Sure Ray , you can assume that newbess into RC with less then 5 years will answer , ARFs as there main intro to Rc , you can also assume that Rcers at lets say 40 plus started with kits because that was our best option and now have moved to arfs and kits because the quality has gotten so good in arfs , now if you add age into the mix , every RC survey has unfortunitly proven that is still is not attracting enought youth to the sport (that is changing big time ) but was the case .
You can actually post age with many ansewers
I bet the kits to arfs gang is 40 plus
I bet the arfs only gang spans many more ages younger to older limits
Again , not trying to spoil a fun post , someone menthion that manufactures should read this , well part of what I do is consumer survey in the food industry and this poll is great but it also reveals so many changes in this industry
I fly mostly WW2 , I would never think of an ARF , but in the last 5 years the ARFs are nicer and more cost effective then many kits . Just look at the resale valus of a Giant scale Kit vs a new Giant scale arf , the cost of the kits (if not rare ) is way down

Chuck , I could not agree with you more , your proving my point , arfs had gotton so good that the many older Rcs that always would have built can now be proude of an ARF

Proud of an ARF? I don't think I could be so pretentious.

I started building kits back in the 60's and did so all my life until recently. I did build one ARF when I was in the service in the 70's and it was a POS, but I didn't have time or building space to build anything good.

For many years after that I was an ARF Basher, but a few years ago some guy brought an Aresti out to our field. I was pretty impressed, and decided to do a little research into the ARF world. The more I saw, the more I was impressed with the Quality of today's ARFs.

Since I started doing reviews for RCU I have seen Building better than I can do myself (And I'm a very good builder).

But it still comes down to this:

Flying is a Sport - Building is a Hobby

I enjoy spending free time down in my shop gluing, sanding, covering, etc. And for as long as I have time and money for a hobby, I will continue to build. Bit if I didn't have the time, or if I didn't LIKE to build, I would have no problem flying some of the teriffic ARF's that are on the market today.

I know you say you are not trying to spoil the post, but I tend to disagree! Secondly this Poll was kindly put up by Piper Chuck in regards to a question that I started in the Builders Forum. I have gotten the answers I was looking for, so Chucks Poll definatetly served the purpose for which it was created. So freakin what if the poll isn't scientificley accurate down to the gnats bottom. We are talking about Model Airplanes and not World Hunger or something like that. So please relax, and just check your answer on the FUN little poll going on here!

Well said Mike! Your post pretty well summed up my thoughts as well.

What I can say is that, I started out in 1980's when I was about 16, back then ARFs were expensive. Also, the older flyers forced me to build it on my own (my dad was not into planes!), they said "Don't bother to fly is you cannot build your own plane". Now, I would love to build but time is an issue (translated as - I am just too darn lazy and impatient). I can say that in my neck of the woods you will hardly find anymore scratch builders. I know only 2 here. As for avid kit builders, I only know another 2 or so. ARFs are ruling ... you can get El Cheapos or the really good stuff.

This is a hobby, its about enjoyment. Does not mean by not building kits then we are not a 'real' RC plane hobbyist. One thing I can see is that those who build REALLY have the passion for it. I admire them for sure! I think they get this huge kick when the plane maiden's and then lands. Guess it must be very rewarding for them. For me its "Let's Get It Up as Fast as I Can Crash Them!!!" I am a HEATHEN!

Mike , I have to tell you thanks for the post on Hobby warehouse , been there many time , thanks again .
I am not going to address the proude of the ARF commenst , I dont take myself that serious and personally have built so many planes I cant count them .

Ck , i love your comments , you need a life man !!!![:-]

I had a good smart***** response posted here in response to the statement above, but I am not good at playing them little games, so I have deleted what I wrote, and will get back on the subject, and not argue with someone who knows absolutely nothing about me or my life. This is a good thread with some good information to be learned from the Poll taking place. I am glad to see that so many have taken the time to vote. It really does help to shed some light on some questions I have posted in the builders forum.

I wanted to ask a question inside a question. Is anyone surprised by the Poll results so far, or is it just me? There are a couple places on the Poll that have a much higher percentage then I would have ever thought. The one on the poll carrying the highest percentage is no surprise at all, and actually I thought maybe it would be higher. There is one running about 14-15% that really surprises me the most. I don't want to say anything specific, because I don't want to taint the poll. Its I was just curious if anyone is surprised at the results, or if the results are pretty much waht everyone expected?

Hello,

When one looks at the poll, you need to check out the age group too. I would bet that older generation like me (30+) would start out with kits then to ARFs. Now, with the younger generations would be the reverse. I have seen many kids started out with foam planes then advancing to kits as their skill and desire to advance further. Therefore age group specific is very important.

Dai Phan ( third place runner up of Nobel Prize in Scientific Research in 1992).

I am 35. My first Plane was actually a Kit, but since I did not build it myself, I classified it as an ARF. I think there were probally alot of people who still had someone else build there Planes for them before actual ARF's came about. It would be really tough to pin down every possible scenario. I actually was building rubber powered models(Kits) when I was a young kid, and had several U-Control Cox Airplanes(ARF's) also as a kid that I did not consider for this poll. In my own opinion, I would classify an ARF as any Plane that you did not personally build. If it was built for you, or by another individual, or at a factory I would personally classify it as an ARF(Almost Ready to Fly). I have also turned a few ARF's into kits if you know what I mean? LOL

I'm sensing an elitist attitude in this thread.

Regardless of whether you spend more or less time building, regardless of the poll- which was started as something fun, not as a realistic market-driven survey that we could analyze by committee and then secretly use to sell our wares- we are all hobbyists here. Some of us get tremendous satisfaction out of the work and detail that goes into building a model from a kit (although I'd be curious to see how many of those proud folks had ever truly scratch-built an airplane), and some of us enjoy a less involved building experience, with the final goal being to get out and fly!


MinnFlyer said here Wow. I for one have never built a plane from a kit, but am nevertheless very proud of my growing fleet, and get tremendous satisfaction from the SPORT. Its attitudes like that that keep people from coming to the SPORT, or when they come across someone like that at a field, it will cause them to think twice about joining a club.

Thanks Minn.

Have flew all three .Kits , ARF's and rekits[X(] . My problem was not if it was a arf or kit ,it was to much fun rebuilding!!! After going through about 20 (ARF's,Kit's,ReKits) I found out I like to build but I will still buy a ARF and it will most likely be an electric because I cant build that light .About the poll ,my first plane was used so would that be classed as a arf ?

COnvienance and time saved, those are the ARF advantage.

rccrasher, I think that would be a RTF!

I somewhat agree. I think they are both hobbies in their own. Some people enjoy building to kill time (like Winter). Some people don't like to or aren't skilled or motivated enough to build kits.

It's tough in this day and age to buy a kit of a plane when the ARF is like 40 bucks more. Heck, you'll spend another 40 bucks on the covering, and still be at the point of an ARF, minus the time you have to spend to get it to ARF status.

I'm an ARF convert, but I enjoy building and creating. Making Kits my own.

Agreed.

Maybe its just me and I am a good flyer , but I have a much easier time flying ARf then the ones I build , I guess that is where the term Hanger queen comes from -lol



I am much more nervous with a kit then an ARf

[8D]

Wih the quality and price of ARFs now I only build the "special" models and fly ARFs for the day in-dayout sport flying. Many ARFs are less expensive than the equivilent kit when you add glue, covering, etc.

Myself There is nothing better than a kit you yourself built covered and painted and flys just how you want.