RC Heli comeback ?

[trillian]

Recently there has been a thread on another forum where the OP says he gets the feeling that the RC heli scene is growing again. Others appear to agree based on their local experiences, attendance at events etc.

Sooooo, does anyone here feel this way? Does it look like helis are on the proverbial 'up' again?

I have no perspective on it as I'm out in the boonies and I'm usually the only heli flyer at my small club.

[bigpops]

My club got two new members this year, versus three last year. That's not counting members that didn't rejoin. Other than that I have no benchmark for comparison.

The guys who really know are the manufacturers, followed by the retailers, but I seriously doubt they're willing to discuss sales figures.

[tigeral]

At our club the last couple of years have seen us hold steady, with a couple of new members and a couple not rejoin, but we are flying every week
and having fun so that's all that matters really.

[p4ddy]

Given the lack of activity I see each time I ride past shhc I'd say no. I want to learn to scuba dive before I consider flying again as it's an ambition of mine. I'm settling for snorkelling till then.

[Danny_K75]

My only local club that allows helicopters seems very quiet on this front.
I have never seen anyone else fly a heli there.

[trillian]

Yeah, I have to assume the other thread was a combination of someone's local experience and a general optimism. I'm sure it's possible to create a 'buzz' in a small area and new people get into the hobby in that area but it's a geographically limited phenomenon.

[RichardV]

I'd go with stabilised, no longer dropping.

MK Heli club has become a good way to spend a Saturday again. We picked up a few new members this year, and some of those who dropped off the radar are now back for a bit of EPP fixed wing prop-hanging and socialising.

The competition side seems healthy enough with a good percentage of younger people.
At the Nats this year I think there were 17 competitors, 6 of which were juniors.

From Euro Heli Series website:
For F3C we had
*5 competitions
*42 pilots
*From 12 Countries
*Over 90 registrations
In F3Ns first year in the Euro Heli Series we had
*2 Competitions
*15 pilots
*From 5 Countries

Personally it's been a pretty good year for me. Around 1,300 flights so far, 3 funflys and 5 comps, and there's still the 3D Champs to go.

[Magic919]

I’m just returning to the hobby. I’ve never even managed a proper hover, just to give some perspective.

Went to Harlington and there were a few people, all with helis. They mentioned quad FPV was quite popular and suggested I might like that.

For the minute I’ve dusted off my 250 and can keep airborne for five minutes now, in my garden. I have a few quads around under the house, but feel they are no substitute for a heli.

Hopefully a few other quad owners will migrate back. I like the fact it helps me to unwind and take my mind off things.

[trillian]

Hopefully a few other quad owners will migrate back. I like the fact it helps me to unwind and take my mind off things.

Absolutely. I've said before, for me it's good therapy as it gets me outdoors and takes my mind off all the usual existential angst stuff.

[electricsceadu]

I think I'm in a good position to answer this

the main club I'm in has seen one new member in years
many have dropped out
a localish heli club is shutting its doors at the end of the year

in the north of the country the plane clubs have experienced the quad pilots trying out fixed wing modelling
and the clubs are doing well
all the local heli clubs seem to have a reduced number of members

the BMFA have said that they have had an increase in membership in 2018 with a lot more country members

[trillian]

the BMFA have said that they have had an increase in membership in 2018 with a lot more country members

That's interesting.

[electricsceadu]

Yes that was a suprise to all in the Midland Area Meeting at Buckminster
when asked the BMFA said that the membership had increased

[trillian]

Did they say what the breakdown is? If it's mainly fixed-wing or multi rotor etc? (I assume the drone flyers that got curious to try planes had probably never joined before, so they joined for the first time as fixed-wing flyers)

[electricsceadu]

it is beleaved the most of the increase are drone pilots

[bigpops]

The BMFA don't really ask you what you fly. Maybe they should ask, or at least take a survey now and again.