How many times a week do you get to pop down the patch?

[Beth Ashby Moderator]

Thanks to the suggestion from Ken Anderson, we've got a new poll!

How many times a week do you get to pop out to the patch? Is anyone lucky enough to go every day? Or is it more of a leisurely once a week on a Sunday visit?

Discuss below...

(and we promise, we wont tell 'her indoors' )

Edited By Beth Ashby - Moderator on 28/09/2015 12:55:03

[ken anderson.]

well done young beth...... i'm in the fortunate position of living 1 mile away from our site and once i'm let off the leash(weather permitting) i'm there most day's......her indoor's is a goodin and quite happy.i feel for some of the lad's who for whatever reason's aren't allowed etc..........some of our member's head's are covered in "peck mark's" ..... actually i was surprised to see young asher's had a few mark's on his also....

ken anderson...ne...1 manup dept.

[The Wright Stuff]

Difficult to answer - it varies enormously. I can only put an average of about once every two weeks. In summer, if the weather is good, that can be 2 or 3 times per week, but that is more than offset by weeks of not bothering, in winter or if the weather is bad.

[Bob Cotsford]

I'm at a bit of a loss on how to answer this one, sometimes it will be 3 or 4 days flying a week, whereas other times it might be once in a month or more. It depends on a variety of factors all coming together just right - the weather, how busy we are at work, health, family commitments etc..

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[PeterF]

As with others it varies, been once per week for past 3 weeks, but tjen if work and weather are not kind then once per month.

So far there is a bimodal distribution, is that retirees multiple flying days per week and workers, multiple weeks between flying days.

[kevin b]

I based my vote on the basis of perfect weather / visibility at all times. Mostly it tends to be 1 - 2 times a week, due to the fact that I live in a breezy, wet area of the country.

In theory I could go fly my models (2 miles away) every day, but I need time to mend them !!!

[Cuban8]

Depends on the weather primarily and family commitments. My local club within a 15 minute drive I usually get to twice a week monday to friday for a few hours and my old club before I moved (an hour's drive) I still visit every other weekend sometimes more often if the weather's very good and I'll be there 10am to 7pm.

With the bad weather coming I usually pack it all in until spring - not so much because of wind or cold but I just don't enjoy wallowing in mud and treading it all into the car/house and over the models. Wouldn't stop me if I could fly from hard standing, consider yourself very fortunate if you do!

Edited By Cuban8 on 28/09/2015 21:25:46

[Steve Colman]

Like Ken, I'm very fortunate in that my other half is very accommodating about my hobbies/obsessions.

Throughout July, August and the first two weeks of September (summer holidays) it was more or less every day. Not only at the club field either; a small group of us would have a few outings to other locations for some flying fun.

Now, with the new school term starting I'm more limited but still able to fly most afternoons if I so wish as well as the weekends of course. At the moment weekends at the field are proving to be great. Nine times out of ten, as the only Brit amongst many Spanish, I'm first to arrive at around 0845, temperature around 17/18 degrees, blue skies and more or less zero wind. For the first hour to hour and a half I have the place to myself in what are perfect conditions for flying. I've been using this (quiet) time concentrating on my flying precision, aiming to become smoother, less hurried in manouvres and generally trying to improve my overall flying abilities.

[Robert Parker]

It has been a difficult year for us on own patch, the area we use is shared with a rugby pitch, soccer pitch and a trotting circuit / speedway track, so trying to get the right combination of weather all of the above other activities no present and of course family / work commitments.

Having said all that the rugby pitch has relocated this year and the trotting / speedway calendar has finished so things are looking a bit better.

[Erfolg]

It is an unfortunate fact, that to be able to fly with any frequency you have to have retired. When I worked the very idea of modelling, never mind the idea of having time to fly a model was a definite no-no! A typical day was 12 hours at work, plus commuting time, when in the office.

Then I had some luck, changes at work, plus my concern of receiving my pension, I decided I needed to sensibly try for early retirement. Once achieved, I was so surprised that much of my salary went in tax, pension contributions and a myriad other payments. Very little was lost in not working and much gained, plus my sanity.

Am I lucky flying typically 4 times a week, well I typically go for 1-2 hrs, so not so much out of the day. Plus my wife is a Golfer, which typically is a good +4 hours at a time, normally 2 times or more a week.The other plus of aeromodelling it is as cheap as you want, although many spend much, much, more (money) than I do.

There is a down with some modellers, is that they love rules, to the extent that if non exist, the void needs to be filled, I guess it is an age thing, Grumpy old men, who think there has to be more to our hobby , that is beyond, messing about, having fun. Yes, rules is what we need, to provide that feeling of importance

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Weekends mostly I like evenings in Summer/Autumn as well, did more flying when younger myself, model was in car for after work many a day.

Oooh Erf's gone of on one...who poked him with a rule book

John

[Shaunie]

Tricky one to answer. I try to get down the field twice a week but sometimes it's once in two weeks. However, I do work (for myself) on a farm converted to light industrial and have permission to fly in the field less than 30 yards from my unit (lucky or what). I usually only fly electric or fun fly from here and no proper runway but I can get a ten minute flight in a quarter of an hour of spare time!

Shaunie.

[Chris Jones 7]

Technically I suppose I could say every day seeing as how I can launch and land in my back garden and fly over the football fields. But I tend to go to one of the clubs fields 2-3 times a week.

[John Privett]

I've said twice a week - though that's perhaps the max rather than typical. It really depends on the weather. I normally fly at weekends only, very rarely on a weekday - especially as occasional days off work usually coincide with bad weather (not intentionally of course!)

