How serious do you take this hobby?

[Jamin_00]

Asked this on Talk heli and got some interesting answers so Im asking it here too.

Got me thinking recently about a few things to do with this hobby.

Very shortly after I started flying I got addicted, hook link and sinker as they say. I always said I was not interested in competing at comps as they are all 3D orientated and I soon learned that as much as I do like to watch it in person and am in awe at some of it I had no real interest in flying that style. I also never imagined I would be involved in the hobby as much as I am now with being sponsored by Climb-Out and Optipower. Since I have got the TDR I have been bitten big time by the speed bug and you would not believe how much its cost me, not just in £ but in time too. I have spent a hell off a lot of time reading about induced drag, retreating blade stall, parasite drag, dissymetry of lift etc the list goes on.

I consider myself a very helpful person and quickly realised this carried over as I enjoy helping people in this hobby and progressing the hobby too and this is obvious in the fact Im now testing lithium for Opti and am an employee of Kontronik Drives which is a job I do not need for the normal reasons of getting a job (although it all helps )
So to cut a long story short I guess in a short space of time recently I have gone from not taking it seriously at all to taking it quite seriously as I now spend more of my free time doing something heli related. So where some might take it seriously for wanting to be a better flyer and enter comps, I guess I take it more seriously for helping others rather than progressing my own flying as I do not fly no where near as much as most.


Does this mean i'll actually attend more events? haha I doubt it lol but who knows


So do you treat it as a hobby, slightly more than a hobby but not to seriously or do you take it seriously??

[Biggles]

I just do it for me.....Don't care what anyone else flies or says.....I guess I am not a sociable person.

[mark_w]

I would like to take it a bit more serious tbh, I just don't get time to get out there and fly.

Maybe one day!

[chucky21022010]

Not seriously for me. It is a hobby not a competition, everybody needs to learn at their own pace. For me, it is a form of relaxation. When the weather is not fit for flying I dont get upset nor depressed. I do something else, there are lots of things to be done aside from tinkering and flying helicopters.

[AcidDrink]

Not seriously at all. It's a nice distraction and stress relief after work, but I have other hobbies which take much more of my resources. I get enjoment from learning to fly myself, but I am usually (sadly) uninterested in other people skills etc. Not a big fan of building/rebuilding
Long story short, you won't see my flying in bad weather or watching a lot of flying videos

[sacko]

Not as seriously as I used to. When I first started this hobby 5 years ago, I was doing FL orders every other day; I cant remember the last time I bought something for the helis now!

I prefer the social side to be honest, and freqently go to the club without even taking a heli.

[Vikki]

I take it seriously but for my fun. Hence the lessons. I like to do things right if I can, but it's still for my ultimate pleasure. I take it seriously enough to spend a good deal of money getting good, affordable kit.

[Si_B]

I take it seriously from the view point that its my chill out time, a bit of an escape from work pressure. Been in too many clubs where you get some idiot trying to press their views about how you are supposed to fly and enjoy your hobby. As said, I like the challenge and technical side, but would bore quickly without friends to share it with. A good club is a must.

[nobox]

I think I'm very much like you, when I got into the hobby I did so because I've always been fascinated by helicopters and rotary flight. I have since started flying full size helicopters and that's when the bug really bit with me. Learning about the physics involved in rotary flight and understanding the effects it has on a full size helicopters has carried over to my model flying and I love every aspect of it. What was once just a bit of a hobby is now evolving into a lot more as I have just started a company that's involved with RC helicopters. I guess when you have a passion for something you just have to see where it takes you and enjoy the ride.

[Sao]

Not to seriously as I wouldn't enjoy it as much, it is a hobby for relaxing and enjoyment.
I am fully committed to it though I have been flying RC helis since 2001 and can't see stopping any time soon.
I haven't entered any competitions nor do I intend to but I will be making an effort to go to some fly ins next year and hopefully off to America or Canada with my Goblin next summer

[nobbycopter]

I got sucked into helis by a mate who was a member of a heli club (of which I'm now a member) and now spend far more money (though it's probably an insignificant value compared to some people on here I guess) than I should. I'm not interested in having the latest and greatest or the shinyiest bling on my heli...if it flies, is safe and does not look like a dog's dinner then I'm happy. Was never really interested in going to events but after my first event last weekend at the 3D Champs I'll definately be going to more next year. At the moment I'm inspired to go out flying as much as I can as I've progressed onto being able to hold it inverted, the good thing is that my 11yr old lad is also into helis now so it's something we get to do together on a weekend. So for me it's a hobby, I take it quite seriously but not to the detriment of all else. The social side of it with the club is also important, my interest might wane a bit if that wasn't there. I'll go down the field and the indoor venue and fly but it's the banter that I probably enjoy the most.

[frantic]

it's a hobby, i started flying fixed wing over 10 years ago, got quite serious with it, but work got in the way, then about year half ago i tried helis, small, bit bigger and then wham! splashed out on a blinged up x50 and Loving it !

really this hobby is cheap compared to motorbikes or the like. but its all a loss, helis, planes are worth nothing secondhand, and i tend to fly with the attitude of its crashed already. Not to say that i take to many liberties but to progress you have to throw caution to the wind some times.

i have been in and around aviation most of my life, its a great way to relax or chillax. but at the end of the day it has to be enjoyable or its not worth doing.

that said i only fly in warmish weather, i dont enjoy it otherwise !

[Boggy]

I enjoy it and I'm hooked even to the point of buying a van/ people carrier and caravan for weekends. but I still wouldn't call it taking it seriously.Ive made some great friends over the last few years,if it were needed I would forget all the toys in a heart beat,losing the friends would not be so easy

[Vikki]

I'm not club orientated (just as well since the nearest one to me has a two year waiting list) but I've discovered I like to fly with friends. I like to see my friends flying and see how they are progressing. Brian comes flying with me now that I can do more than hover and he enjoys seeing the helis fly. We go on a Saturday and then have lunch after and get some bits from Tesco before going home.

[frantic]

boggy -

buying a van/ people carrier and caravan for weekends

wow thats hard core, i wouldnt admit to that in a thousand years !

i would admit to lots of things but that no !!

hee