Also, I'd likely be able to own and maintain only one full scale airplane. There's no way I could have an entire hangar full like I do RC stuff. Not only that, I'd likely not have an opportunity to own full scale versions of some of the cool RC planes I have.

I do want to go back and finish training to be a full scale pilot one of these days though.

This is absolutely true. Unless you are John Travolta (who owns many different full scale planes including his own 737) owning a full scale plane is limited to one airplane. With RC I can fly many different planes. I can go out one day with a B-25 bomber, an Extra 300 the next day, and glider the day after that.

Ken

I voted 4-5k just as a guess as to what I have and its worth, that should be close. But I don't feel I have any money invested it the hobby as I was trying to quit smoking and needed something to do with my hands and time. My wife and I decided I could spend my smoking money on anything I wanted. My smoking money back then was about $20 a week, but it added up.
So over the last 20 years, between buying selling making a few bucks from the hobby and my smoking money I don't think I have spent anything on the hobby.

Question , someone said there are cheaper hobbys. I am not sure there are many as challanging and rewarding as this. The other thing a person can come in and spend around $500 to $1000 and fly for a long time with little more expense if thats what they want or you can go "the sky's the limit".

I could buy a $20 K snow moble or $20k Harly, much cheaper!!!!

I know a few guys that sold out there RC stuff and went to the Ultralites, that's cool. I took flying lessons but couldn't get my ticket because I'm color blind, now that I can get it I really don't want to fly full scale. Gliders could be cool though?? Anyway, most of what I have has been gotten over the years. I used to build for other people and trade my skills for things like engines or what ever I needed at the time so it wasn't always a cash out of pocket thing. I have taught people to fly and gotten thank you stuff too, that's always nice. I just happen to have a lot of stuff these days. Even with giving stuff away I still seem to have more then I started with??

Yah but he had to sell out and make stuff like Saturday Night Fever to get it. I could never live with myself if the whole world saw me on screen in a tight polyester shirt acting like a disco fool.

Then again... I doubt the world wants to see me do that either.

The poll needs to be in increments of $5000, over 30% are off the scale.
The idea of flying a real plane over RC is all in the crash, in RC, you always walk away without a scratch.

I like the tip on insurance coverage, will look into that right away.

And finally, I can't leave this alone, "quitting smoking, and doing something else with your hands....."

I'm thinking of something you can do with one hand or two. It's virtually free, you can get started right away, especially knowing you've got a PC. Yes, everyone probably guessed correctly, a stress ball. http://www.officedepot.com/a/product...e-Stress-Ball/

What?

careful, i got a picture of you somewhere here on the HD...............i also got Photoshop skills

Of course, 10 grand would just get you started, heck, 5 grand is what it takes to solo with instrument, and then 10 grand for a kit plane less engine, avionics, controls and creature comforts. So the real ballpark number to get into a kitplane with a license and insurance for 1 year is about 20 to 30 grand. That's not including fuel aqnd storage fees, I have a few friends that sold their planes after 9-11, that pretty much was the day that private recreational flying costed too much to do anymore. Insurance rates went through the roof, fees for inspections became absurd and storage fees doubled, flight regulations became strict and let's not forget fuel, 110 avigas isn't cheap. But someday I'll build a kit plane, maybe a midget mustang or a pitts SC2, who knows what the future will hold?

Heck, no need to Photoshop them. I'm sure there are plenty of photos and probably video floating around out there from the late 80's and 90's that would bring me great shame.

I'm probably somewhere between 5-6K. That's my story anyway.

Back to the subject a little, Ken is right about the insurance. I have more tied up in tools that I want to admit to.

Mechanics tools, woodworking tools, hobby tools.

I think I have figured that to get into any hobby takes about 5000 dollars. To venture off into a different section of the hobby, about 2000 dollars more. For instance get into woodworking, then get a setup for wood turning.

Anyway, to add to what Ken said earlier, the best thing to do is to inventory all of your tools and put them into a spreadsheet on your computer. While you have all of your tools laying out during the inventory take some digital photo's of them. Those of us with too many tools may have to fill up the table several times to get photo's of them all. Then get enventories and photo's of your airplanes, engines, and radios, including the planes that are still in the box.

After you get your spreadsheets and photo's together, store them on a CD. Make two. Store one off premisis like at work, safety deposit box, or give to a friend to hold.

While you are at it also make spreadsheets for your lawn and gardening equipment, furniture, and other posessions and list prices so you can see if your insurance will cover any and all losses.

As far as just my RC net worth is now, I would have to say over 10K.

When I decided to go to RC I just built a two ch. 1/2A cub and used one of my old free flight Tee Dee engines with a home made two oz. tank. The Hitec radio and servos were about 65 bucks. That got me into RC for just a taste over 100 dollars. Only tools I used were a razor knife and sand paper, I did borrow a covering iron and heat gun. Dosn't take a lot to get into the hobby. Things just seem to add up a lot with time.

