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Posted: 4/30/2023 3:08:19 PM EST
Sure seems that way. I miss the days of hobby shops stocked with hundreds of kits and parts. I really think I enjoyed building them more than flying lol. Looking around my AO I don't see a single RC field listed. Only one hobby shop (a crappy Hobby Town chain outfit). WTF happened around the mid 2000s? Seems like it was thriving one minute then--poof--gone to memory. All the good old RC forums are pretty much ghost towns. Wow.
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Posted: 4/30/2023 3:08:59 PM EST
[#1]
I quit. Didn't feel like registering anything
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Posted: 4/30/2023 3:23:45 PM EST
[#2]
Still plenty of people around. Rcgroups is the big forum. HobbyTown has always sucked
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Posted: 4/30/2023 3:45:19 PM EST
[#3]
The RC airfield near where I grew up used to be in the sticks, then eventually it wasn't and it got turned into a parking lot and stores/restaurants.
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Posted: 4/30/2023 8:18:07 PM EST
[Last Edit: JQ66]
[#4]
Not dead, at least not yet, but changing.
Buy something not so big and fly in your yard or some field or park. I am fortunate enough to have a large field right next to me, now owned by a gas company. I mow some of it and keep the part the is adjacent to my ground looking decent. I fly mostly smaller stuff there so far. All electric. The big balsa kit makers are amolst all gone now but there are many small garage operations where they make balsa short kits. Just laser cut parts, and stringers and such you make or supply, as well as most of the hardware. Many of the old hooby shops couldnt compete against the internet retailers, or just didnt see the shift to electric. And some that did adapt now have lots of foam models, and very little traditional building materials. *looks like it could be dead in canada soon. Along with many other heavy handed govt rules on more fundamental human rights, they came down pretty hard on the modeling community |
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Posted: 5/2/2023 4:34:10 AM EST
[#5]
It’s not dead, but give it time. The AMA sold us out to the FAA. I still fly, but not like I used to.
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UT, USA
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Posted: 5/2/2023 4:59:00 AM EST
[#6]
I owned some stuff but never learned how to fly it. About 20 years ago I had a neighbor who was way into it. He took me and three of his planes out to show off his skills. Ended up coming home with one still intact.
 I couldn't see spending all that time building and then losing it that way, but it's a cool hobby. |
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Posted: 5/2/2023 4:39:48 PM EST
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By JQ66: Not dead, at least not yet, but changing. Buy something not so big and fly in your yard or some field or park. I am fortunate enough to have a large field right next to me, now owned by a gas company. I mow some of it and keep the part the is adjacent to my ground looking decent. I fly mostly smaller stuff there so far. All electric. The big balsa kit makers are amolst all gone now but there are many small garage operations where they make balsa short kits. Just laser cut parts, and stringers and such you make or supply, as well as most of the hardware. Many of the old hooby shops couldnt compete against the internet retailers, or just didnt see the shift to electric. And some that did adapt now have lots of foam models, and very little traditional building materials. *looks like it could be dead in canada soon. Along with many other heavy handed govt rules on more fundamental human rights, they came down pretty hard on the modeling community Bold part is what I find such a bummer. I used to enjoy building them as much as (or maybe more) than flying them. Appealed to my OCD/perfectionist side lol. When I got into it I worked straight nights and my favorite past time on nights off was to stay up all night building with a few cold beers. Nothing but the darkness, quiet, and the smell of balsa and CA glue. One of the things I truly miss and I think I'll probably never get to do again. When I got tired I'd catch up on RC online or fly around on my sim. Spent hours browsing the Tower Hobbies catalogs dreaming of my next project. |
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Posted: 5/2/2023 4:46:05 PM EST
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Bronsonburner: Bold part is what I find such a bummer. I used to enjoy building them as much as (or maybe more) than flying them. Appealed to my OCD/perfectionist side lol. When I got into it I worked straight nights and my favorite past time on nights off was to stay up all night building with a few cold beers. Nothing but the darkness, quiet, and the smell of balsa and CA glue. One of the things I truly miss and I think I'll probably never get to do again. When I got tired I'd catch up on RC online or fly around on my sim. Spent hours browsing the Tower Hobbies catalogs dreaming of my next project. Yes and no. Old Tower Hobbies is (for all practical purposes) gone, Great Planes, Goldberg and Hobbico, etc are all gone. However, there are a ton of small manufacturers out there with laser cutters that are making kits. Almost all of them are of better quality than the old kits. For $300 you can buy a laser cutter, download files off Aerofred, little CAD magic, cut your own. https://www.balsaworkbench.com/?page_id=302 https://www.laser-design-services.com/ http://www.eurekaaircraft.com/all_kits.htm http://www.oldschoolmodels.com/index.htm Or just be me and have a few hundred kits on the shelf. 
