I need to ask these hard questions. Is our Helicopter community facing total obliteration of bankruptcy in our future? On these classified forums, I am seeing that selling used is obtaining 20%-30% of original value. There are people even going even lower than 20%. If this is the case, how do you imagine $1000 helicopter kits selling new?

Nitros seems to be making a slow come back, but fuel prices are skyrocketing. I am even seeing gasser kits disappearing from the market.

The only helicopters I see at the moment are Hirobo, SAB, Synergy, Xcell, Pantera, Century, Blade and Align.

I know some of these companies are facing economic hardship due to lackluster sales of kits. Even the support groups of the hobby in the electronics are scaling down to slow the carnage.

Funfly events are scaling down as well.

Planes are doing okay. Drones seem to be selling well.

So in the next 5 years, is our community going bankrupt?

Opinions?

Century Has been long gone.
heli's will never go away but they will return to pre 2003 popularity

spending time, paying attention

I miss my heli's, no doubt. But the selling price I got for them was enough to convince me to sit it out for a while until I invest in another one. When I do, it will be a gasser. Been the nitro and lipo route....I believe the most inexpensive road for me will be a gasser. But with two small children and a non-working wife, don't see that happening any time soon. Planks are much less stressful to me, and much cheaper to repair after a 'rough' landing. My flying skills were never that good though. But I loved it, the build mostly, and seeing it all come together as a fine tuned machine.

sjgusmc21

Wished I was closer, I could buddy box you into advanced flying to where you are comfortable. Buddy box got me far than learning on my own quickly!

Drones are starting to loose their appeal IMO... and it has everything to do with not only instant gratification, but continuous gratification.

just 2 years ago the darn things were selling everywhere. now people seemed to be moving away and pushing their use from hobby to business.

Helis will never die off, but they will continue to see a significant draw down. Their performance has leveled off due to technological advancement. The only thing remaining is to push more capacity out of power systems, but this will come from the automotive industry due to demand.

But this all is expected. what the hobby will evolve to is anyone's guess... but it will never be what it was back around 2008 to 2012 thats for sure.

flying events have also died back to a noticeable extent... and this is hurting the flying RC hobby on all levels.

showing a preference will only get you into trouble, 90% of everything is crap...

RM3

Are you ready to sponser a funfly event in your backyard?

I am tempted to sponser one myself. I miss all the events!

ever seen the movie "Idiocracy"?

I have a co-worker/friend that I sold my old rc cars to a few yrs. ago..lately he's been asking me about heli's..he said flying helicopters would seem boring compared to driving rc cars!..so I steered him to watch one of Tareq A's latest vids..the one with the Goblin 570 sport..and After he had watched it (with his wife)..I said did that look boring?..he answered back "my wife said it looked like he didn't even know how to fly"..it seems like "easy gratification with no risks involved" passtimes have robbed alot of folks of the desire to really learn how to do things.The pendulum will be swinging back one of those days..maybe I can master funnels by then!

I do a great decending funnel!

utahbob

Master funnels! WOW

I am way ahead of you......that is crashing into the ground!

InvertedDude

sjgusmc21
Wished I was closer, I could buddy box you into advanced flying to where you are comfortable. Buddy box got me far than learning on my own quickly!

Thanks InvertedDude. Appreciate that. My hanger is empty right now. In time, I will occupy it with at least one. Right now, just not my priority.

I have far too many. Need to thin the fleet A BIT. tHANKFULLY, AFTER A LIFETIME OF TRYING, i GOT MY BROTHER TO BITE AND he's a heli guy now. I need to get my flying on again. Been busy with my guns and my golf and work....

My son and I are just getting into RC off road truggies and they really are a lot of fun, but it is because they are new to us and that the are just so darn easy to drive!
There is no suspense or tension like there is in flying something that you know will be destroyed if you screw up.

Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about!

We have more disposable income now than ever.
Go buy something and have a little fun.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DSPIC96

Right........

Certainly true for me, and most others according the Fed research link i posted.

Only a matter of priorities for a lot of folks. Nothing wrong with keeping priorities in the right order.

Disposal Income

I have more and purchased more helicopters than I need.

The wife and I were very frugal and invested (as it turned out) wisely when we worked/brought up kids/bought house(s), colleges, etc., etc. That was so we could enjoy retirement and not have to eat dog food. I've enjoyed retirement so much I have 52 mostly flyable helis, seven kits, and a garage full of airplanes, parts and on and on. Wife has a similar stash in quilting stuff. We spend it like there is no tomorrow because there might not be. When we drop dead it will be the kids problem as to what to do with all the "crap". Neither of us care one bit.

The older I get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

Ya got some very nice toys!

Your kids are definitely gonna hate you after you kick the bucket! Hehehe

My Dad was a huge collector of Antiques. A lot of it was pretty cool stuff, but a heck of a lot of it. It took more than a year to deal with it all.

You definitely did well to get the nest egg started first.

Your kids are definitely gonna hate you after you kick the bucket!

as he said, he does not care

Jim
Buzz Buzz Buzz

Gearhead

Gearhead

as he said, he does not care

I totally understand where this guy is coming from. I have kids, after awhile your kids suck the life out of you. Trust me on this....very hard and very challenging to direct their paths to righteousness.

as he said, he does not care

as I said:

Hehehehe

Having dealt with a couple of these, and my lazy brothers not doing sh!t, I am looking forward to kicking the bucket before they do. Hehehehe. (hehehe means I think it is funny) hehehehe