Recently my father saw me fixing and flying helis for the first time during vacation in my home town. After the usual questions like how does this fly, how far can it go, how much does it cost and so on, he finally asked, doesn't this get boring after a while ?

I answered by saying that it is no different from any other hobby.  There are lots of areas one can venture into within this hobby; like building our own models from scratch, getting into arial photography etc. One can even spend a lifetime, just improving the flying skills.

That said, I have seen people come into this hobby, and leave after a little while, saying it got to be boring.  I guess they did not set bigger targets for themselves, or may be they just found something else more enjoyable.

What do you feel, does RC get to be boring for you (even occassionally) ?  What about others you know ?

I also explained that for me, there are two other important aspects.  One, this is a great opportunity to work with like minded people, and to network and build new contacts. I have met a wider variety of people as a part of this hobby, than I would ever meet otherwise.

And the most important reason is that this is like doing Yoga or meditation.  The 6 to 15 minutes of continous concentration is a great mental exercise.  One can fly scale and really take it calm and easy (yet concentrated), or sharpen one's reflexes by moving on to fast 3D.  Both are equally enjoyable, and the feeling at the end of a session of flying is that of pure pleasure (even if the model crashed !).

As you rightly mentioned it is all about setting targets. I have been through phases where I achieved the target I had set and then was flying same routines aimlessly. It was getting to be boring and I used to wonder what next. Setting targets will keep your interest alive. For example, after you are able to achieve basic aerobatics try to do a proper cuban 8 like in pattern. Getting the roll points to coincide and keeping the plane in the same line and vertical plane is a challenge. Doing a loop that is a perfect circle itself takes some practice. How many can do a slow roll that last the length of the runway and keep it going in a straight line ? To achieve absolute mastery over flying is a process that'll keep the challenge alive for a long time. Hope these gives targets to some of the bored fliers here 

Never thought about the concentration aspect and its benefits, that is a nice one.

Nobody else has felt RC boring ever, and yet found something that kept them going again ?   

I am just starting to learn all this and I find it really very interesting and appealing!!

At once ,
When I Had no contacts and I alone used to fly Regular Toy 2ch . Then Later on i felt soo bored of it . A few years later (2-3 ) i bought a Delta wing 2ch and it flew , then my interest again came back , and one day i searched on youtube for RC planes and helis , and i was amazed @ those planes . But I was sad that i Had no contacts , then i met an electrician who had many futaba Radios and 2 gas planes , i asked him and he told me about these forums , and now i dont think it'll ever get boring!!

Yes... its you guys who are keeping our spirits alive.... Its only through forms like rcindia that we learn and get to know what all stuffs are out there.. We may have seen videos on youtube abt some american guy flying a gasser.. But whats the point for us?.. we cant go there and met them or fly with them.... I feel thrilled when you guys show your videos of flight... At least I can hope to meet you all one day.....

RC is  additive  so once you are hooked you cant leave it even if it is boring  .

In my opinion thanks to electrics scratch building with very short build times has made it doubly interesting
Sai

Rc is just only about BUY AND FLY... I also abt building your own craft... SO if we keep getting new ideas.. Rc can never get boaring...

Touching this topic again, mainly targeting the senior folks.  How do you keep the flame alive ?

I am getting the most satisfaction in this hobby from helping with others' stuff (testing, tuning, setup etc).  Many times I go the field with couple of helis or planes, and do not even fly once.  To illustrate further, a heli that I have always wanted (90 size, Trex 700N) is still sitting in the box unbuilt for about 3 months now !

What I hear these days is that people are having less and less time to even go fly once a week !  How many here branch into newer areas (I see airplane fliers taking up helis), or go back to older areas (plan and kit builds)  ?

Fundamentally, I enjoy "putting together" airplanes, be it ARF or kits. So one is always looking ahead to the next project while a couple are still being completed. Particularly in this season, when flying days are limited. I have 2 planes ready and will begin the 3rd in a week's time. It's a twin engine Cessna. Choice was this or a P 40 Warhawk. Also doing bits and pieces of work on a Pilot Zlin and Skybolt kits.

And, like Anwar, enjoy helping out and have often gone to the field without an airplane for the atmosphere and, of course, the "after fly" beer!

Out of curiosity about what seems to be vanishing breed in this hobby... when was the last time you did a "kit" build ? Any of the ones mentioned above are kits ?

I have mentioned that the Zlin and Skybolt are kits. Have a Pilot AKRO 1204 also waiting....... I had the smaller version 20 years ago and it flew superbly with an ASP (I think) 90 4C. So I picked up these kits when I was in Singapore, a few years back. The guy was both surprised and thrilled that someone was even interested in "building" !

