J_R

nascarjoe

I, as you, have always thought that enticing kids into the hobby was about the only way to influence local politicians. I have been doing this for 45 years and two weeks ago I got a shock. I was talking to one of our older members about his participation in Pattern contests. He is 72. Out of the blue he said "you younger guys have no idea what a great hobby this is for us senior citizens". He went on to expouse on what a great outlet it is, something older folks can still do well. He had been a golfer, but gave up a few years ago after becoming less than competitive.

In all these years, it had never occurred to me that we are a GREAT place for SENIOR CITIZENS. I, like many, had just looked on them as the elders and mentors of our hobby. There is a REAL OPPORTUNITY to use this as a political weapon. One that had never occurred to me. Two of three of our most revered groups (women, children, and senior citizens) are part of our hobby.

Instead of looking at the older guys as old guys playing with toys, perhaps it is time to press the idea that it is genuine hobby for our seniors.

Why I had never seen it before is beyond me.

JR

nascarjoe

J_R,
I definitely can see where everyone is coming from, but what I'm saying is trying to sell the hobby to the public by using the educational value of the sport. Maybe it doesn't matter if we can get kids into it or not, but telling the public that RC aeromodeling is a very educational endeavor might help to gain us some more flying fields.

For example, what might go down better, going to the town council asking for flying fields for mainly retired folks or for the kids? Once again, if we can't get kids into the hobby, it won't be our fault, but we still may have a better chance of keeping or finding new flying sites, which is the main gist of the thread.

If we would have a better chance of gaining new sites by attracting many more older members, rather than kids, than by all means, that is the way to go.

nascarjoe

Sport_Pilot

IMO trying to sell the hobby to kids is counter productive. It is too complicated for them without adult help, so the only ones to participate are the ones who's parents are in the hobby. Better to reach the Senior citizens, or better yet the adult population.

Another thought, I bet there are less people doing mountain climbing than R/C airplanes. I'm not counting those who climb walls in a building. But everbody has heard of them because it is very dangerous. Maybe we should relax our safety standards? Naaah! Bad idea.

J_R

nascarjoe

How about selling senior citizens mentoring the kids? Is there a better image than that?

JR

Sport_Pilot

I don't think grumpy old men are the best people to watch the kids.

Forget the kids, the hobby needs more adults. Maybe a park flyer promotion for kids.

nascarjoe

Please read and reread my last post. It seems that it's unanimous that trying to sell the hobby to kids (of which I am NOT promoting here) is counter productive or maybe not possible, but what I'm saying is to not necessarily get young people into the hobby, but USE that selling point to get and keep fields.

nascarjoe

Mike in DC

Absolutely. The leaders of my club are extremely savvy politically (one is the mayor of a small town near the field). They never miss a chance to help kids, even though the kids may not become modelers (at least not until they become grumpy old men). We have a program in two high schools (aviation clubs), plus the 4H has a club. The kids do things as a group with an adult leader, have a good time, probably don't pursue the hobby further, but you can be sure the politicians know about our involvement.

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones to belong to a club that actively recruits and teaches younger people. We have three complete club trainers that are used for introductory flights and training until the youngsters can afford their own planes. Some of us also encourage and teach about RC sailboats. We let the kids sail our boats, they don't crash. One of the essentials, and I do mean ESSENTIAL, is the active support of the parents. Some times we get parents and youngsters both into RC. My biggest objection is that some of the kids are better pilots than I am. We have lost a couple of prospects due entirely to parental disinterest. It seems they thought we were just going to be weekend baby sitters. One of the best ways to get into RC airplanes is to get the prospects into sailing. It gives them a good feel for RC and like most youngsters they like speed so they can see that aircraft are the next logical step. We make sure that they see what we are doing at the flying field. A couple of turns on the buddy box are usually enough to initiate a desire to fly. We are not converting 10 people a month but we do manage 2 or 3 a year.
Our town only has a population of 13,000 so we don't have much to draw from but we keep plugging away. We also encourage the return of some old timers who suddenly realize what they've been missing and come back. I'm the last charter member of the club. We've only been organized for 12 years but our membership still stays at about 40 all the time.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

This thread seems to be as on-topic as I can find to ask this question. I have a friend in Eagle Pass, Texas who is trying to learn to fly RC, mostly on his own. He can't find any clubs or flyers in the area and has nobody to talk to, and his crashed planes are adding up a bit too quickly.... I know there have to be at least a few guys out that way, and I promised him I'd try to find them for him. I've taken the usual steps, looked at the AMA website and other onlione searches, but nothing is anywhere near Eagle Pass. If anybody knows any guys flying in the Eagle Pass area, please let me know!