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Unlike John, my 2 times a week (Thursdays/Saturdays) is the minimum and those days are virtually sacrosanct. The hard core of our club fly in virtually all weather year round on these days and since taking early retirement I can pop up on other odd days when the weather and whim take me.

TBH, my wife's fears of me being at the field every day haven't been realised and I find that the ability to cherry pick the good days means quality rather than quantity for me.

[bouncebounce crunch]

Three is my average, I risked my life and limbs with 6 days on one Christmas break, that dedication to my hobby was banned by my fair lady.

[Kevin 216]

If the weather is good as many times as possible usually 3 full afternoons.

[Martyn K]

I try and get out at least once a week to satisfy my craving. Now if the poll was 'How many hours do you spend in the workshop per week?'' the answer would have been considerably more

Martyn

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Posted by ken anderson. on 28/09/2015 13:22:59:

well done young beth...... i'm in the fortunate position of living 1 mile away from our site and once i'm let off the leash(weather permitting) i'm there most day's......her indoor's is a goodin and quite happy.i feel for some of the lad's who for whatever reason's aren't allowed etc..........some of our member's head's are covered in "peck mark's" ..... actually i was surprised to see young asher's had a few mark's on his also....

ken anderson...ne...1 manup dept.

I resemble that remark

[Stephen Jones]

I have put once a month , as i am in work Monday to Friday which only leaves the weekends and i am usually on call when the weather is good or i have other commitments to attend too .

But i went while i was on call last weekend with the weather being so good , it would of been a crime not to go.

And i must say how much me and my son enjoyed it , Nice sunny weather and calm .

My Son really enjoyed flying the foam Sipa i made for him . He was trying out aerobatics which he has not been able to do with the other models he has flown .

And it was really nice for me to watch him enjoying himself .

Steve

[Cuban8]

Posted by Erfolg on 28/09/2015 22:24:48:

It is an unfortunate fact, that to be able to fly with any frequency you have to have retired. When I worked the very idea of modelling, never mind the idea of having time to fly a model was a definite no-no! A typical day was 12 hours at work, plus commuting time, when in the office.

Then I had some luck, changes at work, plus my concern of receiving my pension, I decided I needed to sensibly try for early retirement. Once achieved, I was so surprised that much of my salary went in tax, pension contributions and a myriad other payments. Very little was lost in not working and much gained, plus my sanity.

Very true. I took voluntary redundancy/early retirement three years ago at age 55. Mortgage cleared, no loans to repay, no credit cards to pay off means I can please myself how I use my day. I had planned this since about age 40 so it wasn't an off the cuff decision and without some financial planning I doubt if it would have been achievable.

If you like your job and are happy working then go right ahead, but I could see the writing on the wall for the branch of engineering I'd spent almost 40 years in and didn't want to be chained to an increasingly stressful career with longer hours, increasing surveillance from computerised systems watching your every move and every penny that you spent in spares, together with the thought of crawling about under/in large machinery with increasingly arthritic limbs as age took its course.

Makes me smile when I hear the politicians glibly remark that we should expect to work longer - possibly into one's 70s. Fine for those with sedentary jobs but forget it if it involves a lot of physical strength.

[Erfolg]

I suspect that our stories are not unfamiliar across the country, from the mid week golfer, born again cyclists and so many other leisure activities.

I do agree that in principle as long as you enjoy work, why not? Although in my case there was no physical aspect, the mental issues are there. I also found as time passed that management initiatives were so much the same old messages, dressed up in a thin veil of being brand new. I imagine that I was not alone, along with much of the older workforce will have been aware of this and yawned. Mental stresses become acute as you are alerted and know that the Senior Management statements, are not aligned with intention and targets have no anchor within reality.

Yet I have effectively worked for over 35 years, when the path of many engineers was via apprenticeship, continuous study, via day release and night school, block release to degree level where term time was worked in your sponsors business. My studies never finished until my last year in employment. starting work at 15, retiring at  +56.

I do miss some aspects of work and that is working to a target, balanced against other goals.

On that basis the working life of many younger people will be probably no longer than this generation of retired folk.

It would really useful or should that be interesting to establish a link between the working and retired to the amount of flying. My prejudice is that once a week flyers are in work, with a family, 3-4 are retired or divorced.

Edited By Erfolg on 30/09/2015 11:12:57

[Area 51]

As often as I can get below the radar!

Excellent day yesterday down the strip, just off slope soaring this now as there is a lovely easterly...

Dont just sit there, get one (three) up..

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Erfolg on 30/09/2015 11:11:13:

 

I do agree that in principle as long as you enjoy work, why not? Although in my case there was no physical aspect, the mental issues are there. I also found as time passed that management initiatives were so much the same old messages, dressed up in a thin veil of being brand new. I imagine that I was not alone, along with much of the older workforce will have been aware of this and yawned. Mental stresses become acute as you are alerted and know that the Senior Management statements, are not aligned with intention and targets have no anchor within reality.

Spot on Erf - in my case I was becoming more and more disillusioned by the initiatives being rehashed under different names - each new senior manager seeming to have a need to introduce a new (usually US inspired) quality programme which only served to increase frustration. I had a job which I loved (probably too much as it stifled my ambitions to a certain degree) but moved on to a technically challenging but exciting new area a couple of years before the Millennium where the higher management were far thinking, supportive and appreciative.

Over the years the products evolved into mainstream offerings with a growing amount of automation - and bringing in standard times and call readiness stats for work which could range from mind numbingly repetitive to technically challenging with high customer expectations lead to me feeling very stressed and when the opportunity to retire early came along and I could afford it I leapt at the chance.

I feel very sorry for the coming generations if my experience is typical.

Edited By Martin Harris on 30/09/2015 18:41:25