Does anyone else suffer from "discontinued heli" anxiety

[KiloXray]

Originally Posted by Hawk404

I don't believe that the market is primarily driven by folks pushing the limits of their helicopters - I'd be willing to bet it's not even the majority. However I would find your surmise reasonable based on where we both are this particular moment in time - which is to say, Helifreaks. Perhaps my favorite forum but it is decidedly 3D-centric. It is my guess that it is quite unusual in that regard and should you drift into other online communities your assessment might change. Or not.

It depends on the crowd in which you find yourself. I'm not prepared to accept that your crowd is bigger than mine outside the confines of this forum.

It would be interesting to have actual numbers though, wouldn't it? I couldn't even begin to guess how one might come by them though.

I can see how you arrived at that as well, but I still disagree, maybe to a lesser extent. I have tried to even figure out actual estimated numbers of heli pilots in the US and either nobody knows or is willing to talk about it. Some sort of trade secret? Who knows?

I would however argue that while the majority of pilots skills and actually flying may not be 3D centric, their tastes certainly are and that is why those types of helis overwhelmingly dominate the market.

I would liken this to sportbike (crotch rocket, replica racer) style motorcycles. 95% of the people riding them couldnt even begin to uncork one of them and they ride them in a manner that could be accomplished just as well by a 400cc cruiser. Still, they buy crotch rockets and love to essentially pretend that they know how to rag one out.

More people want the same thing from their hotrod helis, whether they can wring one out or not. If that was not true then sport style helis would dominate the market.

Originally Posted by Jermo

When someone has the skill to appreciate a high end model there's no feeling better than taking it through it's paces. When someone lacks the skills there's no feeling worse than knowing you wasted all of that money for literally nothing.

To push and promote your sponsors products is your job. Everyone gets that. Some of us just work for a living and want to help the community grow without breaking the bank. You learn to crawl before you walk, walk before you run. Companies are all about the money, and that's ok, but we pilots should be all about OUR community and bringing in the new blood without letting corporate america rape them of the little cash they have. We want people to say in the hobby and not have a bad taste because they bought a hotrod they can't drive.

Just my 2c. I'm not sponsored or compensated for my opinions on the Pantera. I'd just ask that you remember what it's like starting out.
Jer

I'm not sure how or why this got turned into being about me and any sponsorship I may have.(mostly because this has nothing to do with me) I'm also not completely sure what you are trying to insinuate about something being "my job" (you are obviously misinformed) or remembering what it is like starting out.

What I can tell you is that I don't like where this is headed and I am not going to engage you any further because you are obviously trying to push some irrelevant agenda.

I'm out. Peace.

PS Sorry, Hawk. I would love to continue this with you but the fire was stamped out.

[mkovalcson]

Originally Posted by Hawk404

I don't believe that the market is primarily driven by folks pushing the limits of their helicopters -

I agree.

The market is primarily driven by folks trying to push their own limits and learn how to do one more thing than they could do before, or do something a little more precisely, or a little lower to the ground, or a little faster.

The heli is the vehicle through which we each push ourselves.

[Jermo]

Originally Posted by mkovalcson

I agree.

The market is primarily driven by folks trying to push their own limits and learn how to do one more thing than they could do before, or do something a little more precisely, or a little lower to the ground, or a little faster.

The heli is the vehicle through which we each push ourselves.

I agree with your statement. It's a challenge and we constantly push to the next level, model..etc..
Jer