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Posted: 5/2/2023 5:19:33 PM EST
[#9]
The demographic is getting older for sure. We used to have 3/4 hobby shops that had RC plane stuff. Now there's 1 hole in the wall shop that caters to trains and some cars.
We lost our field of many decades that we leased from the city. Now we rent a small farm Field, electric only. I haven't flown in several years, due to other things and night shift, although I kept up my memberships and gear. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 5/2/2023 6:52:36 PM EST
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Leisure_Shoot: I quit. Didn't feel like registering anything I havn't registered crap. |
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KS, USA
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Posted: 5/3/2023 8:01:40 AM EST
[Last Edit: kuhndog599]
[#11]
I'm in my early 30s and joined the local club a couple miles away. It's nice that it's so close. I wanted something to escape with and just have a little fun for an hour here or there. It's a small town of about 14k and there might be 18 members.
The downside is having to make the meetings or having these work days. They said paying dues won't cut being in the club, you have to be active in every aspect. I got nominated for a position last year but not elected. I don't want to be an officer or anything, I just wanted to have a little fun outside of work. Most of the time I'm getting off after dark or right at. My free time is limited as it is due to my kind of work, I don't want something else on my plate. Most of the guys have 30-40 years on me and complain about not having any younger people to fill the roles. Im probably not renewing membership next year. |
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Posted: 5/3/2023 8:07:09 AM EST
[#12]
I don't fly, but the park near my house has guys flying every single day. On slow days, only 2 or 3, on spring/summer days, it can be 10 or more.
Anyway, RC planes is kind of an old-man sort of thing now. Drones are the cool thing. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 5/3/2023 8:58:04 AM EST
[Last Edit: AR15Texan]
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Bronsonburner: Bold part is what I find such a bummer. I used to enjoy building them as much as (or maybe more) than flying them. Appealed to my OCD/perfectionist side lol. When I got into it I worked straight nights and my favorite past time on nights off was to stay up all night building with a few cold beers. Nothing but the darkness, quiet, and the smell of balsa and CA glue. One of the things I truly miss and I think I'll probably never get to do again. When I got tired I'd catch up on RC online or fly around on my sim. Spent hours browsing the Tower Hobbies catalogs dreaming of my next project. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Bronsonburner: Originally Posted By JQ66: Not dead, at least not yet, but changing. Buy something not so big and fly in your yard or some field or park. I am fortunate enough to have a large field right next to me, now owned by a gas company. I mow some of it and keep the part the is adjacent to my ground looking decent. I fly mostly smaller stuff there so far. All electric. The big balsa kit makers are amolst all gone now but there are many small garage operations where they make balsa short kits. Just laser cut parts, and stringers and such you make or supply, as well as most of the hardware. Many of the old hooby shops couldnt compete against the internet retailers, or just didnt see the shift to electric. And some that did adapt now have lots of foam models, and very little traditional building materials. *looks like it could be dead in canada soon. Along with many other heavy handed govt rules on more fundamental human rights, they came down pretty hard on the modeling community Bold part is what I find such a bummer. I used to enjoy building them as much as (or maybe more) than flying them. Appealed to my OCD/perfectionist side lol. When I got into it I worked straight nights and my favorite past time on nights off was to stay up all night building with a few cold beers. Nothing but the darkness, quiet, and the smell of balsa and CA glue. One of the things I truly miss and I think I'll probably never get to do again. When I got tired I'd catch up on RC online or fly around on my sim. Spent hours browsing the Tower Hobbies catalogs dreaming of my next project. The smell of CA activator and heated MonoKote. I still have a Carl Goldberg Gentle Lady that needs to be completed since 1988. |
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Posted: 5/3/2023 10:02:56 AM EST
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kuhndog599: I'm in my early 30s and joined the local club a couple miles away. It's nice that it's so close. I wanted something to escape with and just have a little fun for an hour here or there. It's a small town of about 14k and there might be 18 members. The downside is having to make the meetings or having these work days. They said paying dues won't cut being in the club, you have to be active in every aspect. I got nominated for a position last year but not elected. I don't want to be an officer or anything, I just wanted to have a little fun outside of work. Most of the time I'm getting off after dark or right at. My free time is limited as it is due to my kind of work, I don't want something else on my plate. Most of the guys have 30-40 years on me and complain about not having any younger people to fill the roles. Im probably not renewing membership next year. |
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Posted: 5/3/2023 1:21:16 PM EST
[Last Edit: broken_reticle]
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Leisure_Shoot: Old people ruin a lot of hobbies for young people Boomers have always been a PITA at the flying field.  If they are not complaining about electric guys then they were complaining about sailplane guys or helicopter guys. Now we have come full circle and they are complaining about nitro planes and drones.I am lucky to have a field in the middle of no where with no noise restrictions and next to the rifle range. Fortunately folks like Flite Test are reaching younger guys. |
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Posted: 5/3/2023 5:51:48 PM EST
[#16]
I’ve been out of the hobby since 1999. I had fun, but it’s behind me now. For me, it was those cool sounding 4 cycle engines. No shit, I was into buying an engine and then finding an airframe for it.
