Plowing old ground. Treat yourself to a day in the life of Propworn with his 1,000 word essay and several other stream-of-conscious posts on RCU, August 2018: How dead is our industry?

How dead is our industry?

According to Propworn the future of RC model aircraft looks great. So that makes two of you anyway.

Or this from AMA, April 2017, "Our industry is struggling":https://www.modelaviationdigital.com...017?pg=11#pg11

I'm sure things are way much better now with Remote ID and FRIAs and the criminalization of RC. All we need are the actual numbers to see just how great things are. Barracudahockey?

Hobby shops have closed due to three things:

1. internet retailers being able to sell at lower prices
2. brick and mortar stores having higher prices due to having the overhead an internet site doesn't
3. being forced to change from kits and building supplies to ARFs, ARCs and PNPs.

No matter how you look at it, the hobby industry has "evolved " away from "hobby" and into what the latest generation wants, an instant gratification source. When you look at the craftsmanship that used to be seen in an R/C model and compare it to the "cookie cutter" ARF or PNP aircraft you see on the flightline, it kind of shows how the hobby has gone from being required to build it yourself to buying what amounts to off the shelf toys that are bought, usually, on a whim.

Or the hobby is just plain dying: What the hell is going on with rc planes in 2021?

Definitely on the right track here Hydro. The other aspect is that both Hobbico and Horizon have themselves pushed out the retail dealers. Long story short, in order to match the prices that Tower and Horizon offered customer direct the retailer would have to drop his profit margins down to as low as 15% on some items and 20%-25% on others. This covers engines, motors, electronics, kits and ARF’s. When a new item is released, it is released for direct purchase before a retailer can purchase. Imagine placing an order for a new EFlight ARF and it going directly to back order and at the same time one of your customers come in with the same model. Then if you don’t call to cancel the back order, when customer direct sales die down, your back order is automatically filled. By then there is less demand. There is a bit more going on but I think you get the idea. Compared to a clothing store where profit margins are in the 200%-300% range.

Thirty years ago online ordering was new and few used that method but now the vast majority use that method and the result is the demand for the brick
and mortar store has largely dropped. Also todays models don't need the level of help to get started with compared to thirty years ago.

The RC aircraft hobby is "evolving" and getting cheaper and easier to get into and fewer people are getting involved. Wake up and smell the math.

I spend a few days a week working in the LHS after retiring. There's is still a demand for " I want to touch and see product before I buy" out there along with help with a purchase or product warranty help . Also having a diverse inventory really helps shops survive. The problem with the hobby manufacturers and local shops today is most owners are getting old n d want to retire and there's no one to take over the business. That's the big problem.

"When a new item is released, it is released for direct purchase before a retailer can purchase.'

That's not true from my experience. The retailer can Pre-order new releases and those orders are filled first. I do it all the time. I get new release notices all the time and get a break on the cost by doing that pre-order which I normally pass along to the locals.

Mike

Well said Ira, and I'll add that when hobbyshops were in their heyday each one had at least one if not several employees who actually participated in the hobby and were there to answer any question the customer may have. At least in my area, this devolved into employees who didn't give a poop about anything but the paycheck, eliminating one of the best reasons for hobbyshop purchases.....

And I would have to agree with you completely on this. There used to be four really good hobby shops in the Seattle area that were that way. Some of the sales staff flew, some floated and others rolled. Have a question and there was at least one of the staff that could answer it. Then the unthinkable happened to each:

1. The owner of one shop decided to try something new. He brought in a commercial airliner cockpit simulator and was going to charge people to use it. It had software issues and, trying to get it to work and pay for it bankrupted the shop, forcing it to close
2. Second owner had a very successful shop, but was getting old. He decided to retire and sold the shop to another hobby "enthusiast". The new owner's first move was to relocate the shop to a smaller location and cut the inventory to save money. Less than a year later, the new owner fired the staff claiming they were stealing from him and closed the shop down a few months later when he found he couldn't handle it alone
3. Third shop was, like #2 above, very successful. Like the other shop, the owner decided to retire and sold the store, though he did stay on as an "advisor" and sales clerk for a while. While the shop was still doing well, some of the staff had left to do other things and the new employees weren't as knowledgeable and some long term customers decided to take their business elsewhere. This happened about the same time as the lease needed to be renewed. The rent went up and, with customers going to other places, the owner was unable to afford the higher rent and was forced to close down
4. The last shop was the saddest of them all. The owner decided to get out of the business and sold the shop to one of the staff. The shop was still doing very well and, being one of the last hobby shops in the area, had a fairly large clientele. Then, one day, a prospective shop owner went to the properly ownership groups office and asked about getting the hobby shop's location, offering considerably more money for the space than the hobby shop was paying. The hobby shop owner was given the chance to match the prospective shop owner's bid and, when told they couldn't afford that much, the ownership gave the hobby shop a "be out by" date. The hobby shop was basically evicted, even though they had a significant amount of time left on their lease

Auer Ace Hobbies – Auer Ace Hobbies is committed to sharing the fun of RC hobby!

Maybe someone could talk to their local hardware store owner to stock RC aeromodelling products. All they would have to do to start is hang an RC airplane in the store to get attention. Then go from there. It would mean cross-over business and an attention-getter.

The hardware store wouldn't have to depend on RC sales to stay in business. They could start out with used equipment to see if there was a market and direct curious customers to the nearest flying field and club. Hardware stores already carry many products that modelers use, like adhesives, paints, wood, nuts, bolts, etc. Worth a shot. Either that or p...s and moan about what's happening to the hobby/sport. There are other hardware stores and businesses that could do the same.