Any other help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, guys.

Jim

abel_pranger

A couple of possibilities............

If he bought models and equipment locally, that source would be a good place to start asking.

If not, then it is possible to go it alone........in prior generations that was often the only way to go and we managed to do it - with rubber band powered escapements to kick the rudder and sometimes throttle. Suggest he get a Multiplex Easy Star to gain some flight time. Very durable, it is hard to break anything as long as the throttle is retarded when it hits something. If something does break, a little Sumo glue will usually suffice to get it flyable again. Mine is about 6 yrs old and has a couple of dozen autographs from first-time flyers. Lots of rash and not so pretty, but still flying.

Abel

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

He's already got a Hobbistar trainer (something like that), it's his third one. He has been going it alone for some time now....and he is starting to lose hope and lose interest. I was in the same position many years ago, I know the feeling.

He buys through mail-order or drives all the way to San Antonio to get R/C supplies.

I'm hoping to find a few modelers/pilots in here who might live somewhere near Eagle Pass. It doesn't take a lot to keep the spirit going. I'm always willing to help, but it's better than a 3-hour drive for me one-way so that's going to reduce the number of times I can actually go out there.. I usually drive one or two thousand miles a week, so although driving a long ways on the weekend may not be hard, it's still tedious and takes away from the feeling of "time off" we all like to get from our weekends.

I think Laredo is also 3 hours from Eagle Pass, that's where the other closest club seems to be. Looks like 3 hours no matter what at this point.

I hate to see somebody who wants so much to learn how to fly R/C having to give up.

Jim

Stickbuilder

One question here..... Why does everything pertaining to the AMA have to be a Rant? Not everything that the AMA dpes os wrong, or even ill conceived. There are some things that are patently not in keeping with what is in the best interest of the majority of the membership (the PPP comes to mind), but there are tons of things that they do very well.

Bill, AMA 4720

Stickbuilder

One question here..... Why does everything pertaining to the AMA have to be a Rant? Not everything that the AMA does is wrong, or even ill conceived. There are some things that are patently not in keeping with what is in the best interest of the majority of the membership (the PPP comes to mind), but there are tons of things that they do very well.

Bill, AMA 4720

abel_pranger

Bill-

Read the OP. JR, now sadly having flown off into the sunset, was saying then just what you are saying now.

Abel

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

The term RANT is over used, misused. Those old speeches that Adolph delivered with the spit flying, profuse sweating, arm waving, finger pointing, those were rants. Mussilini could hold his own, too...working the crowds of sheeple up into a lather. These guys WERE the original punk rockers.
In today's overly polite, politically correct, no infield chatter Americana, any kind of strong opinion stated is taken as a rant.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Hey, good news in the middle of a rant! I may have found a club only 51 miles from the guy! I'll let you know how it turns out.

Jim

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

It is interesting to note that even though he though the "sky was falling" 6 years ago when JR started this rant, the R/C world as we know it has not come to an end...

Stick, I more or less agree with you on your double post......There are indeed things the AMA does that are not done perfectly (I am not as negative as you are on the things not done perfectly), but it does get tiring when so many ranters do not see the good parts and the well done parts of the AMA.

smh20502

My Feedback: (1)

haven't gone through and read everything...didn't have time. Since this appears to be a rant, I'll put in my 2 cents worth.

The AMA is an organization that has zero authority. They make no laws, can enforce nothing, have no actual licensing (paying a fee to get a magazine and insurance is not a license...it's a membership) Anyone who says "I Promise" can be a member.

Make the AMA a federal entity and we'll get somewhere.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

I see the good parts, but I don't forget or ignore the bad parts. You have to strike a balance in life. Learning lessons is what makes us smarter.

Nothing wrong with recognizing that the mag isn't great and knowing that the insurance isn't great either. The card gets you onto fields to fly with friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

Spending a lot of time complaining about it is just wasting flying time. But some of us have more time to waste than others.

Jim