RCU Forums - View Single Post - Everything I enjoy about the hobby is crumbling.

11-22-2018, 11:04 AM

#31

H5606

Join Date: Jul 2006

Location: TN

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RichinTx

First kit building....giving way to all these ARFs and foamys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichinTx

Then glow/gas engines.....giving way to electrics and LiPo's

Then freedom...giving way to overreaching regulation.

What's next?

Very depressing.

The only real positive in the recent past is the spread spectrum technology.

I miss the camaraderie that used to be prevalent in the club I belonged to when I first got started in R/C 40 years ago. Being well structured, the club was run by Robert's Rules of Order and always ended with the highlight of Show & Tell. Members brought in projects they were working on, an airplane they had just completed, or shared some helpful building technique. The chance of going home with a gallon of fuel encouraged participation. The solos of new members announced were presented with club hats and applause from the membership. Everyone flew glow with a smattering of gas or diesel. Electric was in it's infancy with less than stellar performance, brushed Astro Flight motors and NiCads being state-of-the-art. The club had plenty of activities scheduled throughout the year including fun-flys, a bipe fly-in, a Toys-for-Tots drive, a winter fun-fly, a building contest, club's own .25 warbird pylon races, 1/2A pylon races, and a club-level pattern contest. It even had it's own airshow team. Ducted fans and 4 strokes were becoming more prevalent. The AMA was working with the FCC and industry to acquire a bunch of new frequencies in the 72 MHz band. Hobby shops were plentiful; Flying Models, RCM, MAN, American Modeler, MA with Bill Winter writing a monthly article "Just for Fun" were at hand. Times were good - I remember the adrenalin rush on the way to the flying field. What happened?

Although not regarded in good stead and frowned upon, I was flying ARFs then which was more the exception than the rule. Today, electric foamys are prevalent but the traditional ARF is slowly changing - at least those geared toward sport glow flying - .25 sizes have already gone away, .40s are on their way out, and .60s seem to have been resized to accommodate gasoline.

The way I experienced it - at the turn of the century - electric power began to take hold at first with Grand Wing Servo (GWS) and their micro-light airborne flight packs, orange E-props, and small brushed, gear driven motor systems. Trick R/C and their nearly indestructible Speed 400 powered Zagi's were all the rage locally. As brushless motors and controllers came on the scene, glow engine sizes began disappearing much to my dismay - first noted it with .25's but was already getting late to the party - that's when hoarding began. Problem is, I didn't account for all the glow related paraphernalia that goes with them - e.g. fuel tanks, propellers, headers/pipes/mufflers, spinners and what about parts support - that's where duplicates will help. Now I'm sorta' playing catchup with accessories.

I'm a hypocrite as I own and fly several of those electric foamys now too but lament the loss of glow popularity from others around me that would keep glow supply and support on tap during my retirement years. Figuring I'll do the best I can to use what I have, scrounge flea markets and swap meets, or fabricate/improvise, when things wear out or deteriorate. But what to do when say something like a (no longer available) YS regulator diaphragm needs replacing? Will I surprise myself and fabricate such a thing? I don't want to go electric here. I don't like it but it is what it is now. Not to be a total pessimist, but did anyone notice the QM40 on the front cover, a surprising ad for glow engines just inside the front cover, and Jay Smith holding a Cox .049 powered PT-19 in the November '18 issue of MA?

The recent requests to squawk senators/congress persons and what may be forthcoming is unsettling but seems better just recently based on information obtained these last few days; I like the hobby too much to put up with harassment like ceiling restrictions and would be willing to move to where modelers can fly without hindrance ('course with the boss's approval) but don't want to lose sight of the possibility that the grass necessarily being greener over yonder. I'll be damned if I'm going to put up with remote ID if that comes to be though - especially just to test glide something in the backyard. Are you kiddin' me?

Still flying plenty of 72 MHz in anything that's not electric or gasoline powered - just beginning to integrate 2.4 Gig into glow models now.

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