Originally Posted by porcia83

At this point it's a pathology of denial for some. It's usually the "traditional" modeler of course, absolutely intent on ignoring the overwhelming evidence that this new technology is here to stay. They were probably just as rabidly against "change" when heli's hit the scene too. There was a great article in the MA mag a month or so ago ( I get it to read the articles, not the pics..lol)...that talked about the average age of membership (55 plus) and how this demographic does not typically do well with change. I'd go a step further and drop that number a good 10 years. The point is folks don't do well with change, and it's a perfect storm here with the FAA getting involved, now they can rail against change and make the MR/Drone the cause for everything going bad. I'm also convinced this is an issue of some having massive insecurities and feeling as though their relevance and part in the hobby was slowly but surely eroding away. I've been waiting for someone other than me to mention it, knowing I would be attacked for that position, but it was someone (or more than one) here in this thread or one of the others that finally came out and said it. In part, as "scratch builders they were no longer relevant" and that "the hobby they build" was so different. Talk about an arrogant position, the hobby that "they" built. Good lord. Everyone built this hobby, and continues to, no matter what they build or buy or fly. It's a collective proposition, not one attributed to any one segment. I can't disagree with the position that scratch building isn't as popular as it might have been, but that's progress (ie change), for better or worse. Just because it's not as prevalent or popular as it was in the past doesn't mean that it's still not relevant. I've been involved in this hobby now for about 10 years, and hated the idea of building, and yet in the past 6 months finally tried my hand at it. I prefer foam, or buying an ARF. I'm no less relevant or impactful on this hobby that a scratch builder, or for that matter a MR pilot.

It's a big hobby, and there's room for everyone who flies safely. The more the merrier. If the AMA or a club ain't your scene, that's cool too. Fly safely, and have fun, isn't that the essence of this hobby?