Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

There are many high quality used engines available. I've even bought new in box engines for less than half of new price. This hobby is full of equipment that never gets used or is used very little. You just have to look around for the bargains.

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

I'm really saddened to hear you were afflicted with GBS. It hit me in late 2008 and I still haven't fully recovered from it. It changed my life forever, and not for the better. I don't know to what level of physical limitation you achieved but know that the more you can stretch and excersize the better you will get. I won't lie like so may do to make people feel better but you will likely carry some residual effects of the disease forever. It's how you deal with them that makes all the difference.

Get better buddy. You've been through an extremely painful and crippling period, one that was nearly impossible to diagnose correctly and about as expensive to treat as it gets. You're family was put through more than any should have to deal with.

Pat

kerwin50

Thanks Pat. It maybe a bit off subject but it's been this hobby and fellow flyers that has been the greastest rehab.
I had claws for hands and in a wheel chair when I relearned to fly again. But I am much better now.
I too was hit in 2008 and have had to learn to fly sitting down although this past fall I have been known to stand for an entire flight of 15 minutes.
I wish you all the best Pat and yes please continue to fight and fly.
And to anyone else who has GBS,MS,MD or a stroke I say the same thing Fight and Fly

hairy46

My Feedback: (1)

Godspeed in your healing to all of you! Yes this hobby is therapy in of itself, Sure has the best of the best people in it from all over the world! Would not have traded this hobby for any other out there, and the friends that have been made doing this are second to none!

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

Kerwin50,

Where is Winston located in respect to Kansas City?

microdon2

My Feedback: (47)

I know I always feel better after a good day of flying. Like today ... and right now!

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

Kerwin,

While I was really down, and couldn't stand up without a walker or canes, a couple of friends offered to meet me at the flying field, if necessary come to the house to load up a plane, and help me do some flying. I had that day, and through their help, put together my 35% Edge and did some flying while sitting in a seated walker. Got in a couple of flights and it was exhilarating to know there was something I might still be able to do. My eternal thanks to RTK and Altavillan, and Tom at Wild Hare R/C for sending me that Edge to put together in a form of physical therapy. Without that plane the process would have been a lot slower for I would have been without the psychological impetus that generated the drive to force faster healing. You are one that can well understand that challenges that were encountered many times a day in working with your hands with small parts and tools. Frustrating at times for sure!

It took another 6 months or so before I could fly standing up again, and even now the amount of time I can stand without getting fatigued is limited, but improving. I understand what you say about claws for hands. At the worst I was about 60% paralyzed and could not eat due to the lack of swallow reflex. I did manage to lose the 40 pounds I was overweight but look out when your body is ready to eat again. You gain it back with a vengence I was fortunate in having missed the paralyzed respiratory stage and hope you did too. I still have the tingling feet, weak and painful lower extremities, and less than ideal hand dexterity. Handling folding money can be challengine at times. I have learned that time is your friend in all this and that healing should continue to a great extent. I hope you've done as good or better than I. One thing is certain, I wouldn't wish GBS or it's recurring cousin on anyone.

What really ticks me off was the fact it ended my trips overseas. I've since passed the minimum physical requirements but I can never, ever, submit to any of the immunizations again, especially H1N1. That ended up a cut in pay of about 80K a year and now all my work has to be done in a lab/shop environment. I wasn't quite ready for that yet, but it could have been a lot worse.

For all the others out there that are graced with good health and physical condition, bear in mind that bad things can happen to anyone but you don't have to let them keep you down. If you want something bad enough, and find what you want to be rewarding enough, you don't have to accept the limits imposed on you. You can propel yourself well beyond those limits but you'll have to work for it. If you ever see someone at your field in a wheelchair, using a walker, or a cane watching everyone fly, don't assume that person is not looking to be taught how to fly. They can do it too with a little help from others at the field. Don't deny them the opportunity to live and experience their lives to the greatest extent possible. Their limitations may be far less than they first appear. The returns on that investment could be far greater than you could ever imagine.

kerwin50

I'm just 45 minutes north on Kansas City.
TOM I went all the way down to a vent and and completely paralyzed, I started walking 6 mo later. I have tingling in my hands and feet, along with rubber arms and legs.
I use to be an electronic tech but now I can no longer do surface mount soldering or troubleshooting so I'm down to making 1K a month SSI
I am flying a twist 40 right now but am dreaming of a goldwing MX with a dle 30
I do get alot of help at the flying field, I belong to wings over lathrop and they are all a great bunch of guys.

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

All I can say is to keep working with weight and flexation excersizes. Most everything will come back and hopefully you'll regain the use of your hands, but you'll have to work for it and it will be painful as the muscles get stretched again. You'll likely always fatigue faster than before but you'll regain most of the mobility and dexterity. Don't lose hope my friend, for there is still much to hope for. Damn glad to hear you're doing some flying. That's what has pushed me forward faster.

Pat

JNorton

My Feedback: (2)

And now I give thanks to god that I've been spared what you both have endured. I'm really blessed though with two girls in college sometimes I don't think so.
John

kerwin50

Guys getting back to DLE pricing, The more engines that are out there the more parts and service work over the next 20 years will be.
And Parts and service is where the money is at not in new engine sales.
I'd like to see the factory responsible and pay for warranty work no matter where it is bought.
Some years ago I bought a futaba super7 and the rx went bad. the LHS went out of bussiness but since I sent in my warranty card I just sent it in.
Again some years ago I bought a new motorcycle and it need some warranty work but I didn't like the service center where I bought the bike at so I took it to another dealership, no problem why because Kawasaki paid the service center where I took it for the repairs.
And it's the same way on our tv's and other products.
Instead of the big boys pushing the factory to limit sales only to them how about they making them pay for warranty work instead.
It's only a win win then

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

In theory that's the way it should work but in practice, with Chinese engines, it doesn't often go that route. Some of the Chinese manufacturers don't reimburse a dime for warranty work. If a dealer is lucky they will be provided some of the parts required. A fair number of dealers have found they needed to tear down good engines to have any warranty parts on hand. I do not know how DL/DLE is working this side of things because I have not spoken to anyone specifically about this.

If a manufacturer is not reimbursing for warranty work it's easy to understand why dealers would be extremely reluctant to service engines sold by others. Nobody likes to work for free or pull the cost of parts out of their pocket. Valley View has been real good about this, handling problems that originated with engines sold by DL USA and other sellers no longer in business. I do know they ate a lot of that work to develop and promote the product line. Since I know Valley View has done this it would be interesting to see what happened if someone sent an engine to Hobby Services that was not sold by Tower. I think we know what would happen, they wouldn't work on it without an hourly fee, if at all.