Nathan King

How long did it take you to find your place in the hobby (Scale, Pattern, IMAC, Sport Flying, Free Flight, etc.)?

How many different aspects of the hobby did you try before finding it?

Did it evolve/change over time?

I know it sounds stupid. I'm just curious, so indulge me if you have time.

LANNYBOB

it took me about four years until i realized that i wanted to go big and just sport fly. that 3-d stuff takes alot of flying time to develop. flying every now and then wont cut it. i tried electrics but only for a short time (approx. 5 minutes). control line was cool when i was 18, 19 20 and 21. things have turned out to be better with hundreds of planes and set ups to choose from. it will only get better. if i knew then what i know now, i would have nothing short of 96" wing spans and gas engines to further my interests in this hobby. i started out small and slowly graduated into the larger
planes i have now. i love it.

jetmech05

I wanted to teach..knew it from the first time I could keep from over flying the pits,, about the third lesson.
I don't charge except for asking my student to teach another.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Been in the hobby nearly 30 years. In that time I have done a little of everything, from formation flying ,to twins, to gliders, STOL, speed planes, dog fighting, pattern, aerobatics, figure 8 races to just cruising around. But lately, say the last 7 years ,I have fallen victim to scale. I generally keep a diverse fleet of airplanes. I don't like to fly two similar planes in a row. One day, its a little Cap232, the next day an Ercoupe. Twins will certainly liven up the fleet. I think its very important to have a diverse fleet and keep things shaken up and feeling fresh. I might ARF the aerobats or twins. But I'll spend untold hours building those scale ships. The more rare they are, the better I like them. The Walter Mitty factor is off the scale, (no pun intended). I think its sad that I see so few scale ships at the field. When I started in the 70's, scale was king, top of the food chain. It was everyone's hope to one day build and fly great scale airplanes. Well, now you don't need to build them, ( unless you want to), but I still see so very few of them. Where I fly, there might be a dozen of those huge aerobatic ARFs with 150cc engines on them. I wish that worked for me. Life would be so much easier. But they just don't do a thing for me. I would much rather see giant Bearcats and Navajos. I'm just a dinosaur waiting for the cloud of ash to burry me. I am lucky in one regaurd, I love to do touch and goes. I can do them all day. So, I don't really need an aerobat for that, I can do t-n-g's with a scale ship

Short answer: Your interest and specialty with change periodically until it hits scale.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I have a place in the hobby? [X(]

I have always liked it all. I started with pylon racing, glider contests and pattern and have about one of everything now. Its all fun. I have been enjoying the hobby for 30 years and wouldn't trade a thing. I cut the nose off my old windrifter and put an electric motor with a folding prop in it and got a great flight tonight again with it. Its all good.

somegeek

My Feedback: (2)

Great rule.

I had an awesome instructor. Hope to pass what I learned on to a buddy some day.

Not sure what place I have in this hobby... think it'll keep changing. Wherever you go, there you are.

I think I enjoy building as much as I do flying. Think they jive off each other. My friend asked me why I am building another plane while I have six in my hangar. I like to build and fly what I build. It's that simple. Gonna dig up some of those pics of 50 plane hangars and send them his way.

This is a great hobby. I like the exposure you get as well when kit building. The woodcrafting techniques. Finishing. Latest I am pondering is vacuum forming to fabricate some cowls. All neat stuff I hope to share with my soon to be born son some day. (Sept 19th!)

somegeek

saramos

Scale building is my place. I enjoy building even more than flying.

Scott

KitBuilder

I think that's where I'm heading too. I don't like to show up with the carbon copy plane everyone else has. I've been in and out of the hobby for many years.. but have flown power, sailplanes, dlg, sailboats, and am back into glow planes. Built and currently flying a trainer. Have a 4* on the board to get comfortable with aerobatics.. and am planning on a Krier Great Lakes bipe scratch build next. I suggest trying all aspects of the hobby... you never what you'll like until you try them... I enjoy building as much as flying. (as long as i have the other two availble during the bipe build !)
Mike

Major Pain

Been into modeling for 40 yrs. Control line had me first. Love RC anything. Tried gas cars, gas boats, gas and electric planes. Scale, pylon, pattern, twins even two helicopters. Got so bad I bought a Cessna 150 full scale and got my ticket. Back to RC planes and this is where I'll stay. Have had many hobbies and this is the best.---------Revver Bro#164

TFF

I enjoy scale and older rc planes. My dad showed me how to build so I build almost everything. It sometimes can be strange because my club is driven by profiles( Pro Bro was started by one of the club members) and IMAC, but we all have fun.

aerowoof

Nathan,
where's your place?

