#KeepRCHelisAlive

[dr_boom]

http://www.bkdesignsllc.com/category-s/1838.htm

Good stuff from Bert. Hope there's an upswing coming

[Andy from Sandy]

If you would like to keep the hobby alive or rather get people into the hobby then I would suggest you go to your designers and ask for a servo that is good enough.

http://www.fast-lad.co.uk/store/inde...sort=1a&page=1

These prices I would suggest will not attract a newcomer to the hobby.

Align has gone off the deep-end as well. Remember when you could get DS610s for like £45?

The title #KeepRCHelisAlive does not sound like a hobby that is going places.

[kavic5150]

I was following a thread about a new flybarred heli. Maybe they gave up on the project. I'll look for the thread and edit this post if I find it.

Until then I'll just keep stockpiling airframes and FB rotor head parts.

[Wargamer]

There are lots of reasonably priced servos and other electronics, and also nothing that says a 700 is the only way to go. Electronics for 450s and smaller are much more affordable on a budget, and there are plenty of high-quality kits available in that space today. I don't see cost as the primary barrier to growing the hobby. While a lot of folks here probably own 10-20, you really only need a couple of helis to thoroughly enjoy the hobby.

[OnTheSnap]

The hobby is stable and growing again from my perspective. I also don't understand the guys saying "the hobby is dying". I guess from their view?

I think though the idea is to get us more active in educating our community and friends about our great hobby. To get more to pick it up. Not to say the hobby is dying. But the message can be taken this way for sure from the slogan.

For sure some companies are down. Others are up. The industry has had a correction over a few years. We haven't had much vendor attrition though. So probably still too many diversified products for the size of the market. Probably we are due for some more pruning.

But it is stable and growing in many places.

[BELL SKY]

It's not drones that are killing our hobby..... It's the cost! Micro - 450 will be always be there. On the other hand the larger helis are extremely expensive and require a large airspace\airfield. Also the public safety that comes along with idiots flying 500+ helis in public environments.

[im4711]

I like the general initiative. Yes it is helpful to represent our hobby even at other events. Nothing wrong with it since only if people know they may grow some interest in our niche of the hobby.

BTW - blaming FPV racing, drones ... is lame. We should not look backwards and blame others. Its a normal process and we may need to do something to grow others interest in the hobby.
Also blaming prices - there are always low cost entry options. So blaming price is not really right either.

It is as it is - the big wave is over and its normalizing.

Not any proof for it but when looking at the poll related to age of us here its an interesting information. Younger generations are the absolute minority. Means besides cost (and there are low cost entry options) its the missing cool factor that seem to not bring in younger generations. Their interest shifted (not only to FPV and other drone flying .. just sifted completely). So we do need to advertise our niche of the hobby a bit by simply showing how cool it is to fly these things.

[yakky]

Cheaper stuff? I don't know how any of this stuff can get any cheaper. In fact once the chinese currency manipulation is finished, this hobby is going to get expensive again.

[toadiscoil]

No one said this hobby is cheap. Quite the contrary I keep hearing comments how expensive this hobby is. And I have experienced it myself. I sometimes wonder how I can keep growing to my "dream fleet".

So the fact that it is expensive is not it. And as I have heard (only second year in the hobby) the first helis were 600 or 700 class before the advent of small micros from Blade and it was much easier to crash before FBL units. So in strict theory helicopters are much better, more reliable and less expensive than the early days. Also we have much more competition than before.

Besides, if you want a cheap heli that is not a piece of crap I think Blade fits the bill. They are getting really good at getting small inexpensive helis. The 230S is a really good capable heli that is just around the $200-$300 even with a radio and is super cheap to crash being all plastic. Ok so Blade parts are overpriced and if you bling it can get expensive, but keep it stock and trash it around and it will keep going with easy fixes and not too much money.

Plus we have today flight simulators that can significantly reduce the crash ratio or give an even cheaper alternative to experience the hobby. For less than $50 you get a cheap USB radio-shaped controller and for $0 you get a working version of a few minutes of HeliX.

Now get a Goblin 700 KSE and yes you will start going into the thousands very fast. And drive it in and hundreds of dollars in repairs.

But my point is there are several options on this hobby. The main problem I see is lack of information for newcomers to the hobby. This has been the main thing I think about as I get deeper into the hobby and enjoy it more. I want more people to experience this hobby or at least see it as an alternative. And I keep thinking how can I help with that, getting the hobby to be more "mainstream".

Someone coming in might buy a crappy 450 used, drive it in and forget about the hobby. Someone might buy a crappy mall heli, drive it in, and buy a stable drone. I have heard a few accounts from people I tell that I am into the hobby that say that they also tried it and left it after crashing and crashing. Some others I show my videos and say how cool it is, and I constantly get the question of how they can fly inverted. I really think much more people would try it if they knew they can make a small investment after seeing what the possibilities are.

Flight is one of the more amazing things and helis do it better than any other machine with their power and maneuverability. But yet you see people buying tons of drones, drones everywhere, big prizes, ESPN, etc., why? Because they are everywhere so competition drives prices down and because a lot of people can just pick them up and fly. I think this is what most people think they can do when they pick up a mall heli. That it will just fly.

