How to Make Friends & Influence People

[Steve]

There's a chap who doesn't live a million miles away from me who has expressed a passing interest in model helis for a few years and has repeatedly told me all about his buying and selling activities on fleabay with regards to ickle lecky helis.

I have repeatedly told him that the kind of models he is playing with (HBK at best!) and selling are indoor toys, and not what most of us on here would consider a 'proper' heli. However, they do have their place in RC heli world, just not usually in an open exposed field with nitro helis and planes buzzing around

Anyway, he turned up at our flying field last week for the first time and started showing us all his fantastic HBK2 heli that had cost in excess of 52 pence off the 'bay'. He says he wants to join the club and learn to fly 3D and all that stuff. Now I'm all for promoting the hobby and encouraging new engagement, but this chap introduced himself by giving everyone an eBay business card and is above all trying to sell HBKs to seasoned heli flyers who fly 90 size nitros. Does he really think he's going to make a sale? Does a fish need a bicycle?

After he'd left the field, the overwhelming consensus with the members was that he's a complete and utter twit and nobody is interesting in him peddling toy helicopters. If he wants to learn to fly then at least get a TRex 450 and then come back, without any naff business cards or any ulterior motives.

What subtle techniques would you suggest to get rid of this guy, or are we being unreasonable?

[nightstalker]

Bec its you steve yes your being unreasonable LMAO

[unwind-protect]

Oi! I have very fond memories of my Honeybee King!

Notwithstanding the fact that he is probably just trying to do some marketing, is there really anything wrong with him flying a small electric heli at your field, as long as he does it safely? With any luck he might get some understanding of what makes a quality heli and stop peddling tat

[moonmanflyer]

Well i think it is up to you Steve to teach him the real world of rc heli flying
Got to give him a chance to be fair, he will soon realise people are not interested in his wears and then it will be a case of weather he still hangs around or not or if he was just there to sell stuff

[callum]

Lol, Uh Oh, Face Palm i think,

Nah, I agree with James,

We all started somewhere, So have a quiet word that the helis he is using are really naff and not up to the job

[Mike W]

Steve .. You get people like this in all walks of life and not just the modelling side of things I think so just give the guy a chance and you never know , might convert him to our way of thinking with a nice shiney nitro heli ...In the short time I have been doing this hobby I have seen a few people come and go and tbh its the ones that think that they can fly like Rob Turnbull,Richie Clarke, Steve Gerrard and the likes after a few weeks of doing a little tail in hovering then crash that dont stay in the hobby for long n e way ...Just be straight with him ( which I know you can be ) and tell him that he is welcome to join but not to peddle the crap that he is trying to sell

[SteveH39]

Treat a new club like a new job, go in softly softly, listen, learn and make friends gradually. Sounds like he went in like a rep with the hard sell.

[Tim Procter]

You could always accidentaly stand on his hbk2 and then say something like "oh no not again" "of course had it been a real proper sized one i might have seen it"

Or just place it at the back of Ashley Davis car cos he doesnt give a shit and just runs over them.

[LipolyGone]

Or just place it at the back of Ashley Davis car cos he doesnt give a shit and just runs over them.

My god was just about to change that post tim your age aint slowing you down mate thats for sure.

[LipolyGone]

if the standing on it trick doesnt quite do it. Ask him if mattel are still selling the matching heli pad in the ken and barbie range.

[Rotorhead]

What subtle techniques would you suggest to get rid of this guy, or are we being unreasonable?

baseball bat

Oh wait, you said subtle...... er, not sure, I dont do subtle

[xygax]

if you do the main blades up really tight on a 90.... and fly stright through the HBK see if he can pick all the bits up from the field...

because leaving litter is against club policy.....


Steve

[Tosh]

Surely once this guy sees he`s not going to sell his toys he`ll leave you alone.

[Sesame]

We get people turning up at the field with all sorts, wanting to learn heli flying.

To be honest they turn up once or twice and either get something more suitable or leave and we dont see them again.

This guy either is really interested in learning and will convert to something better or if hes therejust for the sales, once he realises that noone at the field wants to upgrade from their 90 to a HBK2 then he'll leave anyway.

[Lynx.1677]

So there is snobbery in the RC heli world too!!

I used to fly a Honeybee and learnt to fly on one. To be honest if I had the money I would love to get another one. I went to a not so local club once (not with business cards mind) and got told to stop messing with toys. However, when I passed the tx to the big-balled-square chinned raptor/rex pilots, not one of them could get a stable hover. Then they just told me it was 'crap' as I sat there with a stable nose-on hover. I even looped it once (more by accident though). The bee King is a hard heli to fly, so respect to the guy for sticking with a twitchy heli. As for the business cards? Well, I guess he's just trying to make a few bucks. A little weird though I'll agree.

My view is, I don't care what you fly as long as YOU enjoy it. Why should we judge?

And here's me messing about with my 'indoor toy'! lol

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxE4Lx0TgsU[/ame]