Building, when does it become too expensive to fly

[David Davis]

Posted by Bob Cotsford on 26/10/2018 11:03:09:

... **Trainers should never be an investment, not unless you are classified as a high risk taker! Ideally they should should be well maintained but battered, ugly, patched, badly re-covered mongrels that no-one could love. Crashing them can only improve the appearance. Save the pride and joy bit for when you are confident of a good landing!

Something like this you mean Bob?

When they get to this stage however ...

[Don Fry]

I've seen one of those repaired in an hour or so, simply put doublets on the outside of the fuselage, no sanding, radiused corners, nothing, then a coat of crackle finish hammerite. Flying the next day.

[Geoff S]

Last winter I built a DB Cirrus Moth as a Gypsy Moth. I spent a long time on it converting it to electric and making a sprung under carriage from scratch to Gordon Whitehead's design. It was a scary test flight but all went well and since then it's been flown and flown 50/60 times since then. I absolutely love it and I'd be devastated if anything bad happened. It's my very favourite model and is the one taken to the field every time the weather looks OK.

So what is the 'expense' in this case? I've had my money's worth in financial terms, I suppose. The building was very enjoyable (mostly - I hate doing rib tapes!) and it looks OK - not perfect but OK for me. Lots of flights. However, I suspect my aeromodelling would go into hibernation if I lost it. It's happened before. Perhaps emotional attachment to something you've created is something that can't be discounted.

Geoff

[Cuban8]

I have a DVD in my archive of an old aeromodelling TV programme with Bob Symes and David Boddington. IIRC, Bob asks DB about the risk of losing a model and the ensuing waste of time, money and effort. DB's reply is that there are many two dimensional hobbies but very few three dimensional ones and that a model designed for flight is “only good in the air” and that “one must accept at the outset the inevitable crashes and just come out again”

I think DB's words are worth remembering and should serve as a moderating influence when it comes to choosing a new project. How many of us here, or know of friends, who have started a project, only to fall by the wayside because of cost, practicality, or simple lack of interest caused by the realisation of what has been taken on? Often you simply build yourself into a corner. The project can really only be 'good in the air', better to stop whilst one can, rather than battle on with a knot in one's stomach that is telling you that the project is ultimately doomed and would really be better off with another owner. I can think of very little that would be worse than having a model stored away, complete and unflown, that every time I looked at it, would gnaw at me and remind me of a failure or my fear of flying it. Others may well not view it that way at all.

I have built, for me at least, challenging models and it can be advantageous to take an extended break between finishing the model and its first flight. Give time for all the emotion of the lengthy and intricate build to subside and allow one's objectivity to come to the fore.

I can think of one or two projects that were sold on either as part builds or as completed models, that went on to fly successfully with their new owners. Perhaps the problems are actually in our heads?

 

 

Edited By Cuban8 on 26/10/2018 12:55:29

[David Davis]

Posted by Don Fry on 26/10/2018 11:22:14:

I've seen one of those repaired in an hour or so, simply put doublets on the outside of the fuselage, no sanding, radiused corners, nothing, then a coat of crackle finish hammerite. Flying the next day.

I was too busy painting the outside of the house to have the time to repair it. In fact I've just finished painting the entire upper storey in the last five minutes.

I gave the trainer to my trainee who has an enginereing background. He is thinking about how to repair it. The model crashed because I failed to regain control quickly enough while tutoring, shame really as the Boomerang is a nice flier and my Enya 50 powered it perfectly. It's broken back to the trailing edge former and beyond. The Enya seems to have something inside it so I will have to strip it to investigate.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

We all have opinions "investment in time" nope I was doing something I enjoy, it owes me nothing.

Just learning, reluctant to fly it yet, makes sense we've all been there done that.

Cost X amount of money ? you're a lucky fella, wish I could afford to spend X on a hobby.

Plenty masterpieces being flown by folk, the ultimate prize. You don't know how lucky you are, to have plenty money or talent, get it flown, you know you want to.

[ken anderson.]

a member spent 18 months building his first model...a precedent "hi -boy"...it looked as though it had been made by Roll's Royce...… amazing quality...even had the wheel chocks emblazoned with the model logo.

it disappeared into the north sea never to be seen again...……..

ken anderson...ne..1..mary celeste dept.