2007 FPV by the numbers...

[scrtsqrl]

I kept record of everything related to my RC habit this year. Thought I'd share the following data with y'all.

I have ONE Easystar

Total Flight Hours on Easystar: 49.9
Night Hours (any flight between sunset & sunrise): 4.6
FPV Hours: 47.2
Night FPV Hours: 4.6
Visual Landings: 22
Day FPV Landings: 255
Night FPV Landings: 27
Strongest winds flown: 17 kts
Furthest distance travelled: 1.4 km
Highest altitude attained: 532 ft
Number of "Fly-days": 70
Longest time between fly-days: 14 days
Most Flight Hours in a day: 2.5 (28 Sept)
Most Landings in a day: 16 (18 Aug)
Number of times EZ* "fell from the sky": 4 (1- EMI from Electric Power Turbine, 1- Rudder linkage separated, 2- Ran out of juice)
Number of times EZ* "crashed, breaking things": 3 (Slammed into trashcan on a hot and fast tail wind landing breaking the nose off; Broke off right horizontal stab after it caught a stump on landing; Lost the "video raft" after hitting the top of a tree during a night landing)
Number of people struck: 4 (Me-twice, my wife, my son, & my daughter)
Number of people injured: NONE
Value of any damage done to property: ZERO
Number of times landed/crashed outside of "flying field or operating area": ZERO
Number of complaints from neighbors: ZERO
Number of "riders": 6
Number of Flying sites: 9
Number of videos published to you tube & google: 32

Total Spent: $999.00
Cost Per Flight Hour: $20.02
Cost Per Month (Only had the "program" running for 9 months because of our move during 1Q): $111.00
Most expensive purchase: $420 (Video Goggles & KX-131 from Rangevideo)

The whole experience: PRICELESS!!!

[pratorian]

wow I dont even keep that kind of records for my full scale flying... nice stats heh my favorite is:

Number of people struck: 4 (Me-twice, my wife, my son, & my daughter)

lol seems like you hit everybody in your family :D

[Kilrah]

Wow indeed... I could never stand keeping such a log either. I started once, only lasted 2 weeks.

[scrtsqrl]

wow I dont even keep that kind of records for my full scale flying... nice stats heh my favorite is:

Number of people struck: 4 (Me-twice, my wife, my son, & my daughter)

lol seems like you hit everybody in your family :D

Force of habit. I do it for a living.

Yes, that's everyone.

More numbers:

Longest string of fly days: 8
Number of times aborted at the field due to poor maintenance: 2 (missed a broken antenna & left the charged batteries at home)
Busiest Fly Month: July (16 Days)
Windiest Fly Month: Sep (8 kts average)
Busiest Night Flying Month: Nov
Coldest Day Flying: -5 C
Warmest Day Flying: 22 C
Longest flight on one charge: 55 min
Servos replaced: 5 (1 rudder servo broken during the EMI induced crash and, get this, 4 tilt servos...what's up with that?)
Average time between charges of VRx 8 cell 2100 mAH NiMH Pack: 7.8 Hrs.
Length of Velcor tape used: 11 in.
Nights in the "doghouse" for flying too long: 2


Anyone else keep any sort of records?

Anyone care to stab at how much they spent?

[oxxyfx]

I wouldn't dare to keep such record. My wife would kill me if she would put her hands on it... :) But I would probably kill her too if I would find out how much is she spending on leather... :)

[pratorian]

Anyone care to stab at how much they spent?

+- 5000$ since I began (last October)

+2200$ for a 14mz but that doesnt really count I use it for my non fpv models as well

[Mark Harris]

AU$10-15k last year i guess.. including planes. Don't really want to think about it too much hehe.

I did kill quite a few aircraft in crashes though :(

[JMSTECH]

AU$10-15k last year i guess.. including planes. Don't really want to think about it too much hehe.

I did kill quite a few aircraft in crashes though :(
Well I just found out that you live in a Sailor's dream place!!! Noted as one of the most windiest place on earth. No wonder the kills! :D

[scrtsqrl]

Now I have proof! The Finance Minister will now appreciate the efficiency and relative bargain of my program. OBTW, another reason I kept records...

[JMSTECH]

Now I have proof! The Finance Minister will now appreciate the efficiency and relative bargain of my program. OBTW, another reason I kept records...
Heyyy what do ya mean? You figured a way to have the government write off your hobby? :eek: Teach me master scrtsqrl!!!! :p

[Mark Harris]

Finance Minister = War Minister = Wife

[JMSTECH]

Yes even so.. PLEASE TEACH ME MASTER SCRTSQRL!! My War Minister is very disgruntled with my books. Did you fudge yours? Heh heh heh.. :D

[biv2533]

Anyone else keep any sort of records?

Anyone care to stab at how much they spent?

My records is:
time to read your very interesting post = 20 seconds :D

I don not take a care of how many time i spent on my hobbies, but the documentation stay in a very large amount of video i taken during FPV session.

Fortunatelly Not all published on youtube :rolleyes:

[scrtsqrl]

Yes even so.. PLEASE TEACH ME MASTER SCRTSQRL!! My War Minister is very disgruntled with my books. Did you fudge yours? Heh heh heh.. :D

No, I did not cook the books...

It's all relative: $100 a month on flying toy planes is pretty close to $80 a month for a trip to the hairdresser, a lot less if you throw in nails & toes. $20/hour is better than $150/hour in a microlight or $30/hour to take both kids off her hands to a movie...$999/year is better than my beer tab when I was a bachelor and a whole lot poorer...and the best: "the government pays MILLIONS to do this..."

She was so happy with the books that she baught me a helicopter this Christmas! Does that count towards my expenses??? I think that one's a freebie, if she came up with the idea by herself.

[JMSTECH]

No, I did not cook the books...

It's all relative: $100 a month on flying toy planes is pretty close to $80 a month for a trip to the hairdresser, a lot less if you throw in nails & toes. $20/hour is better than $150/hour in a microlight or $30/hour to take both kids off her hands to a movie...$999/year is better than my beer tab when I was a bachelor and a whole lot poorer...and the best: "the government pays MILLIONS to do this..."

She was so happy with the books that she baught me a helicopter this Christmas! Does that count towards my expenses??? I think that one's a freebie, if she came up with the idea by herself.
HECK.... I hope everyone is reading this! You are certainly a success story where husband can have it all plus a free heli from wife!!! :D

[bulldozerr]

Well, between domoson and I.

5,000+ for 2007 (75% of the funding provided by Todd)thanks Bro.

3 Crashes. 1-Todd ran into a tree w/EZ. :eek: 2-Me, I also ran into a tree, this one at a cemetary w/EZ. :censored: 3- Our brother Chris with his super cub (lost radio). We thank chris for being a monkey and climbing the tree's for us. ;)

11- Places fpv'd.

4-planes FPV'd, EZ, super cub, stryker, trojan. 1- car, Baja 5B. 2- heli, air hogs reflex, honey bee.

110-125 hours- Shhhhh.......
80+ hours of footage.

damage- 2 servos, 1- camera (still works) 1- camera platform, 1- Canopy (Ezstar), 1- T-28 Trojan (factory defect, crashed on test flight, parkzone replaced 4free.)

people hit-0
people almost hit- 2 (I almost hit Todd and Chris on my weathersfield cove flight) :D