Is this hobby in decline?

[Planehazza]

In some ways I think this may well be an issue with a couple of brands. Your average newbie to the hobby is probably going to be looking at Align or Blade kits for obvious reasons (everything bar a transmitter - sometimes with a Tx - in the box) but it will, no doubt, be quite intimidating when you even blink and there's yet another version of the same heli in the list. It's going to be hard for newcomers to get their heads around what's available.

The decline of the local model shop is probably what's hitting club membership the most. Clubs of all aero-flavours would have some kind of rappore with them and traffic would flow from club to shop and vice versa. I don't wish the Internet and Web Shops never happened but the better pricing for us people that high street stores just can't compete with has had a quite negative unintended consequence.

Yeah I know what you mean.

I've seen Outrage, ElyQ and almost ALeeS vanish, and now, even Thunder Tiger are on a wobbler. I know this is a very niche hobby but it just feels like companies pop up, they're all the rage for 5 mins, then vanish.

Maybe ALIGN are doing the right thing rolling at 17 versions of a 700 every year ha. Wow, I still remember their first 600E model, around the 450XL era.

[AcidDrink]

Quads took over as they are much easier to fly. Notorious bad weather in this country doesn't help, esp. for people who may only have time to fly on weekends (I am contemplating selling my big stuff every two weeks since I started because of this reason, weather here is really atrocious most of the time, if it's not raining, it's windy, flying season for non-masochists is about 4 months a year ) . I also think that PR in this hobby is really bad, even the biggest companies got it wrong. Having teeangers and children buzzing around with overpowered models doesn't really sell to grown up men, but this one might be me.
Having said that, I believe it's periodical. There isn't space on the market for more than 2-3 companies making 600+ size models, so many will disappear, stabilization technology from quads will make its way to the helis (Mikado already doing it and it will only get better) and make them easier to fly, clubs will get more members, hobby will remain very niche though.

[Peteski]

One thing you can say for sure is that this hobby is a LOT easier to get into than it was 10 years ago. Whether people choose to or not is another story, but it is easier. It's just that people are not necessarily flying larger models at the club field. It's much easier to get a smaller model and fly at your local park or field. Maybe that's one of the main reasons for a perceived decline - a lot more people taking it more casually in stealth mode.

[p4ddy]

I dont think it is down to the hobby being expensive at all. I really do think the amount of people being "sponsored" by compaines is ridiculous. This was just starting to become a problem as I left the hobby and now the results of that are very clear. There are more people in this hobby wanting a career rather than to have fun...

??? What a load of b0ll0x, who gives a 5h1t who is/isn't sponsored by whoever. That Imo is just bitterness. Just go enjoy flying and fly however you like. Fly smack, big air moves or 5 min of fig 8's and have fun. Sponsorship has a few perks but from what I'm told it's also a big pain in the arse. Much better to have freedom and no commitment and no pressure Imo. I honestly thought the hobby was going through a boom as the cheap entry into the hobby keeps drawing more people in? Maybe I'm wrong though. Back to my bike now lol.

[DaveG]

??? What a load of b0ll0x, who gives a 5h1t who is/isn't sponsored by whoever. That Imo is just bitterness. Just go enjoy flying and fly however you like. Fly smack, big air moves or 5 min of fig 8's and have fun. Sponsorship has a few perks but from what I'm told it's also a big pain in the arse. Much better to have freedom and no commitment and no pressure Imo. I honestly thought the hobby was going through a boom as the cheap entry into the hobby keeps drawing more people in? Maybe I'm wrong though. Back to my bike now lol.

I have to agree and disagree with you there, i think dannyyy is right to some degree that the sponorship has spoilt the hobby and some people who go out to gain sponsorship whithout any talent or prior competative credentials is commonplace now. You only have to look around at the clubs and events to see it, the ones who work for it and actually have flying talent i have no problems with, they work for it and compete at a high level around the world and return results (Duncan Osbourne etc..) The problem i have and is the same point dannyyy is making is that some have been in the hobby two minutes and because they can do a roll and a stall turn think they deserve sponsorship, these will proudly display the sponsors shirts and bleet on about how amazing the product is untill next week when they change sponsors and bleet on about how that product is the most amazing and best product and the previous product was junk. These are the types of people that will jump from one to the other every year sometimes not even that and think they are king or queen dingaling!

It's wrong and i would like to see it all end, i know and have seen a few say that if it wasn't for the sponsorship then they couldn't afford to be in the hobby, well for me that says a lot about them. If they can't afford to do it then don't do it, if they are chasing sponsors just to fund their hobby is just plain wrong in my opinion. All the sponsors are doing is buying sales, they give these people discount on products and esscentially buy the sales, if they sponsor the right people like ones who are consistantly coming high in competition or winning competitions this is what others look to and then buy what the top pilots fly.

Sorry, monday morning rant over!

[vinny155]

I stopped flying properly 3 years ago and eventually sold all my kit.It wasnt for any other reason apart from having my first child, working full time and can afford the hobby but cannot afford the time, spend my dayy off at the field freezing my bo££ ox off,or enjoy all the silly things my little boy gets up to.easy decision for me.