When I bought my first trainer, a Balsa USA swizzle stick, I picked up a well used Saito .40 that made music at idle. That hollow sounding pop-pop-pop really hooked me. That was around 1988. Never cared for the screaming 2 strokes. But the smell of the nitro and castor oil burning, getting in your clothes, on your hands and even the taste when you breathed it in was intoxicating. I had the bug so bad I jumped into a Joe Bridi Big Bee with an OS FT 300 twin. I think I only flew it three or four times before selling it, but one of those flights was after work as the sun was setting behind me. I was in a left to right pattern and the golden sunset against that bright yellow Monokote and the sound of that 24” prop cutting the air with the harmonics of the big 300 twin was heaven.  Was it expensive for so few flights? Yes. But the memories of that day will live forever. My biggest problem was just not enough time to fly. I was building models like crazy and selling them, but raising 3 kids at the time (the 4th showing up was my push to give it up) and working opposite shifts from the wife so someone was home with the kids just gave me spotty times I could fly and I never got comfortable with my flying skills. I refused to give up the big airplanes and go back to small trainers as a regular flyer. I did however put a lot of hours on a Goldberg clipped wing Cub with an OS .91 Surpass. It was my last airplane I ever flew in the hobby and sold it last at a swap meet in Perry GA. |
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Posted: 5/3/2023 8:54:55 PM EST
[#17]
I still love nitro. I was always a YS guy.
That reminds me, I have a Swizzle Stick I need to finish. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 5/4/2023 1:07:18 PM EST
[#18]
Kits are still around, not like when I was a yute though. I have a thread going for one I just bought, it came from Europe and was very reasonable in cost.
I think the hobby has gotten much more affordable since I was in as a kid back in the late 90s early 2000s. FliteTest is a big part of that. You have to order a lot of stuff direct from China if you can't get it at Amazon. Some folks like HobbyKing, I have never found anything I need in stock there, end up going to AliExpress or Banggood. The computer radios today are incredible and cheap. I had a Hitec computer radio back in the day, I paid hundreds for it used. The used TH9X I have now is lightyears better and runs open source software, I got it for $50... |
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Posted: 5/4/2023 1:18:23 PM EST
[#19]
People underestimate what things used to cost. I still have a lot of old magazines. Go back to the golden age of 1993 (30 years ago). A crappy Futaba Attack AM radio cost about $100. That is about $200 in current numbers. A standard servo was $20 and $35. That is $40 and $70 in current dollars. Crap was expensive.
