Too old my Ass

[Tim Procter]

I keep reading on various forums how people use old age as their handicap for not flying well.

My view on this is utter rubbish, the only thing the younger generation has is the fact they probably have sharper reactions, probably due to the X-box / Playstation era.

How do you rate yourself as a flyer and what excuse do you use for not improving (other than crashing and cost)

I'm happy with my progress at 56 years old but do sim and fly a lot, what about you guy's.

[ChrisB]

Very slow progress but never ever use the Sim,no interest to either.

I think as most things you get out of it what you are prepared to put in.

I think young people will have an advantage but I also believe you can teach an old dog new tricks so there's hope for me yet.

I do want to improve though,watching videos of Jamiem With his 700e and seeing Matt and Richie fly for example do give me the true feeling that I could do that if I only wanted it a bit more.

[bikerflier]

Plenty of old dogs learning new tricks at our club, me included, tic tocs on the schedule at the moment at 63 and 2 years flying helis. Also preparing for 'B' cert.
We have a 76 year old member who started helis only last year and he's pushing himself hard to get his 'A' cert and not far off now.
No writing us oldies off just yet, we can give many a youngster a run for their money, well, a jog anyway

And you are only 56 years 'YOUNG' not 56 years OLD, plenty of years to keep enjoying yet, and that's the key word, 'enjoying'.

When the enjoyment stops then it's time to stop.

Unfortunately not many 60 year olds winning open competitions.

[sacko]

As said, its the rate of progression; which is completely true.

Look at Justin Chi, Heliharry for example, their flying ability took most of us twice the amount of time; or we arent even there yet!

Ties in with learning anything in life and the plasticity of the brain. Younger you are, more brain cells you have making more connections, and even faster than an adult.

The older you are, the more re-inforced these pathways become as you have covered the subject over and over again; hence some people can be 'stuck in their ways'.

[Smoothound]

For me till now it's been time to squeeze all that I want to do into the available free time I have. These days it's more about the cost as my other main hobby is cheap and I have nowhere near the disposable income I had 3 years ago!

[LipolyGone]

I'd class myself as a good sport pilot / wannabe 3d pilot slowly progressing.
I'm 43 & the only thing holding me back is other interests (fishing & mmorpg mainly world of warcraft) & a healthy respect
of everything I fly hurting me if it hits me oh & my bank balance. Alot of the playstation generation are getting all
the deals & have a lack I feel of what things cost hence can push themselves as it doesn't matter as dads paying.

[iceuk]

As said, its the rate of progression; which is completely true.

Look at Justin Chi, Heliharry for example, their flying ability took most of us twice the amount of time; or we arent even there yet!

Ties in with learning anything in life and the plasticity of the brain. Younger you are, more brain cells you have making more connections, and even faster than an adult.

The older you are, the more re-inforced these pathways become as you have covered the subject over and over again; hence some people can be 'stuck in their ways'.

I bet his dad rammed helicopters into as soon as he was able to hold a tx, I prefer the times when me and my brother used to burn toy soldiers in garden as to show they were injured (-:

[waveydavey]

Definitely not my age, stick time more than anything would be my only excuse. I've found that I learn a bit slower than youngsters and maybe don't get things quite as quickly but I have found that as I have gone on and nailed all orientations this has helped other things no end. I would say in the last year setting targets has helped and my flying has shown that.

I do use the sim but balance that with practicing moves but also mucking about so I don't get bored.

[pgkevet]

There's no doubt that age dulls the reflexes...ability to learn is another matter..that is a function of repetition and pereverance..why taxi drivers actually develpe new areas of brain function even if they start training later in life.
My biggest handicap is poorer eyesight which means that trying to learn new manoeuvers at safe heights can't be done...just can't resolve the attitudes so have to fly lower and closer than i'd like..means more repairs.

the biggest aspect is probably how much serious time you can/want to devote..and as you get older then there tends to be other demands on time and money and other things you still want to do..

[Tim Procter]

I would say in the last year setting targets has helped and my flying has shown that.

My theory as well Dave, I started out 2011 and set a target of sustained piroflips or chaos as some call it. I got to grips with all orientation flying earlier but being mode 1 piro moves were really hard I found.

I knuckled in and can honestly say I have 95% got it now piroing left stick, next job is right stick piroing and piro wall of death.

This keeps me motivated on the sim, without motivation the sim can be very boring, achieving goals makes it very interesting IMO.

[Darwil]

At 60 I've found it hard, hard to the point I only fly helis indoors now and fly planks outdoors. I can do reasonable 3D with my profile foamy and am just getting into flying a combat epp glider; why didn't I progress further with helis? I found it too stressful and didn't enjoy it - I've still got a mcpx that I've only had a brief go with, must admit it looks like it could be fun.
I think as said before if you don't enjoy it don't do it - it will turn into a chore.

[Dashik]

I keep reading on various forums how people use old age as their handicap for not flying well.

My view on this is utter rubbish, the only thing the younger generation has is the fact they probably have sharper reactions, probably due to the X-box / Playstation era.

How do you rate yourself as a flyer and what excuse do you use for not improving (other than crashing and cost)

I'm happy with my progress at 56 years old but do sim and fly a lot, what about you guy's.

Actually you are indeed over the hill and requiring to be put out to pasture and should give all your heli's to me



Its like anything, The young when funded by dad and have no financial worries about the cost of the hobby will be able to get there a little quicker, but perseverance and practice is the key I think. I'd love to have the time and money that some have for this hobby lol......

[sunny_manku1985]

nobody is ever too old Tim! I have seen some of your flying videos, and you fly waaaaaaaayyyyy better then younger people i have seen :-)

[GravityKills]

the kids do have faster reflexes and learn faster.
If the top-level competitions are all dominated by 7-year olds, I won't be surprised.

But that said, you hear only the exceptional success stories. It doesn't mean that every kid is a heli prodigy. Most are simply overwhelmed and find cheaper ways to spend their time.

And: for a level playing field, pick an average 50-year old, give him an experienced personal trainer / mechanic, free equipment, fuel and almost unlimited time. Suddenly, things don't look as grim anymore.

I think I'm seeing my own limitations from reflexes with the piro stuff. There is no known way to "cheat" through a pirocircle /wall of death, you have to watch the heli, react and correct. This connects better with a lifestyle where you spend half of your waking hours doing reaction training with a first-person shooter than a typical daytime job. But, if I watch others on Phoenix, you rarely see those moves. It seems to be hard also for the "average" kids.

[johnsandywhite]

Too old my Ass

Too old? Well at 68 I am definitely MUCH slower in my reactions and learning how to set up Helis than I would have been MANY years ago.
BUT, I am quite happy with my progress so far. Basically last Winter was learning to Hover with a Twister 3D Storm (Blad 400 copy) until at the end of May I finally cracked Nose in and pirouttes left and right.
On to to bigger Helis during the Summer (???) and I started to try and fly F3A style doing BIG loops and BIG stall turns. Managed to do a little inverted and then when I got my 550E FBL did some very FAST flips forwards and backwards plus one or two consecutive rolls.
I am now starting to do Pie dishes left and right and some basic Tic tocs with some side right handed Tic tocs. Along the way. I am stringing some moves together like F3A moves and chucking in some out of control Piroflips with tail slide roll and stall turn, Cuban 8, Immelman, backwards flight and Inverted figure 8's.

Too Old? MY ASS. But I do wish I was 50 years younger.