People need to understand flying helis is hard but rewarding. So definitely not a hobby for everyone. Yes people will still pick drones to fly something quick and easy to just experience flight. But some might pick up helis and take on the challenge. But we need Blade and some others to make some small, affordable and self-leveling helis to act as a bridge into helis. It helps to have a gateway into the hobby, then open up the possibilities into 3D, Speed or whatever.

So I agree totally we need as a group to promote the hobby a lot more. We need to inform people about the options on this hobby and in my opinion stop telling people to start with a 700 or as big as possible. There are more options today we are not on the Raptor days when all it was available was big helis. We do have small micros that fly well, resist the initial crash phase and can keep people in the hobby.

My two cents.

[BrokeDad]

I've not found it that expensive. Most of the cost for me has been buying way too many helis because of good deals I can't resist. I should thin things down but for now I'm still finding that perfect combo of brand, size, etc that works for my needs.
I have brought two people into it locally. The fact a heli can fly in a limited space has made is something they wanted to try.

[BladeScraperz]

Quads are a cheaper and a easier hobby. Most of the plank guys I've talked to said they would fly a quad but never a heli, to much money. I think I've got this hobby down fairly cheap, mostly buying spare parts in fear of not getting spares in the future. Lately I've only been spending because I WANT too not necessarily need too. To each their own but it's certainly not the rage it was a few years back and less flyers these days. I hope it comes back because I'll still be puttin along because I enjoy it

[danyl]

If Bruce Jenner would have gotten one of the girls to fly his RC heli even for 30 seconds on national TV, our hobby would no longer be suffering!

[learnedthehardway]

Get more and a little bit better Airhogs in Walmart, Target, ect, that will grow this hobby. Lets kids and their parents experience rc helis at the same time, at the cheapest price point possible.

May sound silly but it was a Airhog that my son's grandpa got him for Christmas that got me hooked, sure I'm not the only one that was sucked in by a toy grade heli.

[learnedthehardway]

Originally Posted by danyl

If Bruce Jenner would have gotten one of the girls to fly his RC heli even for 30 seconds on national TV, our hobby would no longer be suffering!

Too bad Bruce Jenner is one of the girls now

[toadiscoil]

If you go to Toys R Us lately you will see a block of diverse drone options ranging from FPV to Star Trek and Star Wars. Then if you look hard enough you will find a few helis on the shelves below and on the corner.

They will place stuff depending how it sells. It is clear what is selling better.

I agree with that a good way to promote the hobby is to make a large amount of people to see how cool they are.

I started way back when with PicoZ helis. Got me hooked but flew like crap. It was not until I bought the 200 SRX a couple years back that I really got into the hobby, even after crashing, crashing and crashing some more. Then I got a 360 CFX and crashed it until I found iKon with Rescue and the sim hours paid off. I was decided to stay in the hobby although I came very close to quitting on an incident with precisely the 360 CFX.

We need more exposure of the hobby and with that exposure better education of potential pilots of what to expect and where to start.

Originally Posted by learnedthehardway

Get more and a little bit better Airhogs in Walmart, Target, ect, that will grow this hobby. Lets kids and their parents experience rc helis at the same time, at the cheapest price point possible.

May sound silly but it was a Airhog that my son's grandpa got him for Christmas that got me hooked, sure I'm not the only one that was sucked in by a toy grade heli.

[redsox]

I got sucked in by a toy heli that I won at an arcade. It actually flew pretty good and took a beating. Then I seen an MA magazine and the 130x on the back looked so cool! Then I learned that it flew upside down....WHAT!

So I bought an mcpx and crashed it untill I learned how to flip. All this was by myself. Thank god I didnt try learning on a 700.

[BELL SKY]

Originally Posted by toadiscoil

The 230S is a really good capable heli that is just around the $200-$300 even with a radio and is super cheap to crash being all plastic.

So.... where are you finding these 230s rtf combos for $200?

[toadiscoil]

I said in between $200 to $300. I would have quoted exact prices but that was not the point. And plenty of deals pop up on the classifieds. But again that was not the point.

Originally Posted by BELL SKY

So.... where are you finding these 230s rtf combos for $200?

[BELL SKY]

Originally Posted by toadiscoil

I said in between $200 to $300. I would have quoted exact prices but that was not the point. And plenty of deals pop up on the classifieds. But again that was not the point.

The point was the cost to entry and simply saying that "deals pop up" does not exactly fit a mfg's business model when it comes to making a profit. Buying used helis does little for manufacturer revenue. It's the new customers who you have to think about and how they perceive the price tag. You may think a 230s is worth $249 new, where another person may see a cheap piece of plastic.

[BrokeDad]

Originally Posted by BELL SKY

So.... where are you finding these 230s rtf combos for $200?

There have been several 230's and some with DXe on the classifieds in that price range. The good stuff goes fast though. You have to be looking every day if not several times a day. I have found some deals just fall in your lap if you put the word out. Both of my last two purchases the seller approached me and there was no ad. Let the people at your LHS etc know you are looking too.

Many times the seller is looking to buy something newer or bigger and better. That helps sell more new models. When I acquire a used model I also often purchase new parts to have on hand when needed.