ARFs have gotten cheap. However, people have completely lost a rubric from which to judge the quality of airplanes. Its shiny, covering matches, it is great quality! Except it is some weird chinesium plywood held together with hot glue. |
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Posted: 5/5/2023 1:32:45 PM EST
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Bronsonburner: Bold part is what I find such a bummer. I used to enjoy building them as much as (or maybe more) than flying them. Appealed to my OCD/perfectionist side lol. When I got into it I worked straight nights and my favorite past time on nights off was to stay up all night building with a few cold beers. Nothing but the darkness, quiet, and the smell of balsa and CA glue. One of the things I truly miss and I think I'll probably never get to do again. When I got tired I'd catch up on RC online or fly around on my sim. Spent hours browsing the Tower Hobbies catalogs dreaming of my next project. There’s still kit makers out there. The kits are sometimes not as complete, and you have to look for them. Some ones I know of manzano laser works (large number of short kits they will cut) Old school models Wee willies (these are mostly small) Stevens Aero Proctor/VK is still there There are small shops making the old top flight scale kits Balsa USA Give me more time I can come up with more |
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Posted: 5/5/2023 1:34:15 PM EST
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By rudinater: I havn't registered crap. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By rudinater: Originally Posted By Leisure_Shoot: I quit. Didn't feel like registering anything I havn't registered crap. I won’t either. And don’t plan on getting the ID either I don’t think my little balsa or foam model is going to show up on any air traffic radar anyways. |
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Posted: 5/5/2023 1:37:45 PM EST
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By JQ66: Wee willies (these are mostly small) Willy Nillies. I have built a couple of these. They are okay. Not particularly impressed with the engineering or wood quality. It is unfortunate, he has some near designs. |
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Posted: 5/5/2023 2:04:41 PM EST
[#23]
RC is having a renewal here after years of stagnation. We have two family owned and huge hobby shops catering to not only a robust RC aircraft crowd but also cars, trucks and boats. Both stores have tracks, ponds and areas to fly. I am more into RC trucks and boats. I do have a drone but that is more an occasional pleasure as I also operate a much larger and sophisticated drone for my S.O.. there are a few guys that have mega fixed wing monsters like airliners and WWII bombers with wingspans in excess of 12 feet. One crashed recently costing over $5k to replace. The owner took it well and is already building a new one, this time a P3 Orion. Should be pretty cool when he’s done.
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Posted: 5/5/2023 9:48:51 PM EST
[#24]
I still have a stack of plans, balsa wood, and plywood.
All based on glo engines when we still had a great field that allowed anything. A handful of kits too, maybe. Ifvthe mice haven't gotten to them. |
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Posted: 5/6/2023 11:43:40 AM EST
[#25]
I’ve got an old Coverite Gee Bee kit in my garage just incase I’m feeling the urge to glue balsa together again one day. Itcamethisclose to going in the dumpster when we moved.
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Posted: 5/6/2023 11:47:13 AM EST
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ScottsGT: I’ve got an old Coverite Gee Bee kit in my garage just incase I’m feeling the urge to glue balsa together again one day. Itcamethisclose to going in the dumpster when we moved. Man, don't throw that away, those were neat birds. |
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Posted: 5/6/2023 2:56:13 PM EST
[#27]
I also can’t wait till the Coast Guard gets involved with RC boating.
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Posted: 5/6/2023 7:05:35 PM EST
[#28]
Around here just about everybody flies foamies and buys motors and servos Etc from China. Nobody I know of is buying the kit planes.
What I love about foamies is you can nose one into the ground and within about 15 minutes have it flying again as long as you have a hot glue gun. I was briefly into kit planes back in the late 90s, built an Ugly Stick and a Rosarita (sp?) or something like that. Both of them crashed and it was enough to cause me to get out of hobby for about 15 years. |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 12:14:44 PM EST
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SoundStorm: Around here just about everybody flies foamies and buys motors and servos Etc from China. Nobody I know of is buying the kit planes. What I love about foamies is you can nose one into the ground and within about 15 minutes have it flying again as long as you have a hot glue gun. I was briefly into kit planes back in the late 90s, built an Ugly Stick and a Rosarita (sp?) or something like that. Both of them crashed and it was enough to cause me to get out of hobby for about 15 years. I learned to fly in the last few years of high school. I graduated in 1994. I continued flying for a couple years while in college. Within 3-4 years of high school graduation I still had all my equipment, but didn't fly. I never built a kit plane. My first plane was an ARF and I bought some pre-built planes. Building just wasn't the part of the hobby I enjoyed. Fast forward to 2010 or so. Due to the items you mention (repair foamies with BBQ skewers, gorilla glue and tape), ease of electrical power (vs the mess of glow fuel), etc, I got back into the hobby. I can appreciate a good balsa plane, but man...I just don't have the time to build one any more and it sucks to have your whole flying day ruined with a crash. And along those lines, I found myself having MORE fun with foamies. I could take them to the local park and fly, vs a 30 minute drive to a club field. Due to the ease of repair I found myself taking more risks and having more fun (flying in stronger winds, flying inverted lower to the ground, etc). I also LOVED the ability to completely kill power with electric and glide then re-engage power to climb back out. Foamies brought me back into the hobby. |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 12:50:55 PM EST
