New Poll - Has the recession had an impact on your hobby?

[Paul Marsh]

I've beenm buying more second-hand stuff, rather than buying new from a shop. For example, I bought a new OS 91 FS Pump Mk III for £70 last week, but it said £279.99 on the price tag. Same again, got a OS 120 FS Pump MkIII for £140 new, £400 RRP.

Been buying more, as people seem to have to sell their stuff. Just buy new rx's and radio gear, but airframes and engines can be bought cheap.

[Erfolg]

Although I voted no change, it is from a low base line.

From that standpoint, no change means I spend very little.

I know that many members in our club spend very little also, buying no new models from kits or ARTF and not even building anymore from scratch.

[Bob Stringfellow]

I decided to retire and now fly more and spend more, or so my wife tells me.

[Mark Stevens 1]

Agreed with Phil B above - the options only seem to relate to ARTF's which I don't do (Unless Helicopters come into that category). I usually build from plans and yes I do have some spare stock so it does work out cheaper that way.

This year though I have probably spent more than I have done for a long time, including the purchase of 2 very nice vintage Heli's - both still flyable - one just needs a minor bit of work.

I have also invested more in model related tools in order to be able to make my own parts - This in turn saves money and is quite satsifying as you can produce the bits as you need and to your own specifications. This beats having to try and hunt down hard to find and sometimes very expensive items.

Mark

[Richard Harris]

Things have gotten really tight for myself over the last few years, I try and sell bits and pieces on ebay to help me get together the funds needed for materials etc to build a new model. I have bought a few second hand ARTF's this year for a snip but the main enjoyment for me is designing and building, but things aren't cheap these days.

Rich

[Garbo]

To be honest I am finding that with carefull shopping ARTFs can be cheaper than kits. This

near 1/4 scale cub is available for about 120 quid. You would be lucky to cover a 1/4 cub kit for £60

Any way the weather is affecting my purchasing most of all, flying less crashing less, replaceing less

[Erfolg]

Spending patterns and the choices consumers make is a hot topic on our regional news, In some respects some parallels can be drawn with the pressures that will affect modelling, at least at the retail level.

Our local town is now one of the worst affect shopping centres in the UK. An estimate that 1 in 3 shops have now closed. This was once one of the most successful small town shopping centre. It was claimed that it borders onto 3 of the wealthiest districts in the UK.

So what has killed it, well rents, rates and parking charges. Parking charges have been much reduced, just recently, it did take a change of political complexion to achieve that. Apparently rents are still high, with some reductions available. The local MP claims that the rates need looking at, having risen this year by 30-50%.

I can see that very few MS succeeding in this climate, where standing charges are approx, £1000 a week, That needs a lot of turn over and a margin.

If as David has hinted, the distributors intend to increase prices, I see nothing but pain, for the MS and eventually the distributors. As all are dependant on customers.

If the model trade is to survive, unlike my local town shopping centre, costs will need containing.

Paradoxly, the local Shopping Centre/retail park seems to be surviving, with free parking, sales, a good shopping environment, ranging from cafes, bars, restaurants. Take care of the customer and enough can be persuaded to open their purses and wallets to keep the waggon on the road.

It seems easy to loose customers to others, a lot harder to get them back.

Edited By Erfolg on 04/09/2012 22:22:54

[NigelH]

Which Cub is that ?

[NigelH]

Ok, just seen the watermark

[Tony Bennett]

i have had to stop spending completely.

i am just finishing off what builds i have to the point where i need to spend money, then i have to leave them.

Might even end up having to sell most of my stuff to cover the bills.

[Romeo Whisky]

Impossible to vote as I don't build - I only buy ARTFs. BUT I have only bought one this year, mainly because I haven't got room for any more!

Thankfully my fleet hasn't needed any repairs apart from a couple of bust props.

[Tom Wright 2]

Posted by Garbo on 04/09/2012 22:13:37:

To be honest I am finding that with carefull shopping ARTFs can be cheaper than kits. This

near 1/4 scale cub is available for about 120 quid. You would be lucky to cover a 1/4 cub kit for £60

Any way the weather is affecting my purchasing most of all, flying less crashing less, replaceing less

Garbo

A very good example of unbeatable value for money .I also have the big J3 and the the smaller 6ft one from the same firm . If models are selected carefully there are some really good buys that represent a substantial price reduction by comparison to average prices some years ago .