Not surprising at all, that the seller was thrilled !

Wish you had posted build threads for these, it would have generated interest in that aspect of the hobby for others

Earnestly! The very abundant  (Nah!! not in India, I mean worldwide) availability of RTF/ARF is obliviating the trill of Kit-building (not scratch building,  thats becoming even rarer!). So much so that the once the kits which were so popular in IHC, over ready-made 'ARF', are really hard to find in India.

I know there was this Mr Anwar form Kolkatta making kits. Does any one knows where to find good quality laser cut kits in India ? out of this frustration, I was even planning gettign to some local Laser guy and get a plan cut on Balsa.

Any one game in Bangalore to explore this option ?


 

Mr Kalsi of Delhi has a large collection of Kits. They are more expensive than ARFs and thats the reason for their slow or almost no sales. They just seem to be vegetating in his workshop. I wanted one but he convinced me to go for an ARF initially as I am restarting after a long hiatus. Plus unlike the ARFs you spend for Fuel Tank + Spinner etc.

My friends keep asking me the same thing.. Why do u waste ur time/money.. don't u get bored? So i tell them some of you drink everyday.. some of you smoke everyday.. some of you gamble everyday.. (or all of the above  ) You too waste money/time and never seem to get bored of it.. What do you get out of it? At least i'm doing something constructive..

You get to learn a lot through this hobby! Unless one spends time on such activities skill cannot be improved. And whats the point earning and not spending on things you love?

The "seller" was Johnny, the senior owner of Singapore Hobbies. And I felt that he was genuinely glad to find someone who enjoyed building and not because he made the sale of, possibly, dead stock.

If you ask me, I'm never gonna get bored as long as I earn enough money to spend on this wonderful hobby.
I drool and drool when I think about the next flying session I can work out

I have not been yet able to match with anything else, the thrill of building a heli and then seeing it in the air . And it is fun to see people pointing out "look at that thing in the air" and then gaze at you with envy(I'm certain it is that  )

But then, I'm not a veteran like most of you folks who've spent years or a decade on this. So I don't vouch on the warmth of this passion in me after say 5 years.
As of now, after completing close to a year and a half in this, I don't think it will get me bored..ever!!

This hobby is precisely like the addiction to video games and every time you achieve a higher level you never want to go back.
The only difference is of ‘time’, in video games you achieve expertise early and here it take a little more time. 

Other difference is ‘cost’ in video games you can afford any game of any expertise, contrary to this in aero-modelling if you are flying a trainer and if you have learnt it all....you need to pay a lot for a higher level and need to start again.

So you will be bored or not with aero-modelling largely depends upon the level you can afford it.... money and time wise.

I went to Jakkur last Sunday and saw many veterans flying their models with childish excitement and curiosity, One gentleman flying his Funjet, and I can feel his happiness and excitement like he was flying the model for first time in his life. I think this excitement is essence of this hobby.
                       Though I am into Philately, but for my son I entered this hobby, who loves planes since he can't speak properly. In one air show at Jakkur, which we went to see he was just 4-5 years of age that time he entered the display area where one micro light aircraft was displayed and asked from gentleman standing near to give him the key of the plane so that he can fly. So I think Airplanes are in his nature and it's not possible for me to stop him and nor I wanted to. One fine day he offered me that why not we both start learning RC flying together and I thought, it will be difficult for me to stop him any further now.
    
     Though This is true that this hobby requires lots of money without any monetary returns unlike Philately, where whatever you are spending becomes your investment. But there is no value of joy and feeling of fullness which you get from RC flying.

I presume many RC hobbyist will agree with me that they are born RC lovers and nobody has put them in this hobby.

Good to see this thread being resurrected  

Now if more people can chime in on this one too   :  http://www.rcindia.org/beginners-zone/so-what's-your-rc-story/

I get bored in couple of months, then I crash something and it becomes interesting once again

Mr Akshay,

I bet you must have seen Mr Abhay maidening his Funjet. Accomplished flyer indeed.

Its great to see Father-son duo perusing same hobby, nevertheless starting together. We thrash the west much for their culture and value, but one thing I like that back there, if not property,many wards inherit hobbies from their parents. Be it madness for Football/Baseball or insanity for RC (as evident from many post on Western forum). In our country, be it the pressure of just meeting both the ends, and no 'resources' for such costly hobby, at the best sons share profession of thier father (Doc/Engg/Lawers etc) . I would love to see more and more people making RC as a 'Family' tradition!!

All the best and see you some time at Jakkur.