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By motoguy: I learned to fly in the last few years of high school. I graduated in 1994. I continued flying for a couple years while in college. Within 3-4 years of high school graduation I still had all my equipment, but didn't fly. I never built a kit plane. My first plane was an ARF and I bought some pre-built planes. Building just wasn't the part of the hobby I enjoyed. Fast forward to 2010 or so. Due to the items you mention (repair foamies with BBQ skewers, gorilla glue and tape), ease of electrical power (vs the mess of glow fuel), etc, I got back into the hobby. I can appreciate a good balsa plane, but man...I just don't have the time to build one any more and it sucks to have your whole flying day ruined with a crash. And along those lines, I found myself having MORE fun with foamies. I could take them to the local park and fly, vs a 30 minute drive to a club field. Due to the ease of repair I found myself taking more risks and having more fun (flying in stronger winds, flying inverted lower to the ground, etc). I also LOVED the ability to completely kill power with electric and glide then re-engage power to climb back out. Foamies brought me back into the hobby. As I have said before, Flite Test has done more to bring people (back) into the hobby than any other group, including the AMA. They also seem to be going much more directly at the license/tracking issue than the AMA. A number of them are also members around here and regularly sport gun (CMMG?) shirts on their channel. https://www.youtube.com/@FliteTest  A-10 Warthog VS Tank - Epic Airsoft Battle |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 1:12:09 PM EST
[#31]
I have no fucks to give about RC planes. I'm waiting for slot cars to come back.
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Posted: 5/8/2023 2:10:25 PM EST
[Last Edit: Jodan1776]
[#32]
Originally Posted By Bronsonburner: Sure seems that way. I miss the days of hobby shops stocked with hundreds of kits and parts. I really think I enjoyed building them more than flying lol. Looking around my AO I don't see a single RC field listed. Only one hobby shop (a crappy Hobby Town chain outfit). WTF happened around the mid 2000s? Seems like it was thriving one minute then--poof--gone to memory. All the good old RC forums are pretty much ghost towns. Wow. |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 5:08:02 PM EST
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ElrodCod: I have no fucks to give about RC planes. I'm waiting for slot cars to come back. I could get into that. I seriously looked into building a track out of plywood in my basement years ago. One of the larger scale ones. |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 5:28:29 PM EST
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Leisure_Shoot: I quit. Didn't feel like registering anything This. I used to be into a fairly heavy, but didn't want to deal with the restrictions. |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 5:53:32 PM EST
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Jodan1776: I'm pretty sure the reason is that drones (which take FAR less skill to fly) overwhelmed the market. And then dipshits with drones got us registration and regulation. When drones first started in the hobby, it took a certain level of skill and knowledge to build and set one up. The folks with that level of ability in the hobby knew better than to fly over airports, etc. I belong to a fairly active club, but generally speaking clubs are in decline. Remote ID will probably rejuvenate clubs a bit, because by the end of the year, you’ll have to:
The registration requirement isn’t that onerous. You also have to take a test covering very basic aeronautical knowledge now and have the resulting certificate with you when you fly. On the plus side, modern model technology is excellent. Very reliable radios, on board gyrostabilization, powerful and efficient electric motors and gas / glow engines, etc. It is still a great hobby. Different, but still enjoyable. |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 5:54:30 PM EST
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By broken_reticle: A number of them are also members around here and regularly sport gun (CMMG?) shirts on their channel. The owner of CMMG is the source behind all the Master Series planes. He's here as well. |
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Posted: 5/8/2023 6:23:20 PM EST
[#37]
Went from a gas ARF to an electric ARF to several sizes of drones. The drones were getting way expensive so I sold all of my RC gear to finance my daughters first car. It was enough to pay for it
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Posted: 5/8/2023 6:26:36 PM EST
[#38]
Try control-line. That is a fully dead hobby at this point.
