Originally Posted by Hydro Junkie

Believe me, I do hope you're right though human nature says otherwise. How many people have gotten hurt after saying "Hey, Watch this!!!"?[/QUOTE]

LMAO!!!!!!!!! Guilty!!!!

Originally Posted by mike1974

I understand what you are saying, but I don't see it that way. The hobby of RC, to me, is any vehicle that is controlled by remote control. IE: Robots, tanks, cars, trucks, blimps, planes, MR, etc. I fly everything from traditional .40 glo to a pretty sophisticated FPV glider. I don't feel removed from the hobby when I am using my goggles, FPV glider and DX8 to cruise around the skies anymore than I would feel removed from the hobby flying my .40 piper or Big Stik. It is all the same to me.

You have to think about it like this also: There is a new generation, like it or not, who have grown up around technology. I consider myself a hybrid as I am 41, but started my carrer in the USAF doing IT and still do that to this day. I did not grow up around technology like we have today, but have enjoyed it immensly since I was 12 starting with DOS. lol!! This new generation has never not been around cell phones, PC's, tablets, etc. MR and FPV probably just feel "normal" to them. Another technology that some of us see as crazy and the death too our hobby, is nothing more than another cool new tech to the younger generation.

I could be way off base but I thought it was worth mentioning. We have generational gaps here with enormous progress made in not only the abilitiy of the tech, but also the size and it is going to continue at a ridiculous rate.

I personally cannot fathom how anyone at the FAA/DOT/Congress can think the RC industry can be regulated. It does not seem possible to me when looking at the overall hobby from a birds eye perspective. Other than a complete ban and guaranteed criminal charges, I just do not see how it is possible. All the while the MR and FPV sector are expanding at crazy rates. Look again to the 15 year old who just won 250,000!!!!

Just throwing out some different thoughts and perspectives.

Originally Posted by mike1974

It's usually preceded by "...Hold my beer..."

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?

Originally Posted by mike1974

It's usually preceded by "...Hold my beer..."

Originally Posted by Chris P. Bacon

Are you expecting us to consider you more qualified based on the flying site grant application you submitted on behalf of your now defunct club?

Originally Posted by porcia83

And great perspective it is....

You hit the nail on the head, RC is about more than just planes. Cars, boats, tanks...very very popular. You're even more on point with the comment about generational issues and technology. I'm not that far off from you in age, and it blows my mind where we are at now. The tides will change yet again and you and are are going to be in that 55 plus category before long. Will I embrace the changes coming along (honestly, probably not, or at least will struggle with it). Heck, my teen son knows more about my "smart" phone than I do and he doesn't even have one. As for Congress, it looks and feels like they are trying to do the right thing, but we are sometimes getting lost in the mix. Big decision are contemplated without realizing the trickle down effect for everyone, and that's where I think we and the AMA need to speak up. I don't think we'll see anything that will significantly change the face of this hobby as we know it.

Originally Posted by Hydro Junkie

Believe me, I do hope you're right though human nature says otherwise. How many people have gotten hurt after saying "Hey, Watch this!!!"?

Originally Posted by franklin_m

If I were paid as a professional grant writer...absolutely. But I'm not, so no.

Originally Posted by franklin_m

If I were paid as a professional grant writer...absolutely. But I'm not, so no.

Originally Posted by Chris P. Bacon

Is that now your latest excuse for your failure to answer the few simple short answer questions on the flying site grant application? You couldn't do it because you're not a professional grant writer?

Originally Posted by mike1974

Hey porcia, looks like I will be in Westbrook April 28 - May 1. Maybe if the weather is nice we can meet up at your club field one of those days?

Originally Posted by porcia83

Absolutely....drop me an IM and if my field is "down" for whatever reason, I belong to 3 others nearby, we'll make it work.

Originally Posted by mike1974

What happened to the club? Why did it close?

Originally Posted by franklin_m

Lost initial field, concrete runway built by 60's era pattern flier farm owner in middle of one of his corn fields, when land sold to new owner who had no interest in strangers on his property.

Moved to second field, crop duster airport, and lost that one when adjacent property owner complained to airport owner about noise

I was deputy commander of base out west. I worked with my PWO to identify a chunk of land to use (we had an existing dirt bike club), was willing to run Navy wickets with regional HQ to get club permission, and even write SOPs to integrate RC Ops with existing full scale TACAIR ops. One thing I could not do was spend any Navy money on project. Called AMA flying field development guy (not current one) to get grant for DG and supplies - had volunteer heavy equipment operators willing to do work - equipment rentals funded by club members. AMA refused unless club was open to all AMA members, whether had a DoD ID card or not. Due to AT/FP policy, was unable to grant access to anyone without DoD ID. So project stopped in tracks. Club members were mostly retired on fixed income w/o financial means to do much more than rent dozers etc (or borrow from local farmers). Bottom line, AMA guy told me on the phone the answer was no. Even if I put in a formal request the answer would be no.

Chrispy likes to make a big deal out of the fact that I wasn't stupid enough to spend all the time writing up a grant application they'd already told me would be denied.

Originally Posted by franklin_m

Lost initial field, concrete runway built by 60's era pattern flier farm owner in middle of one of his corn fields, when land sold to new owner who had no interest in strangers on his property.

