT in both BUILDING and FLYING and I am not ashamed to say that. ... I would love to Build and Fly but I would need someone to instruct me, and I am having trouble finding someone for that at the moment, but also I would have to give up time else were for this .... If I could find someone here in Japan to teach me one on one to build even if that meant paying them, then without a doubt I would love to learn and build myself and could make time by giving up something else.

I have not seen many RC Aircraft in Japan done to scale like you guys in the USA, UK or Australia, and where I am moving to I can not find anyone working on Jets or Warbirds, so getting instruction to build and fly them is going to be like getting blood out of a rock.

There is two companys that build for you and will do scale and full Nav Lights etc etc and I am thinking going that path but not sure what others think of guys like me who take that path ... That is why I asked the question. ...


I know in the KITCAR/REPLICA seen, Builder/Drivers look down on guys that buy ready built cars, so was wondering if the same was in the RC seen.

Boomerang1

There are pilot/builders, probably 5%, start with an idea or plans & do the rest.

There are pilot/assemblers who assemble & fly almost ready to fly type models, probably 90%.

Then there are pilots who buy 'turnkey' jets where everyone else has done the work, probably the other 5%.

Some people look down on the buyer/flyers but the other 99% could not care less (provided the buyer/flyers buy the beer!) - John.

seanreit

My Feedback: (60)

I dont' give a rats ass how you get your jet in the air, I have bought jets that were built, paid guys to build them, designed my own and built it myself, and every mix in between.

Just do it!!

jetflyr

There are some of us who design, build and fly..... but not many planes get completed ! So we have a mixture of ARFs and own-designs in our hangars. I would guess 90 % of the pilots assemble ARF's of one sort or the other, maybe 7 % design and build, and 3% purchase ready to fly airplanes. There is no upside, or downside when you are at the field...unless you open your mouth and brag about how much money you spent to have your planes built [>:]
The gazillion hours I have spent building models of one sort or the other (started at 5 years old) have given me spatial relation and problem solving skills that filter over to real life on a daily basis (like finishing out basements and building decks). Likewise your life skills transfer to modeling... and you most likely have building and finishing skills that you don't realise that you have.
If you expect your first model to look "Top Gun"quality, and survive, but your building and flying skills ar minimal, you will be tragically disappointed!
I don't know your building nor flying skills, but from your question, they sound somewhat low. No big deal, we have all come through the stages, and are still learning....runs and blebs are supposed to be in the paint/clear coat aren't they?
My 2-cents is don't worry about the degree of perfection, anyone who berates you has not built a model! Find a well designed and engineered ARF (these forums help weed out the bad/difficult ones) and enjoy the assembly process. Try to find one that has a build thread going here, and it will make your "dumb" questions seem wise, since someone else already asked that question 6 months ago
Find a club with good instructors, and learn to fly whatever style of plane they like (aerobatic, sport, warbirds) very well...then start flying your jet. There will be a wealth of information from those folks on building/flying/repairing their favorite type of plane, and thoses skills transfer to other types of planes, liek jets!
This is supposed to be a fun hobby/sport, and their is a progression of skills... not a lifestyle. You seem to have a grip on balancing work, family and play....KEEP IT! When the day is over, and the models put away, who cares who built it, or how much you paid (or didn't pay), or how long it took to get into the air. But the family is still there for you.
Take a deep breath, caress the fuselage, sniff the balsa ... then enjoy the building process. Regardless of type, a model airplane is just a model airplane ... some just have more moving parts and complexity!
Enjoy the process and the new skills you learn, then buy us an adult beverage!
Hang in there!
Greg

F-15J_JSDF

Thanks for the information guys, Well looks like I will buy a few of my planes until I can learn to build them for my self ....

Countryboy

My Feedback: (25)

I'd say do what you feel is right for you. If you don't have the spare time to build or can't build and your billfold will support buying the goods and then pay to have someone build it for you..go that route. Nothing wrong with that, and if anyone looks down upon you for it...they need to get a life.

As Johnny H. once said...it was cheaper for him to buy than spend hours missed from work building. In other words, he could make more money working than spending the hours to build. He could then buy the aircraft of choice and still come out ahead. Granted, everyone's pay scale is not going to offer that opportunity.

There are builders who can't fly...usually excellent builders.
There are fliers that can't build...usually excellent fliers.
There are some that can do both...usually not experts at either.
There are some that can't do either... so all the money in the world makes no difference.

There are exceptions to the rule of all statements above...except the last one. Most spend years honing their building/flying skills, so don't expect either to come quickly.

Then there is Harold Huf...he's in a league all his own.
http://www.su27.de/

MaJ. Woody

My Feedback: (28)

I would not worry what others think in regards to having built the plane yourself. If you can find the time to fly go for it. It's all about having fun. If you fly only and are having fun then who cares what others think. You can get into the building part when time permits. This, for me anyway, is a life long hobby. Enjoy it on every level. I will say that lack of building experience will hinder your ability to maintain your aircraft. You will be much better off in the long run if you fully understand how it was assembled and can perform any maintenance or repairs on demand. Having to wait for someone else to repair your model is a hassle to say the least.
Have fun!!

TED ANTON

My Feedback: (7)

Hey Dom
How,s it going

Very good point !!

Ted

MaJ. Woody

My Feedback: (28)

Hi Ted. All is well.
Did you fly your Hawk yet?
Can't wait to see it. You will love it.
See ya next season,

invertmast

My Feedback: (23)

I do whatever is the best bang for the buck (IE i'm a cheap ass). If that means buying a slightly damaged jet project and resurrecting it, or getting a damn good deal on one RTF thats what i go with. I could care less if someone looks down on me bc i either buy something RTF or close to it, or put a couple of months or elbow grease into a damaged model. As long as your happy with what you have. who cares what they think.

AFTERBURNER1

My Feedback: (80)

Buy it RTF, charge it, fuel it & fly the heck out of it and then sell it....

RonLongAZ

My Feedback: (29)

Doug,

You are right on on this one!


Ron

AFTERBURNER1

My Feedback: (80)

Tis wise grasshoppa...