I knew Mike Pratt personally and have a kit signed by him. Dunno where I'd even fly my planes anymore. We got run out of just about everywhere. |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2023 11:35:44 AM EST
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By pestilence12: Try control-line. That is a fully dead hobby at this point. I knew Mike Pratt personally and have a kit signed by him. Dunno where I'd even fly my planes anymore. We got run out of just about everywhere. @pestilence12 the guy who helped get me started into RC also did CL Speed and even held some records at one time. Brodak is still around and looks like one of the only sources of a lot of once common building materials. What always shamed me as an RC builder is how incredibly well made and well finished all the CL ships were that I ran across, at least the stunt and scale planes. I guess when you might have to sacrifice your bird to the 72 MHz FM gods you cut some corners... |
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Posted: 5/11/2023 11:39:42 AM EST
[Last Edit: broken_reticle]
[#40]
Willy Nillies has a control line kit or two as well. Cheap. I have a Baby Ringmaster about 75% complete.
https://willynillies.com/buy-here/ols/categories/control-line-airplanes-and-accessories |
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Posted: 5/11/2023 11:44:05 AM EST
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By flynbenny: @pestilence12 the guy who helped get me started into RC also did CL Speed and even held some records at one time. Brodak is still around and looks like one of the only sources of a lot of once common building materials. What always shamed me as an RC builder is how incredibly well made and well finished all the CL ships were that I ran across, at least the stunt and scale planes. I guess when you might have to sacrifice your bird to the 72 MHz FM gods you cut some corners... @flynbenny I did stunt, combat, and balloon pop. Have some trophies around here somewhere. You can still find kits every now and again. But the engines and such seem to be very rare. Same with CL cables. I have all my old flight stuff, but I don't know where I'd even fly. Used to use the old high school parking lot, but got ran off. Then tried an open field, and cops (  ) told me that wasn't an approved activity.I've just surrendered to the fact that it's a dead and gone hobby.
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CO, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2023 11:58:47 AM EST
[#42]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By pestilence12: @flynbenny I did stunt, combat, and balloon pop. Have some trophies around here somewhere. You can still find kits every now and again. But the engines and such seem to be very rare. Same with CL cables. I have all my old flight stuff, but I don't know where I'd even fly. Used to use the old high school parking lot, but got ran off. Then tried an open field, and cops ( ) told me that wasn't an approved activity.I've just surrendered to the fact that it's a dead and gone hobby. Does the field in Arvada no longer have CL circles? I heard a rumor the city was kicking all aeromodelers off it anyways for the C470 extension. What I always heard people bitch about CL was the noise profile you get from a glow engine coming around and around in circle. But with electric I think that would be less of an issue, prop noise is still a thing for sure though. Is electric CL a thing? That would open up more sites I would think. The field I fly at is restricted to electric or pure sailplanes (we are a sailplane club after all)... Honestly I don't miss glow engines at all, the mess and noise and cost were high. Electric is so much easier, just gotta have a good shovel handy for a Lipo fire |
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Posted: 5/11/2023 12:16:12 PM EST
[Last Edit: pestilence12]
[#43]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By flynbenny: Does the field in Arvada no longer have CL circles? I heard a rumor the city was kicking all aeromodelers off it anyways for the C470 extension. What I always heard people bitch about CL was the noise profile you get from a glow engine coming around and around in circle. But with electric I think that would be less of an issue, prop noise is still a thing for sure though. Is electric CL a thing? That would open up more sites I would think. The field I fly at is restricted to electric or pure sailplanes (we are a sailplane club after all)... Honestly I don't miss glow engines at all, the mess and noise and cost were high. Electric is so much easier, just gotta have a good shovel handy for a Lipo fire I'm not sure about Arvada. Last time I flew CL must have been 15-20 years ago. Yeah the noise was pretty intense, esp. if you got 3-4 circles going A combat match was like the loudest m-f-cking mosquitoes going round and round for 3-4 minutes.Electric may be a thing now, with brushless motor tech and all that. When I was flying, there was no substitute for the power of glow. It just wasn't a thing. Like my glow RC car that I used to race, you couldn't beat it at the time. Nowadays I'd honestly be surprised if anyone ran glow cars anymore. Glow had a certain je ne sais quoi about it, the smell of burnt nitro, the scream of the little motor. I always really loved the experience. Except when trying to start the motor and the prop kicks back over on your thumb I'd like to get my daughter to fly my little .05 1/2A CL at some point. It's the same plane I learned to fly on. ETA looks like there are electric conversion kits. |
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Posted: 5/11/2023 12:29:57 PM EST
[#44]
Ive got a few planes but havent flown in years.