I have tended to buy more ARTF this year as it would be impossible to scratch build for anywhere near the cost of selected modern ARTF models.

Tom.

[Garry Pollard]

Looking at the average age of the people who fly at the 2 clubs I am a member of, the recession has not bitten the older peeps as much as the younger ones. The kids have gone, usually the house is paid for, and wants are much less by SWMBO. Therefore, if you keep it a bit secret, there is about as much to spend as there ever was.

Garry

[Twister]

Being new to the hobby im amazed how easy it is to spend as enthusiasm takes over,its only now 4months in im selling a couple to cover the cost of a new ARTF,but i think its mainly finding my flying style preferance than anything else.

[Alan Randall]

Can't find a section that quite covers me. Since finishing full time work I have become more careful about what I buy, and I buy less. Some of what I do buy is to keep my fleet going, but i have added models to my fleet.

[David Davis]

Following on from Alan's point and picking up on what others have said I'd like to make the following points:

1. We all like to have several models and they remain more or less intact because they are radio controlled models and are less likely to get broken than free flight models. Having acquired more than we need or want, we then offer surplus models for sale, perhaps locally perhaps on-line. This has the effect of reducing prices to the extent that we can now buy models much more cheaply than we could possibly build them. Second hand ARTFs are also naturally sold at a cheaper price than their original cost.

2. We are or were an ageing hobby. Aeromodelling is no longer for eleven year-olds building the Keil Kraft Achilles, it's a hobby for mature men, and most of us are closer to retirement age than we are to school leaving age. As a result many of us shuffle off this mortal coil and leave behind a fleet of models which are sold for what they can fetch, increasing the supply of models but reducing the price. I know two modellers with huge fleets who have bought virtually every model they posses.

3. As for the build/ARTF argument I do not build because it's cheaper or because it's more expensive than an ARTF, I build because I love the building process. I love to chose my own colour schemes on sports models and I love to chose the scheme for a scale model. When I mention this to an ARTF modeller, they look at me as if they don't understand. This aspect of aeromodelling is patently not important to them.

4. If I were to buy an ARTF I would have to settle for whatever scheme the manufacturer chose. Besides, the ARTF choice is limited. There are plenty of Spitfires and Mustangs but where are the Dauntless, Tempests and Typhoons?

5. As for the, "I don't have time to build" argument, that may well be true but I would rather build two models a year than assemble four ARTFs.

6. Just in case anyone thinks I'm a complete dinosaur, I have two ARTFs in my fleet: a foamy WOT 4 and a Decathlon.

Happy Landings Gentlemen

[Greybeard]

The “no time to build” excuse can normally be removed by unplugging the television.The "no money" one is a little more difficult to overcome.

[Erfolg]

I am not sure that the survey will reveal if the present recession is having a material impact on spend or how models are made available.

It seems that 60% say they are unaffected. Does that suggested that 40% are affected in some way?

Does the 6% kit/plan reflect that this is number who are now building because of the recession, or the number who build from kits/plans? I think a similar question can be asked with respect to those who sell models, is it the a number who sell models because they are strapped for cash, due to the recession, or the number who sell anyway, not necessarily reflecting a change in habit.

I see nothing intrinsically wrong with DD discussion/arguments, I just think much of this would occur during buoyant economic periods also.

Looking around our club field, the most prolific models are ARTF. Flown by old and new hands alike.

Very few new build models, perhaps on every 6 months are flown at our club. The majority, about +90% originate from two people, myself being one. Averaging 2 a year. I know that there is nothing special or good about building your own models. In many respects building any model is a separate hobby to operating them. In the past we built our own RC gear, today we buy it ready built. Judging by the reaction of some on the subject of Tier 2 suppliers of RC equipment and their competence to design and build, it cannot be to long that many will question the competence of the remaining builders to complete the task in a manner which ensures a safe model.

Edited By Erfolg on 09/09/2012 16:56:46

[Plummet]

I have said "No Change". I have not changed habits because of the economy, but as I have now retired, as has my dear Flappit, we have generally been spending more carefully.

Plummet

[bouncebounce crunch]

When you are married and have teenage kids you are allways in recession.