There was at one time an Ace Hardware in the SF Bay Area that carried R/C cars and parts. They did fairly well. The root problem is the small profit margins. You simply can’t pay someone enough to have a comfortable living and participate in the hobby.

here ya go folks

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_poli...mentID/1041362

read it and (choose one) weep,rejoice,ignore.

The "Franklin Clause", right there in the FAA document for all to see........

"Recreational flyers should be able to explain to an FAA inspector or law enforcement officer which CBO’s safety guidelines they are operating under during any given flight. However, an operator does not need to be a member of a CBO to fly under its safety guidelines. The FAA maintains a website of officially recognized CBOs at https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_fliers/."

someone probably ought to start a thread dedicated to this AC, so everyone else can get the info...

not gona be me.

And I'm very happy to see night flying hasn't been made illegal......

" Night Flight. Under 49 U.S.C. § 44809(a)(3), recreational flyers or VOs must maintain VLOS throughout the flight, including when operating at night. For UA operations at night, the FAA strongly recommends CBOs develop comprehensive safety guidelines that include equipping UA with anti-collision lights that can be seen from 3 statute miles away and to arrange lights on the UA in such a way that allows recreational flyers to determine the orientation and flight path of the aircraft. Alternatively, the safety guidelines can also permit recreational flyers to conduct operations at night without requiring UA lighting in areas that are sufficiently illuminated so that recreational flyers can maintain VLOS of the aircraft throughout the flight and identify any potential ground or airborne hazards. Lastly, night flight presents visual perception challenges to aircraft operators. CBOs are highly encouraged to include guidelines to make recreational flyers aware of these physiological challenges for night operations. For an explanation of the physiological challenges of night operations, CBOs may reference FAA-H-80"

Done

New FAA regs released

There are scores like these,
"RC seems to be in a steep decline": https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...eep-decline%21
"Is the hobby dying?": https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/clubhouse-190/11690921-hobby-dying.html"
"Just getting back into it, wow what happened to R/C?": Just getting back into it, wow what happened to R/C??
"Thoughts on the future of the hobby": https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=738812
(For the Canucks) "RCA for the decline of the hobby": https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/sho...d.php?t=601177
You can find similar for the UK.

Droners are crying as well,
"RC and FPV market is dead": https://intofpv.com/t-rc-and-fpv-mar...e-of-the-hobby
"This hobby is slowly dying": https://www.reddit.com/r/RCPlanes/co..._slowly_dying/

Indeed. That's not the only ding on AMA. The original CBO requirement required programming for "all aspects" of RC aviation, effectively ruling out anyone but AMA. The new definition opens the door to groups like Flight Test. Maybe even tailored to Flight Test since they met with the people at FAA UAS Integration Office and made their own pitch, as opposed to the geniuses at AMA who tried to sue the FAA.

"3.3.2 ... Although the guidelines must be comprehensive, they need not discuss operations that are irrelevant to the
CBO. For example, if a CBO is not engaged in a particular type of operation (e.g., FPV or turbine-powered flight), they
would not be expected to develop safety guidelines related to that type of operation. An individual operating under a
CBO’s safety guidelines may only operate the types of operations addressed in those safety guidelines."

AMA also sued the FAA to allow compensation for RC flight training or demo flights. Another rebuke. "Recreational purposes may not include activities such as flights for any compensation, monetary or otherwise, and flights related to or in furtherance of a business." That's followed by, "Each individual pilot must maintain responsibility for compliance with the 49 U.S.C. § 44809(a)(1) requirement for recreational purpose, regardless of whether the event is sanctioned by a CBO [AMA] or otherwise presented as generally compliant with 49 U.S.C. § 44809(a)(1)."

Sad face for AMA and the FPVers. The FAA reiterated VLOS means an operator or spotter having the craft in sight at all times. No solo FPV. No flying a half mile away

I missed that part. Now the first thing we'll hear from the acolytes will be stories about FAA attending this event or that and not saying anything. But those same people understand how government works. They give you lots and lots of rope to hang yourself, and then drop the hammer when something serious happens. They'll even use those prior events to show "pattern of conduct" type findings. I've watch DOT do that with pipeline safety, OSHA do it with worker safety, and other agencies do it with environmental.

So every time an "agent of the AMA" (i.e. CD or Event Director) or even a club is permitting activities outside the rule/law in the presence of an FAA official, they're simply handing the FAA another stick to beat the CBO with. It's much easier for something to hold on appeal when government can show a pattern of non-compliance, especially when they see it not just at one event in one location but generally across several CBO locations.

That's it AMA, just keep ignoring the advice I gave you years ago: things like keeping actual near miss and other typical aviation safety data that you then use to actually address compliance issues.

A change of pace. I 've watched this many times;

Bump

Recycling things that have been beaten to death just to have something to gnaw on..

[QUOTE=fliers1;12749585]A change of pace. I 've watched this many times;/QUOTE]

Here's another plane built out contest grade Unobtanium.

[QUOTE=combatpigg;12759649]
Talking about balsa right? Are you sure that Fokker isn’t foam? I agree that balsa is becoming Unobtainium though. I was lucky yesterday and found some Sig contest balsa at my local hobby shop. I wanted 1/16 but had to settle for 3/32. Will need to do a bit of sanding. Since Sig has been a topic, two years ago when I decided I wanted to build myself a new Divergent, I called Sig directly to order 1/32, 1/16 and 1/8 contest balsa. The lady I got on the phone was terrific and said she would need to check and see what they had left as they hadn’t gotten a balsa shipment in a while. She called back the following day and much to my surprise had enough to to build two airplanes. I told her I would take it all, to the tune of $480. I commented on how prices have gone up since I was employed at San Antonio Hobbies in California. Her reply was “ I just knew your name sounded familiar”. She remembered my name from 30 years ago. I received my balsa and built one airplane and stashed the rest away. Eventually used it to build the second airplane for a local who wanted one.