[ChrisB]

I have to agree and disagree with you there, i think dannyyy is right to some degree that the sponorship has spoilt the hobby and some people who go out to gain sponsorship whithout any talent or prior competative credentials is commonplace now. You only have to look around at the clubs and events to see it, the ones who work for it and actually have flying talent i have no problems with, they work for it and compete at a high level around the world and return results (Duncan Osbourne etc..) The problem i have and is the same point dannyyy is making is that some have been in the hobby two minutes and because they can do a roll and a stall turn think they deserve sponsorship, these will proudly display the sponsors shirts and bleet on about how amazing the product is untill next week when they change sponsors and bleet on about how that product is the most amazing and best product and the previous product was junk. These are the types of people that will jump from one to the other every year sometimes not even that and think they are king or queen dingaling!

It's wrong and i would like to see it all end, i know and have seen a few say that if it wasn't for the sponsorship then they couldn't afford to be in the hobby, well for me that says a lot about them. If they can't afford to do it then don't do it, if they are chasing sponsors just to fund their hobby is just plain wrong in my opinion. All the sponsors are doing is buying sales, they give these people discount on products and esscentially buy the sales, if they sponsor the right people like ones who are consistantly coming high in competition or winning competitions this is what others look to and then buy what the top pilots fly.

Sorry, monday morning rant over!

Exactly

[Dannyyy]

I have to agree and disagree with you there, i think dannyyy is right to some degree that the sponorship has spoilt the hobby and some people who go out to gain sponsorship whithout any talent or prior competative credentials is commonplace now. You only have to look around at the clubs and events to see it, the ones who work for it and actually have flying talent i have no problems with, they work for it and compete at a high level around the world and return results (Duncan Osbourne etc..) The problem i have and is the same point dannyyy is making is that some have been in the hobby two minutes and because they can do a roll and a stall turn think they deserve sponsorship, these will proudly display the sponsors shirts and bleet on about how amazing the product is untill next week when they change sponsors and bleet on about how that product is the most amazing and best product and the previous product was junk. These are the types of people that will jump from one to the other every year sometimes not even that and think they are king or queen dingaling!

It's wrong and i would like to see it all end, i know and have seen a few say that if it wasn't for the sponsorship then they couldn't afford to be in the hobby, well for me that says a lot about them. If they can't afford to do it then don't do it, if they are chasing sponsors just to fund their hobby is just plain wrong in my opinion. All the sponsors are doing is buying sales, they give these people discount on products and esscentially buy the sales, if they sponsor the right people like ones who are consistantly coming high in competition or winning competitions this is what others look to and then buy what the top pilots fly.

Sorry, monday morning rant over!

You put it better than me! But yep, That was my point

anyway, is it too early for a beer?

[milly0812]

So are you saying that the likes of Alex Hawtin should not be in the hobby because he's not minted ? Sorry mate disagree

[super]

Stop reading forums on the internet. Problem solved.

[Dannyyy]

No because he's actually good at flying, he works for his sponsors rather than just wearing a t-shirt...

[Shauny]

Seems to be a fair few that have a real problem with people getting sponsored. If you're sponsored then good on you I say. I don't think that's got anything to do with any decline in the hobby. You can have fun just flying a coax around your lounge or go all out and spend a fortune, whatever floats your boat. Some like flying privately and others join clubs, we're all different. For me it's just about relaxing and forgetting about work and having a bit of fun. I could quite happily drive 1 & 1/2 hours to my club and not even get the heli's out of the van and still have a good time. Personally I think the hobby is getting more
popular.

[philipjdall]

I agree with others, the sponsorship argument is a non starter. As paddy says it just reeks of bitterness! Who really cares anyway, just do you thing and get on with it.

[Planehazza]

I have to agree and disagree with you there, i think dannyyy is right to some degree that the sponorship has spoilt the hobby and some people who go out to gain sponsorship whithout any talent or prior competative credentials is commonplace now. You only have to look around at the clubs and events to see it, the ones who work for it and actually have flying talent i have no problems with, they work for it and compete at a high level around the world and return results (Duncan Osbourne etc..) The problem i have and is the same point dannyyy is making is that some have been in the hobby two minutes and because they can do a roll and a stall turn think they deserve sponsorship, these will proudly display the sponsors shirts and bleet on about how amazing the product is untill next week when they change sponsors and bleet on about how that product is the most amazing and best product and the previous product was junk. These are the types of people that will jump from one to the other every year sometimes not even that and think they are king or queen dingaling!

It's wrong and i would like to see it all end, i know and have seen a few say that if it wasn't for the sponsorship then they couldn't afford to be in the hobby, well for me that says a lot about them. If they can't afford to do it then don't do it, if they are chasing sponsors just to fund their hobby is just plain wrong in my opinion. All the sponsors are doing is buying sales, they give these people discount on products and esscentially buy the sales, if they sponsor the right people like ones who are consistantly coming high in competition or winning competitions this is what others look to and then buy what the top pilots fly.

Sorry, monday morning rant over!

This entirely.

[Mike Sanders]

It's never too early for a beer!