ORIGINAL: tinner1
The ''bigger, expensive stuff'' is not only not declining, it is flourishing.
A lot of guys at my clubs field fly electrics and Parkflyers, BUT the number of 100+ inchers is definitly NOT on the decline!!! Sometimes I don't even bring out my 60 sized planes because so many ''big'' guys are around and my 60 seems small.......Not to mention that nothing flies like a 120''r. One member had a 120''+ extra with a DA 150 twin in it, and it flew soooo realistically. Looked as real as they can get......
That also seems to be very true in this area, however IMO, it is the same old "keep up with the Joneses" as now .60-.120 airplanes, once big stuff, are out of style.
I say that because the big gassers are becoming more and more common at the flying sites. (I belong to 4 active clubs)
However the AMA membership annual drop is still in style. OTOH there is a slowing of the drop and maybe that shows a bottom out happening.
2008.................148487
2009.................142231
2010.................139515
Unfortunately, for both AMA and the Clubs, I see the move to real large and expensive airplanes as possibly a detriment to the future of RC model aviation simply because so many cannot afford to be a "Jones". Unfortunately for our society, folks under 50 years of age seem to be mired in such "I gotta' have more and bigger than him." Speaking of merchandise and toys, of course!
See
http://www.jetero.com/imac.htm If that doesn't work just try
www.jetero.com and select 2010 Shootout in the subjects on the left side. Seems Mark may be working on that item right now.