Who here has an interest in/flies model airplanes?

[cosine]

I do! I used to fly them more often a couple of years ago before high school work got thick 'n heavey. Mainly free-flight gliders and rubber-powered; it was cheap. Seeing that giant turbine powered plane in the other thread brought model airplanes back to mind for me. I ought to get into RC; maybe I'll have time to do that next year. A couple of years ago I was so interested in model airplanes that I actually belonged to the Acadamy of Model Aeronautics. I even got the magazine and read it religously; I really liked it. That lapsed too, however. I should join the AMA again.

Okay, enough of my reminiscent, rambling post. Share your model airplane stories and experiences!

[zahc]

Years ago, when I was a young lad, I used to fly balsa models at a local club. I just barely got off the buddy box when my parents stopped taking me for various reasons. I adapted by building cheap foamies and plastic throwtogethers that sometimes flew, and crashed them at the farm. Now I'm at college, and I recently dug out my controller and bought a Slow Stick parkflyer. I figure I can fly it at a nearby soccer field when I get a few moments.

[charby]

Never got into model airplanes, always worried that I'd nose dive one and be out the money. I've had a few cars, nothing special. I have lately been thinking about getting a sailboat to take with when I go fishing and play with when the fish aren't biting.

-C

[cosine]

Wow, not a lot of replies. For some reason I expected more.

[Iain]

I used to have a big interest in them. Couldn't afford it at the time and then other expensive hobbies took over. Some stuff I saw on model helicopters got me interested again about a year back, some really cool stuff out there. One day I would like a nice big sailplane, and maybe something life sized with an engine to go with it.

Used to build planes out of card and paper to my own whacky designs all the time when I was a kid. They never flew, yet that wasn't all that important to me.

[crt360]

I used to have a big interest in them. Couldn't afford it at the time and then other expensive hobbies took over. Some stuff I saw on model helicopters got me interested again about a year back, some really cool stuff out there.

Same here.  I used to buy RC Modeler and think I'd get into it (especially the copters), but I never could find the time or money to add another time and money consuming hobby.  Maybe someday when they outlaw hunting & fishing, guns, guitars, boats, bikes, etc., I will turn my resources toward the RC world.  I still want a helicopter.  Damn, now you've got me thinking about it again.

[BozemanMT]

My wife got into it big, bought this big airplane (before we were married) and it's never flown.
Take this thing out of my garage, it's taking up good reloading supplies space.
http://coloradoshooting.org/ipw-web/bulletin/bb/viewtopic.php?t=4025

[cosine]

Damn, now you've got me thinking about it again.

Hey, blame this thread: http://armedpolitesociety.com/viewtopic.php?id=3218
That's what got me thinking about them again.

My wife got into it big, bought this big airplane (before we were married) and it's never flown.
Take this thing out of my garage, it's taking up good reloading supplies space.
http://coloradoshooting.org/ipw-web/bul & php?t=4025

By the way, that's not really a big airplane. That's kind of like the "standard" size for RC model airplanes. Too bad I don't have the extra money sitting around right now. Anyway, there aren't a whole lot a places to fly around where I live. If I'd get back into RC it would be in park/slow flyers and microlights I can fly in soccer fields and baseball diamonds. Mini electronics are cool.

[BozemanMT]

well, ok
it's big enough to be chewing up like 1/2 of an 8' shelf (and i hit my head on it almost every time)
do you know how many boxes of shotgun ammo can go on 4' of shelf?
that's right, a lot
buy it! :-)  make offer

[cosine]

well, ok
it's big enough to be chewing up like 1/2 of an 8' shelf (and i hit my head on it almost every time)
do you know how many boxes of shotgun ammo can go on 4' of shelf?
that's right, a lot
buy it! :-)  make offer

How do you feel about lowballers? I really don't have any use for a plane that big, all the flying fields are like 30-40 minutes or more away from where I live. On the other hand, I've got two parks within 2-3 minutes walking distance from my home. Hence my interest in park/micro RC flyers.

The price would really have to be right on that model for me to buy it from you, seeing as it's mostly useless for me anyway.

[zahc]

I have a .60 size trainer, I'll sell for peanuts, motor included. Radio included at the right price. I'll never fly it again, but it does fly fine. I learned on it.

I flew my Slow Stik today. It was WAY too windy. I didn't realize just how wimpy these little parkflyers are in the wind. If dandilion fluff doesn't fall straight down, stay home!

Just a reminder to the parkflyer crowd, make sure you check with the local hobby shop and make sure there are no flying fields nearby. Ours has a list of people too. I found out that there are 3 parkflyers in my town, but they are all on different channels. Your little foamy might not be too dangerous, but the 20 lb giant scale you may shoot down sure is! Thankfully spread spectrum, wifi-ish technology is making strides in the model community, so soon we can forget about 'channels' altogether.

[cosine]

Just a reminder to the parkflyer crowd, make sure you check with the local hobby shop and make sure there are no flying fields nearby. Ours has a list of people too. I found out that there are 3 parkflyers in my town, but they are all on different channels. Your little foamy might not be too dangerous, but the 20 lb giant scale you may shoot down sure is! Thankfully spread spectrum, wifi-ish technology is making strides in the model community, so soon we can forget about 'channels' altogether.

Check. Interference can be both damaging and dangerous.

[richyoung]

I have a .60 size trainer, I'll sell for peanuts, motor included. Radio included at the right price. I'll never fly it again, but it does fly fine. I learned on it.

Throw out a price for the whole rig - I might be interested...

[zahc]

$140 with a futaba 4 channel, batteries, OS .60 2 stroke and prop. It has a small tear in the wing covering, the aileron servo needs remounted, and it built up slightly tail heavy (A good cure for that is to get a bigger motor/4stroke. It has some lead behind the firewall now).

 $90 for the plane and motor. 40 for the plane.

I think just the wood cost me $100.