When I got into RC, my Cousin stopped by the house to use an extension ladder to get his trainer out of a tree. I drove my truck to the field and let him use the ladder. I didn't know about the RC field before that. We stayed there for a little while and watched the others flying around.

Since his plane was an ARF I helped him to repair it, he crashed it before and paid one of the other guys to fix it for him.

I went out the next day and got the Eagle 2 kit and some CA, had it built in a week, then went out and got the engine and radio. This was around 1991

funny thing when I decided to get back into RC in 2004 all my buds were into getting dirt bikes,another thing I did for many years, most have no less than 10,000 into there bikes and gear,the 10 grand I have in RC has paid me back in spades.

when my friends started showing up with broken bones and blown tendons,I decided RC was a great way to spend my money and time,building planes has a high level of satisfaction for me,at a cheaper cost in medical bills.

if I need another adreneline boost, I can always go surfing,I have spent way more than 10,000$ traveling the globe for surfing adventure.

Bigtim, I know what you mean about the dirt bike hobby, I have a 96 banshee with 7K in the motor and just got into RC again and its putting a toll on the budget too lol. But its worth it in the end. I voted the 4k for now, but im sure it will climb alot in the very near future.

I'm guessing that I have about as much in my RC stuff as my wife has in her best horse and saddle, about 10k. And, I don't have to feed my planes twice a day.

Just not mucking a stall is worth 10K!!!

I'd guess around 3 grand so far, but I'm just getting started compaired to my other hobbys I've gotten off cheap so far. just think how many planes I could have in the hanger for the price of one of the motorcycles I've had over the years.

Are we talking per year or ... heheheehehe ... for most its more like per years spending I am sure!

I guess it all depends on your size and style of flying, 1/2A is cheap, 1/2 scale isn't so. But I've seen some rare .061's go for 1500 bucks. I spread the wealth amongst all of the sizes, form 1/2A to 1/3 scale gassers, I found that I spend a whole lot less on my scratch built small planes and roughly 1600 on the largest size planes. But the really exspensive ones are the 60-70 sized scale jobs, add all the details and retracts with glassing, paint,...ect. You end up with a hefty bill and a nice plane, of course this applies to the kits, not ARF warbirds that come predone in the box.

I like the quality of ARFs with some manufacturers. ARFs have come a long way since the early ones.
Mystic CT? How's the pizza there?

Hi:
Ya really want to know how much I have invested? I haven't even begin to compile the numbers. You don't want to know anyway. I am widowed,, so that's a downer, but I don't have a wife restraining me. But I need to be Restrained!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Somehow.

It's a great sport, what ever make you happy, and having fun, that's what's it's about, not how much you have invested. Some people will spend thousands upon thousands, and some spend only what they can afford in the hobby. If you have fun, go out and get it, and have the best time of your life!!!! Ya got one time here, make it work to your advantage. Have Fun

The pizza is really good, and yes, I live 2 minutes from the place. They do make a frozen pizza too, but not as good as getting a real slice of heaven. Actually,.... I've had better, it's called Rosa Mia's in johnston,RI, I use to live there for about 2 years and it was a staple, sure it costed 2 times as much as Mystic pizza but 10X better. I live by FLAPhappy's moto, you only get one life to live so go for it!

Actually, on a side note, the only time(s) I got close to julia roberts was when I live in Ojai,CA at my uncles place in matilla hieghts, a gated community. I would watch her every now and then ride a bike for excercise around the neighborhood, she was renting a house at the end of the culdisac (spelling?) while filming erin brockivich. My uncle married into my family through my aunt, he was born with a platinum spoon in his mouth, his last name is Kemper, as in the insurance giant, his father. He now is the ceo of Ojai realesate, I've actually been at one of his neighborhood parties and hung out with larry hagman(Major from "I dream of genie" and "JR" from Dallas).But I like the eastcoast, I need seasons and I like the pizza!

[color=#FF0099]Gentlemen,
I voted between 2 and 3k figuring on my equipment and airframes lying around......hanging from my living room balcony.....in my new hanger/spare room....the attic....the garage....SUV (about 20 of them). I guess replacement value is more than current value though....but I voted 'current' value.

Yes, hobbies of any sort cost $, and sometimes $$$. But the entertainment value, the friendships made, and the personal satisfaction of a perfect greased landing in a crosswind are priceless!!!

Besides, as a girl, I still must admit that my current purse and shoe collection are easily double the 10k upper limit you put on your poll. So next time your wives give you a ribbing....go to your closet and check the shoes and purses. Her Chanel bag cost more than a 40% Carden and her Pradas set her back more than your DA100. [:@] Sorry, but it's true!!!! Just be glad they don't get into the hobby too....I have found that collecting planes is like collecting shoes and purses....there is always another that I see and say "oohh that's pretty, gotta have that one too...does it come in PINK?!!!" [sm=kiss.gif]