Young Generation

What a good description Kippy. Being of the old school, and not having it from the outset, I must admit to never using it.

Garry

Thanks! I will remember that now

Something I thought, why doesn't Horizon Hobby sponsor younsters? They sponsor adults successfully, why don't they sponsor us youngsters? I'm guessing its because they want to be able to see your ability before they offer it, shame really when you can't afford the aircraft in the first place to practice and prove

The may prefer to sponsor people with more experience Tom.

I think the problem is Tom the adults are experts who fly the models so well and make it look easy.That sells lots of models and the beginners crash them,so have to replace them so there selling yet more models.

The Beard wrote: I think the problem is Tom the adults are experts who fly the models so well and make it look easy.That sells lots of models and the beginners crash them,so have to replace them so there selling yet more models.

there was a youngster at Ashbourne who cant have been more than 12 if that- and he flew flawlessly and made it look very easy

I know, I know... I will stop dreaming

Thats the problem (this is going to seem arrogant, bare with me please aha) I think I have the ability, not shown it at all yet at the flying field... i just need to prove myself that I can do it! I use to own a SU-26 that I flew in a field of ours... I wasn't perfect but I felt I had the control and knowledge to be better with a little practice. I believe in myself that I can do it but my money doesn't. I need some help.... the Pros got there, so how did they do it? How did they afford it...

Tom, what are you wanting sponsorship for? to promote flying to other youngsters or to compete at shows etc?

Both... I want to promote the hobby so it doesn't die, but I also wouldn't mind a go at competing

then go film yourself doing your stunts, put it to some music, do yourself a sort of buisness plan (ideas of promoting ie going to shows, schools etc) and send a copy to some model shops asking them if they would be willing to sponsor you

you need to be seen to be good, before they will sponsor you.
so you will have to start comps and try to get in the top 10 regularly so they notice you.

Very good advise from Tony, Tom. I will give you a little advise also. To save yourself a lot of heartache and unessesary expense, get yourself assessed by an independant person who would give you an honest assesment of your flying ability. Obviously this person must be a compitent flyer. It is no good thinking you are the best flyer in a club, you HAVE to be, and even if you are, you may still not be good enough to get to the top. IF you have the ability to be a top flyer, you WILL get sponsership , if you havent, then forget it. Get assessed, its the only way.

Garry

A lot about flying is having confidence in your own ability.When I passed my "A" it was telling me an expert believed im my ability and was telling me I was good enough to fly so;o.That boostwed me and my flying.But your ability goes up in steps and sometomes you go back a few steps before going forward again.In July 2011 I took a step back myself,.My brain had got ahead of my ability and suddenly I had models I couldnt fly.I bought the Swift Trainer and quickly took some good steps up.Im ready for the next model but having to much fun with the ones I am flying.I realised I didnt need to prove anything to anyone but what I did need was to enjoy myself,and thats what Im doing now.

Tom T
I think you will find the 'pros' started out by spending (a lot!) of their own money before they got noticed and even then I doubt they make much as there simply isn't the money in the sport, or to put it another way there are few spectators so there is little attraction for advertisers.
I think you may be underestimating the younger market a bit, somebody is buying all those 'toy' Chinese RTFs!
I suspect however the success rate is very low so only a tiny proportion ever get as far as joining a club.
I can assure you that aero modelling always was a minority hobby with the young even in the 1960s & 70s when virtually every kid in the country had put together an Airfix plastic kit!
In a school of 300 hundred I was only one who put in a flying model every year in the annual 'hobby' competition.

My own solution to the 'its only a toy' attitude, even as a young teenager, was to point out that I designed and built my own from scratch. Even the owner of a fancy but kit built job was not too dismissive but then as an avid model plane nut I didn't bother me one bit even if he was!

I can only remember 1 guy in our school being into models.He used to demonstrate them at school days.I was into them but on my own totally unsuccessfully,cant remember any actually flying.Knew nothing about C of G ,but a lot about crashing.My dad made me a rubber powered model ,he built it in secret in his bedroom it was superb,cannot remember ever trying to fly it.

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't replied sooner, I was away seeing family and didn't want to post to the public that i was going away...oops, just did... although I am now home before any of you innocent kind people get any ideas aha

Ahhh I see, so I need either alot of money or its a 'drop it and leave it alone' situation... hmm interesting. Quorneng you said about the chinese 'toys'.... thats my exact point, thats all everyone of my age is buying which means they will give it up in the years to come and the hobby will soon grind to a stop. Theres people out there with so much talent in this field... (sadly I am not one of them, even though I think and wish I am sometimes aha) and it will never be watched or enjoyed by the spectators of today. Airfix is all good and well, I enjoy it myself at times but thats not going to carry on the 'hardcore' down the field, smoking engines model aircraft.

All this is probably me being far too over cautious, maybe you are all right, maybe the hobby will be fine. I would be devastated to see it fall and not be there for me to bring my children to the shows, competitions and field days. I hope I can get a few competitions in and possibly some silverware before it (if it does) becomes a smaller hobby, which I hope it doesn't.

Tom