Is this hobby in decline?

[Gate88]

For a few years now I've noticed a distinct drop off in the number of people turning up at our club. Being a mixed Fixed & Rotary Wing club the number of planes had been dwindling for years but you could always rely on the Heli boys to turn out in numbers whatever the weather and have a fly. But for a number of reasons recently there's been a high percentage of members not turning out or walking away from the hobby altogether. In truth this has always been the case, people come people go, but there's a noticeable lack of people replacing those going nowadays.

We're a small club in a corner of West London and I'd always thought it might just be a trend relative to us but I'm starting to notice it elsewhere now, especially talking to people from other clubs and hearing their stories, it even seems like the traffic on this site looks to have tailed off from how it was a few years back. Also the turn out at comps & fly-ins looks to be trending downward, that could just be because there are more events these days which spreads attendance I guess. Of course it's the retailers that could shine a light on the big picture, in terms of how many kits they sell etc, the ones I've spoken to are fairly cagey but do tell me that business is steady except for a growth in quads.

I've been flying long enough to have seen peaks and troughs in numbers but is it just me or does anyone else feel like there's significantly fewer people out there flying these days?

[bigbladelittleblade]

I know what you mean, I fly helis in a club where there are more plane flyers than Heli Flyers and the amount of people that turn up to the field has dropped significantly especially plane flyers. At our club I think the reason is that most of its members are now, pardon the term " knocking on a bit" and the club doesn't seem to encourage young new members at all, so in a few years I can see this club disappearing. On the other hand I've joined another club and this one is full and there seems to be a waiting list to join but it does a lot more to encourage young kids to come and fly and the facilities at the field are great. So based on the two facts that I've seen clubs need to do more to bring youngsters In to this fantastic hobby, ie. Buy trainer planes/helis to try to get them hooked before they go out and spend a small fortune on equipment, try to get more instructors at each club and build better websites because we all know kids are online 90% of the time when their at home.

[debrooker]

Our heli club has seen a decline over the last couple of years (this year we were down to 15 from a limited 50, 5 years ago), thankfully we are seeing a few new members join.

On the flip side, my former mixed club has had to impose a waiting list for the first time in donkeys.

I still think the commitment required to learn to fly helis will always be the barrier and now the cost to enter is very low, I suspect people buy RTF kits to have a go then give up. When I started I had to think long and hard about buying a model because it was expensive.

[Jez N]

Could simply be an increase in numbers flying outside a club. I for one have never joined a club as the majority are too far away and the one i did visit felt wrong imo. So i decided at a very early stage i would fly locally in fields.

Smaller models and micros mean people dont need so much space and therefore a designated flying field isnt really a necessity.

[simm0]

I recon it is.and has been for a few years
Regards Craig

[old gimmer]

I think that the mobile phone craze is probably the reason for the decline they all have the latest expensive so called phones with equally crazy priced contracts they just can't afford a hobby they're lives are controlled by Facebook and Twitter and any conversation they have with each other is centred around the latest phone to have and what has been posted on social media sites a total waste of time. In case you are wondering I have a mobile an old Nokia that only texts and phones. A bit of a rant but it's the way I see it.

[BavarianRob]

I think that the mobile phone craze is probably the reason for the decline they all have the latest expensive so called phones with equally crazy priced contracts they just can't afford a hobby they're lives are controlled by Facebook and Twitter and any conversation they have with each other is centred around the latest phone to have and what has been posted on social media sites a total waste of time. In case you are wondering I have a mobile an old Nokia that only texts and phones. A bit of a rant but it's the way I see it.

I come an go with this hobby, but I'm lucky enough to live next to a large park so I've never needed to join a club, I've only been flying since 2011 and I have sold up twice, if the mobile craze is as all encompassing as you say it may not have been the best idea for the mods to change the website to web only rather than through tapatalk etc on mobile. It's certainly made me a less frequent visitor to this site.