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CO, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2023 1:27:16 PM EST
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By pestilence12: I'm not sure about Arvada. Last time I flew CL must have been 15-20 years ago. Yeah the noise was pretty intense, esp. if you got 3-4 circles going A combat match was like the loudest m-f-cking mosquitoes going round and round for 3-4 minutes.Electric may be a thing now, with brushless motor tech and all that. When I was flying, there was no substitute for the power of glow. It just wasn't a thing. Like my glow RC car that I used to race, you couldn't beat it at the time. Nowadays I'd honestly be surprised if anyone ran glow cars anymore. Glow had a certain je ne sais quoi about it, the smell of burnt nitro, the scream of the little motor. I always really loved the experience. Except when trying to start the motor and the prop kicks back over on your thumb I'd like to get my daughter to fly my little .05 1/2A CL at some point. It's the same plane I learned to fly on. ETA looks like there are electric conversion kits. Glow was the king of power to weight ratio, it was all we had for planes when I left the hobby back in 2004. I did race electric 1/10 off road, but those NiCads were heavy as heck and a heat was 2-3" and a main 3-4". People do race 1/8 off road nitro buggies in my area, in fact that is the only kind of local racing to my knowledge. Brushless motors are incredible, and the power density of the Lithium Polymer battery is incredible too. It is shocking to me how inexpensive smaller brushless motors are, I have printed RC planes (48" span roughly) that are under $100 built and flying, that's servos, airframe, electronics, motor, prop, and paint. I am building a FliteTest tiny trainer with my 5 year old daughter. It is perfect, it starts off as a chuck glider, then can be a RC glider, then a four channel trainer with electric power. The airframe is dollar tree foam board... |
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Posted: 5/11/2023 1:40:11 PM EST
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By flynbenny: Glow was the king of power to weight ratio, it was all we had for planes when I left the hobby back in 2004. I did race electric 1/10 off road, but those NiCads were heavy as heck and a heat was 2-3" and a main 3-4". People do race 1/8 off road nitro buggies in my area, in fact that is the only kind of local racing to my knowledge. Brushless motors are incredible, and the power density of the Lithium Polymer battery is incredible too. It is shocking to me how inexpensive smaller brushless motors are, I have printed RC planes (48" span roughly) that are under $100 built and flying, that's servos, airframe, electronics, motor, prop, and paint. I am building a FliteTest tiny trainer with my 5 year old daughter. It is perfect, it starts off as a chuck glider, then can be a RC glider, then a four channel trainer with electric power. The airframe is dollar tree foam board... Thats the other thing that blows my mind about R/C hobbies - 3d Printing. I'm sure you remember with me, having to go down to the HobbyTown or similar store and source out a servo or bushing or shock or any other tiny plastic part that cost china 1/100th of a cent for about $10 I can't even imagine where the hobby is today, with absolutely insane electric motors on the market at a far far far cheaper cost than nitro. Along with being able to download or CAD your own parts and print them from the comfort of home for pennies on the dollar. |
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Posted: 5/11/2023 1:56:12 PM EST
[#47]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By pestilence12: Thats the other thing that blows my mind about R/C hobbies - 3d Printing. I'm sure you remember with me, having to go down to the HobbyTown or similar store and source out a servo or bushing or shock or any other tiny plastic part that cost china 1/100th of a cent for about $10 I can't even imagine where the hobby is today, with absolutely insane electric motors on the market at a far far far cheaper cost than nitro. Along with being able to download or CAD your own parts and print them from the comfort of home for pennies on the dollar. 3D printing is still evolving. Neat idea, planes still trend towards chunky and fragile. I have printed some plugs used for glass parts and it is great for that. I prefer sailplanes over power planes, but nitro over electric. Electric is easy, but nothing quite like nitro and caster oil. 
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Posted: 5/11/2023 2:04:21 PM EST
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By broken_reticle: 3D printing is still evolving. Neat idea, planes still trend towards chunky and fragile. I have printed some plugs used for glass parts and it is great for that. I prefer sailplanes over power planes, but nitro over electric. Electric is easy, but nothing quite like nitro and caster oil. AH-GREED LOVE that smell
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CO, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2023 4:06:25 PM EST
[#49]
I make lots of jigs and fixtures for my wooden airplanes with the 3d printer, and some specialized tools.
I really need a laser cutter... If anyone hasn't been to OuterZone, head over there. There's a gazillion plans, some have already been turned in CAD files. Prepare to fall down a long long rabbit hole. |
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Posted: 5/11/2023 4:48:38 PM EST
[Last Edit: broken_reticle]
[#50]
To me fixtures and things along those lines.
I just bought a Sculpfun S30 laser. A couple of years ago I built a big 1.2x1.2M CNC machine. Of course a CNC foam cutter. I end up doing more stuff for other people with it |
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