NCIS

Nathan,

I started out building and flying scale civilian planes after my first build which was a trainer back in 1983, a Freedom 20. I started back in the hobby about 2 1/2 years ago. Now I have everything from 55" to ten foot wingspan planes. I just decided one day that I was done building scale Civilian aircraft and switched to WWII Warbirds. I'm building a Top Flite 1/8 scale F4U-1D Corsair right now. When I'm done with that I will try my hands at building off plans. I have a set of plans from Don Smith for a 1/4 scale F4U-1D Corsair that is waiting for me to finish my 1/8 scale Corsair. The kit is cut and everything but the Seirra retracts are purchased. I have only been back building for 2 1/2 years and have built 12 planes. Most are 80" and above. When I build a scale airplane I get a lot of enjoyment out of making modifications so the finished plane looks just like the real thing. So I guess I knew that I wanted to build and fly since 1983 but had to stop for many years because of my business and family. Now I'm semi retired and am back at it. It took 2 years to decide to change from Civilian to Military aircraft. Some of my builds take a long time. The 1/8 scale I've been building for about 6 months and have another 6 months to go. The 1/4 scale Corsair will probably take 2 to 3 years to complete. I also love to fly 3D so I buy ARF's for that.

Find your nitch and be happy,

Gibbs

Mode One

I don't know if your supposed to have "A Place" that sounds sorta boring! I like good flying sport planes, planes that are fun to fly. Like many others have stated here, building is the part I enjoy the most. However, the sport planes I have are mostly ARFs. For building, I like scale. I like general aviation airplanes, rag covered Aeroncas and Pipers. But, my one affliction is WW1 Aeroplanes, love'm! They were, after all, really only big model airplanes. Just bought a Balsa USA 1/4th scale Nieuport 28 C1 today. It will be my winter project! When will Winter ever get here?!?

nickj

I like building planes. Seeing them fly is just a bonus. I did free-flight and control line when I was younger, moved up to RC when the radios got better and I could afford them. But my place in the hobby has always been the building. I've built from kits, from plans, and my own designs. Watching a plane fly that you drew up and built yourself is probably the most fun. Scale builds are a close second, whether from a kit or plans.

BillyGoat

My place in this hobby is taking very nice airplanes, breaking them and fixing them again.

What’s great about this hobby is that it is so diverse and there is always something different to try. A few years ago I started 3-D. This year it was pattern. I'd like to give IMAC a try, maybe even a heli. There are a bunch of other things I’d like to try but I’m quite limited by my wallet.

scratchonly

I agree with nickj, there is NOTHING like building a scale plane from your own plans derived from a 3-view and seeing it fly. It makes me sad that so few "instant gratification" youngsters will never know that feeling. Our club has over 85 members and I am the only scratch builder left, but then I'm an old fart and we have long winters.

Jim Messer

My Feedback: (2)

I'll join in on this conversation because it won't be too long before I might not be able to. I started building rubber band models in 1937, and my first gas model (a Comet Zipper) with an Ohlsson 23 engine in 1941. I joined both the AMA and the Olean Model Airplane Club in 1941. The OMAC club is now known as the STARS (Southern Tier Aero Radio Society), and was organized in 1935; the AMA in 1936. Been a member of both now for 66 consecutive years.

I flew in lots of free-flight contests up until my last Nats in 1971. I flew my first control line in 1943, and competed in CL speed thru the forties. In the mid fifties I got into radio control - it was in its infancy at the time.

In 1975 I put the first giant scale gas engine on the market in the USA, the Quadra 35. You all know the effect that has had on modeling worldwide. I ran a worldwide giant scale model business for eleven years before I sold it in order to retire to Florida.

In August 2005 our club (STARS) received the coveted AMA Historic Landmark Award for our pioneering efforts in the formation of giant scale. It is the most prestigious award that AMA gives out, and is only the second one in their history - since 1936. There are five of us old guys left that were recognized for these efforts.

I design and build all of my models from scratch, and have done so since the free-flight forties.
I would rather build than fly. My smallest airplane has a G-62 for power, and at the moment I have ten big airplanes in my hanger. Try this on for size: 1/3 scales: Ercoupe, J-3 Cub, J-4E Cub Coupe, Aeronca Sedan, 1916 Bristol Scout, Laser 200, and Ultimate; 30% - Stinson SR-10; 40% - J-3 Cub, and VANS RV-6. I have also designed several 1/5 and 1/4 scale models, but hanger space dictated that they all the smaller planes be sold - no place to store them.

I love this hobby more than anyone can ever imagine. I have just completed a book that I hope to get published, entitled "A Lifetime In Model Aviation" which covers my life in the hobby for the past 70 years. My wish is that everybody in the hobby can get the satisfaction and enjoyment out of it that I have.

And whether you like it or not, it is my opinion that the AMA has done a fantastic job of looking over us these past 71 years, so to them I say "Thanks". Without them, none of the above would have been possible.

Semi Retired Aviator

You've had a great life in modellling Jim and had some significant achievements.

I only hope I can go for as long!!

All the best for the future.

Nathan King

Hey now! I'm only 21 and I build. I just finished restoring a Joker and am currently building a Fresh Aire. Not all of us are lazy self-absorbed "I want an Oompa-loompa now" babies.

PS: It's a great feeling. When you fly it's like you are investing in your own skills as a builder. Nothing like it.

scratchonly

Glad to hear it. CONGRATS! Note that I didn't say "all" I said "few", sadly, you are in the minority.