[waveydavey]

I'm not so sure it's in decline. Take a look at Grass Roots, we've had full participation in the last three years with the last 2 years entries have been closed within a few weeks of opening. However, go to 3D Champs at the end of the year and it's a different story, visitors are definitely down from say 2009 and 10 where it was rammed.

I think maybe people have other things to do and work as I've found out in the last year really does get in the way sometimes. Jez mentions something about newcomers flying outside of clubs, this defo occurs although our club is full every year with a waiting list (heli only).

The traffic on HA is down we know that, there was a little resurgence a few months ago but it's slowed again with people using FB seen as an easier alternative.

What about kit's, if you're not Align your range is limited, especially in value for money. I'm in a fortunate position where I can spend a little on this great hobby although most of my purchases are 2nd hand but others may not be. People come into the hobby without really understanding the commitment both in time and money, although it can be done on a budget.

Hmm, not sure Guy

[mahbouni]

I don't know about everywhere in the UK but around my way a lot of people who used to religiously fly helis now fly fpv multi rotors instead. They don't bother coming to the club any more. They just go to a park or wooded area.

[Grumpy]

I'm not sure 'the hobby' is in decline, but it is changing.

With the increasing popularity of electric power (in planes and helis) along with the availability or 'ready to fly' models (especially fixed wing and multi-rotors) many people just dont even think about joining a club. They just fly in parks, sports fields etc. 'Back in the day' it used to be that it was so challenging to build, setup, and fly RC models, especially so helis, that you really needed the support of a club to stand a chance. the local model shop would be the main source of parts for your build and they would invariably steer any newcomers to the local clubs. These days most beginners just order on-line, it turns up at the door, you charge the batteries and fly at any local field, or even your garden. Even the flying part is made easy by auto stabilised GPS guided systems.

So why would these people join a club, they are most likely unaware that clubs even exists.

[milly0812]

I blame quads !

Nuff said lol

[trillian]

What about kit's, if you're not Align your range is limited, especially in value for money. I'm in a fortunate position where I can spend a little on this great hobby although most of my purchases are 2nd hand but others may not be. People come into the hobby without really understanding the commitment both in time and money, although it can be done on a budget.

In parallel to that however, prices of good 2nd hand helis, radios and everything have come down drastically. It's amazing what you can get for the money now vs just 4 or 5 years ago if you take your time. Top of the line FBL units routinely go for £100.00 2nd hand and many less expensive alternatives are out there, Hobbyking has the UK warehouse making LiPos cheaper etc. etc. So it has never been cheaper to get into the hobby.

[jboweruk]

I wouldn't like to say; Wings and Wheels had almost a record turn out this weekend to my knowledge. And it is largely aircraft (mostly fixed wing) that fly the displays. All slots were filled for display pilots by all accounts too. And if the crowd was anything to go by it did seem a lot more crowded this year than last.

[aww]

I'm not sure 'the hobby' is in decline, but it is changing.

With the increasing popularity of electric power (in planes and helis) along with the availability or 'ready to fly' models (especially fixed wing and multi-rotors) many people just dont even think about joining a club. They just fly in parks, sports fields etc. 'Back in the day' it used to be that it was so challenging to build, setup, and fly RC models, especially so helis, that you really needed the support of a club to stand a chance. the local model shop would be the main source of parts for your build and they would invariably steer any newcomers to the local clubs. These days most beginners just order on-line, it turns up at the door, you charge the batteries and fly at any local field, or even your garden. Even the flying part is made easy by auto stabilised GPS guided systems.

So why would these people join a club, they are most likely unaware that clubs even exists.

I agree but I think the manufacturers might be shooting them selves in the foot. Most if not all kits are aimed at 3D but not everyone is capable or wants to do this. People buy all the gear, can't perform what they see on YouTube and give up. Also setting up and flying a flybarless model for the first time is much more difficult than a fly bar model. I've never been in a club and learnt everything from Finesse Bob on HF and on here. Don't think I could have done that with a fbl.
Anthony

[Planehazza]

I blame quads !

Nuff said lol

Quads? Are they them drones?