Moved to second field, crop duster airport, and lost that one when adjacent property owner complained to airport owner about noise

I was deputy commander of base out west. I worked with my PWO to identify a chunk of land to use (we had an existing dirt bike club), was willing to run Navy wickets with regional HQ to get club permission, and even write SOPs to integrate RC Ops with existing full scale TACAIR ops. One thing I could not do was spend any Navy money on project. Called AMA flying field development guy (not current one) to get grant for DG and supplies - had volunteer heavy equipment operators willing to do work - equipment rentals funded by club members. AMA refused unless club was open to all AMA members, whether had a DoD ID card or not. Due to AT/FP policy, was unable to grant access to anyone without DoD ID. So project stopped in tracks. Club members were mostly retired on fixed income w/o financial means to do much more than rent dozers etc (or borrow from local farmers). Bottom line, AMA guy told me on the phone the answer was no. Even if I put in a formal request the answer would be no.

Chrispy likes to make a big deal out of the fact that I wasn't stupid enough to spend all the time writing up a grant application they'd already told me would be denied.

Originally Posted by franklin_m

Bottom line, AMA guy told me on the phone the answer was no. Even if I put in a formal request the answer would be no.

Originally Posted by franklin_m

Lost initial field, concrete runway built by 60's era pattern flier farm owner in middle of one of his corn fields, when land sold to new owner who had no interest in strangers on his property.

Moved to second field, crop duster airport, and lost that one when adjacent property owner complained to airport owner about noise

I was deputy commander of base out west. I worked with my PWO to identify a chunk of land to use (we had an existing dirt bike club), was willing to run Navy wickets with regional HQ to get club permission, and even write SOPs to integrate RC Ops with existing full scale TACAIR ops. One thing I could not do was spend any Navy money on project. Called AMA flying field development guy (not current one) to get grant for DG and supplies - had volunteer heavy equipment operators willing to do work - equipment rentals funded by club members. AMA refused unless club was open to all AMA members, whether had a DoD ID card or not. Due to AT/FP policy, was unable to grant access to anyone without DoD ID. So project stopped in tracks. Club members were mostly retired on fixed income w/o financial means to do much more than rent dozers etc (or borrow from local farmers). Bottom line, AMA guy told me on the phone the answer was no. Even if I put in a formal request the answer would be no.

Chrispy likes to make a big deal out of the fact that I wasn't stupid enough to spend all the time writing up a grant application they'd already told me would be denied.

Originally Posted by franklin_m

Lost initial field, concrete runway built by 60's era pattern flier farm owner in middle of one of his corn fields, when land sold to new owner who had no interest in strangers on his property.

Moved to second field, crop duster airport, and lost that one when adjacent property owner complained to airport owner about noise

I was deputy commander of base out west. I worked with my PWO to identify a chunk of land to use (we had an existing dirt bike club), was willing to run Navy wickets with regional HQ to get club permission, and even write SOPs to integrate RC Ops with existing full scale TACAIR ops. One thing I could not do was spend any Navy money on project. Called AMA flying field development guy (not current one) to get grant for DG and supplies - had volunteer heavy equipment operators willing to do work - equipment rentals funded by club members. AMA refused unless club was open to all AMA members, whether had a DoD ID card or not. Due to AT/FP policy, was unable to grant access to anyone without DoD ID. So project stopped in tracks. Club members were mostly retired on fixed income w/o financial means to do much more than rent dozers etc (or borrow from local farmers). Bottom line, AMA guy told me on the phone the answer was no. Even if I put in a formal request the answer would be no.

Chrispy likes to make a big deal out of the fact that I wasn't stupid enough to spend all the time writing up a grant application they'd already told me would be denied.

Originally Posted by porcia83

"all that time".....ya, it's so involved. So easy a RC person can do it. Lol....c'mon, of all people you know how to fill out an extremely simple form and send it in, notwithstanding a comment from one person who might have had nothing to do with the process. It was a simple task, and you blew it, and that might have been the end of it, but you continue to denigrate and rant endlessly about the AMA and everything they do, so it's fair game to bring up. That and them not wanting to be involved in your safety schemes. Context........

Originally Posted by mike1974

Man, that really stinks. All that work just to be told no.

Originally Posted by Hydro Junkie

Was this at Ault Field? I know at one time there was a club that flew at the C-ville ALF on the weekends but what I never found out is if it was all military or not

Originally Posted by franklin_m

It took four months to work the issues through HQ (ours was generally unsupportive of stuff like this). Had all sorts of airspace for flying, zero chance of noise complaints, and access to a bunch of potential future members. However, we were limited by a small club with a large group of folks on fixed incomes (I think average age of our members - was over 65). No fund raising permitted on base property, despite that being target audience, was another limitation.

Originally Posted by mike1974

That's too bad. Sounds like it would have been a nice field. I try to remember how lucky I am to live where I do. My AMA club field is 22 miles away, but I can walk to the ball field 100 yards from my house and fly electric or drive a couple miles to the top of a hill with an open field and fly anything I have. Plus my friend has 2 different 100 acres of land within 10-15 miles. I really do feel sorry for all the people who have a hard time finding places to fly or are threatened with closures.