SIMON CRAGG

Electric please!

Chaps, any idea of the best / cheapest place to purchase 13" x 5/6 3-bladed props please?

We to have tried to recruit via Scouts / ATC / Fetes etc. A LOT of effort to organise and take our best models to various halls etc. Result? Nothing / Zero / Diddly / Total waste of time and energy. As a club we have decided its a total non starter. However, not all doom and gloom on the modelling front. At present we do not allow drone flying at our club site, but I recently thought it might be a good idea to try indoor drone flying. (I am a long standing club Sec. and also on the Committee of a local Hall which I can use for nothing). After a slow start, I have 14 members who are going to show up at our first indoor session. There have been rumblings about including drone flying at our club site, and I think this may be the way to go, if the indoor goes well. The market is flooded with suitable drones, so it is a very cheap way of getting into "flying". Early days yet, but I think it may well be the way forward, and attract more potential members. Hope so anyway.

I have used Futaba digital on all my larger models for many years without any issues. Always used LifePo4 Rx packs in the model and TX. All practical experience "up the field"!.

We have a good club trainer and buddy box set up, allow three "free" visits prior to joining, are part of the BMFA club finder set up, have a heated club house (warm space), and shop, a well maintained grass patch and tarmac circle, have club meetings at a local hall, table top sales, this year a "club model build" (eleven participants), just started indoor drone / helicopter flying with tea and buns, Xmas get together next week. Not sure there is much left that we could do. I will run the "Men's Shed" idea past the rest of the Committee though.

More or less the same situation, gained a couple lost about four. Despite our best efforts, been on the slide for a few years now.

Whoever was to blame.......RIP five aviators. Very sad.

Well said Kev. Safe flying!.

Nigel, I am building exactly the same and sent you a pm.

I have taught countless newbies up to A cert standard over the years. There is no real substitute for stick time on the club trainer, on the buddy lead, with an experienced instructor. However, especially at this time of year a good flight sim is invaluable. The Phoenix sim is great if you can get it to work properly. Ever since they went bust, i have never had any joy with the cheap dongle replacements, and even got a bad virus of one so please be careful!. RealFlight is the way to go, but very expensive. Good luck.

Just had another thought. A good source of modelling items, can be a club auction. Probably best to get a second opinion so you don't end up with a load of "tat", but surprisingly good airframes and other ancillaries usually appear. No good club will try and palm of rubbish on a newbie........we were all newbies once and appreciate how much there is to absorb!.

Welcome to the forum, great place to start. Having taught and examined countless pilots over the years, here are a few pointers!. Hopefully, your new club will have a "Club Trainer", which will be set up on a buddy lead and trimmed so that learners can cope with it in the early stages. Our club trainer is one of the best purchases we made, and has proved to be a real bonus to the club (Arising Star ic model converted to electric). Have you got a flight simulator?. With Winter upon us (less stick time at the field), we have found a sim. an invaluable tool in the learning process. The only observation on the model you have purchased, is that it is a bit on the small side. Generally, something in the 1200mm + category is better, easier to see and slightly heavier to cope with the wind better. Anyway, good luck. Its a fantastic hobby, and despite being a modeller for over 50 years, I am still learning and discovering new aspects of this fascinating hobby. And above all still having.............FUN!.

Good luck with your project. During lockdown I built five models from Flite Test free plans. They all went together a treat, and flew fine. Foamboard takes a bit of getting used to, and working with a glue gun means getting a wriggle on when putting parts together!.

Life is way to short to spit the dummy out and bin the teddy in the corner, over the CAA fees etc. I don't like it any more than anybody else, but I am sure the BMFA are fighting our corner, so it is what it is.

Sounds like the esc is on the way out. I have experienced similar on one of my 90mm Jets. IMHO its not worth risking it, so replaced the esc and fault free ever since 25+ flights.

A lot of our members are using the covering from 4 Max. Maybe worth a try!.

Well done England, great start and result.

EVERYTHING seems to be purchased on line these days. The other day I needed to get some damp start for the car. Orf to Poole I went to visit trusty Halfords, which had been there forever.....................gone!. Back home to order via Amazon. So its not only model shops by ant stretch of the imagination.

Totally gutted for them. It must be more than heart breaking to see all your hard work end up like this. The very best of luck to the team that runs the show.

I recently purchased a "cheap" multi rotor, just to see what all the fuss was about. I have to say, they are amazing. The technology, the ease of flying, the photo quality etc. are something out of the "Eagle" comic of yesteryear!. Needless to say I am upgrading, they are a stunning bit of kit. My favourite button?. "Return to home" of course.............how on earth does that work!!

Any airtime is good IMHO. Vernon Kay was suitably enthusiastic, and came over very well. I think we all have to face the fact that the days of the "Fetchamite" are long gone. Over the years, we have tried on many occasions to recruit more of the younger generation, and pretty much failed miserably. We all know the reasons, but we "olds" never tire of our great hobby, and we have a steady stream of OAP's joining!.

What an absolute tragedy. RIP.

Lots of info on P.Prune. Such a sad loss RIP.

Agreed, forgot to add them!. As Leccyflyer has said, both ZEE and HRB seem to be good and if you pick the right day have some fantastic deals. My wife has Amazon Prime which is even better!.

4Max, Overlander, China Hobby Line.