Just wondering how people on the forum have found their niche. Any stories and experiences are much appreciated. I'm at the point to where I want to move up from the trainer I was flying for two months this summer and not sure what airplane style and type will suit me. Any advice? One plane that I'm considering is the Big Stik. They seem to be somewhat 3D/acrobatic

I think a Big Stick is a great choice. It is not the coolest looking plane but it is versitile. Just remember the biggest thing to being able to fly 3d is a radio and the time in programming to make it work. The plane is a great choice, just make sure that the rest of the gear is matched.

Thanks Dave. I have been wondering about what type of radio I would need for any kind of 3D. From what I have been seeing on the forum I don't think my Futaba 6YG will work. It sounds like I would need something programmable (digital). I'm not too interested in 3D per say. Just want a plane that is very manuverable.

Any .40 size stik will be fine

I am still in search of my "niche". I have been flying an Ultra Stick 40 as my second plane this year. It is a lot of fun. I also have a Seagull Spacewalker 2 that has not been flown yet. I have been looking at the spads for a combat plane. The combat looks like so much fun at our club's fun flys. I haven't decided whether my next plane will be standoff scale or 3D. Leaning towards the scale tho. It will have to wait for awhile tho, as I am building a Kadet Sr right now (night flyer/bomber) and have a Sig Kougar kit to start after that.

My niche is building scale airplanes and this doesn't necessarily have to mean large scale either. I figured this out by trying a little bit of everything and only progressing from one type of plane until I got good at the kind I was working on.

This progression order sorta went like this with the airplanes I can remember:
U-control-(shoestring & ringmaster)
Gliders-(gentle lady, sophisticated lady)
Gliders with powerplants (Gently Lady w/.049, Electra)
Trainers (Eagle 63, Kadet, PT-40)
Low Wing Trainer (Tiger, Sportster 40)
Stand Off Scale (Piper Cub)
Bi-Plane - (Sportster Bipe, Smith Miniplane, Skybolt)
Sport (Somethin' Extra, Uproar, RAV-4, Agwagon ARF)
Speed (quickee 500s)
Combat (Macchi)
Aerobatic -(Midwest Extra 300, Kyosho Breitling ARF, Ohio R/C Extra 300)
Float (Laker, Cub on Floats)
Scale (1/4 Cub--BUSA & Sig, 1/3 Cub, Stafford Commanche, Waco, P-47)
Scratch Build (Somethin' Extra 150%, Stafford Commanche)

Well today I can say scale is my thing but after doing the list I guess the best answer is that the niche will change as you go along. One thing did seem to stay constant, I tended to stay away from ARF's and electric.

Right now I'm finishing a P-38 that I've been working on about a year now. I think for the next plane I see what that whole park flyer craze is all about.

I've been flying all my life (well, 45 out of 50 yrs) and I've pretty much tried it all from Pattern to Heli's to 3-D. But the thing I like best is sport areobatics - "Turn n Burn" type of airplanes - I like 'em fast and maneuverable.

No matter which way you go,It's important to make sure you always, always have an "ole reliable", something that you aren't afraid to fly, can fly in any weather, and is always available.


Andy

Like MinnFlyer, I've been doing this for many decades (~55 yrs) & again like MinnFlyer, I don't think that I have a real niche. I fly most everything under the sun that I can get my hands on -- from gliders & U/C to most types of R/C. I like burning holes in the sky, messing with 3D, flying scale & sports scale, flying floats, flying fast & flying as slowly as I possibly can. I still fly trainers as well.

I haven't flown heli, or a gas turbine, but I've flown rockets & pulse-jets.

So --- no niche.

Yeah, I don't really go for the niche thing myself either, though I'm definatly an adreline junky, a go fast go low, leave a big, smoking crater kind of guy.

"If you can't leave your mark on the hobby, at least leave it on the landscape"

Right now, most of my time and money goes in to chasing the combat national standings. I guess that makes me mostly a "combat guy".

I had a chopper years ago, and old GMP Rebel. I'd love to try rotary wing again at some point, but I don't have the cash at the moment.

I have some scale stuff in the works, though nothing competition quality, but that's ok. Still, flying in a scale-like manner for those few times when I don't want to go real fast is fun.

I've toyed with the idea of trying some pylon racing, there is a bit of it around here. Looks like fun. Looks expensive though.

I spend a huge amount of time teaching others to fly. Right now, if I'm not flying combat, I'm usually flying someone else's plane, usually a primary trainer.

I've built kits, done arf-in-a-hurry, and designed my own plane, including designing the airfoil, etc. Designing is it's own challenge and very a very cool feeling to know that the plane your flying is something you brought to life totally on your own.

Anyway, don't sweat the niche thing. Try a little of everything. It's more fun that way, and you learn a lot more along the way, face new and differnet challenges and so on. Don't be in a hurry either. Just go with what seems like a good idea at the time. And if you tire of something, you can always sell the plane and get something else.

(at my club, there seems to be a handful of airplanes that get passed around from person to person, I swear some of them are on their 4th or 5th owner. What the heck, why not?)

Hey, Thanks for all the tips and advice. I have finished building a 4*40 and started flying it. The 4* is great but I'm not sure if I can fly it well enough yet. Point is I'm looking toward other kits and ARF's to get but not sure where my skills in flying are. I think one way to find out is by noting which planes on the simulator I can fly best.

Great quote Monty! LOL

I didn't know this many people here knew what a "niche" was. I have a niche on my back, will ya scratch it honey?

Flying 3d takes absolutely no skill at all and is a demo of a 10 minute uncontrolable flight. Plus most 3d pilots flight right in the middle of the runway constantly flying in everone's way. You will not make many friends by doing this.

Flying precision aerobatics "will" make you a better pilot. I personally think its boring. My "niche" is flying to the walls with a hopped up 70 inch warbird or racer of some sort. Overpowering the plane and just let it rip!

The stik is an excellent second plane. After that you can get yourself a 60.size Extra/Edge or something. You may want to consider a .60 size stik with an appropriate engine, then when you go to that third plane, swap the engine over but don't get rid of the stik, you may need it later on.