I said these same things many pages back. My opinion on kit availability and the amount of builders there really are, has changed since I first started this thread. I do feel the printed media has orphaned the building part of this hobby. The only magazine that gives building any play time is Model Aviation. Very rarely will one of the other magazines have a build article.

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I certainly agree with you, Print media is caving in to the need for ad income, or promotion of their advertizers, etc. or something. Unfortunately it seems all print media is following down the same path to oblivion. I just received my last US News & World Report with the letter on cover saying they are ending printed publishing. Bummer, that was my best bathroom reading! Fortunately, the new media, part of which is right here on RCG takes up the slack and then some (although it's not as convenient to use the laptop for the "quiet meditation time".......)

As a more serious example, I have a Parkpilot AMA membership (since I mostly fly alone, and only fly foamies the heaviest of which is 24oz) and get their mag "Park Pilot" as part of the membership. it's full of reviews of ARF/RTF planes. To their credit they do try to have some build'ish articles, but they are usually pretty basic planes. I guess it's tough to balance between the entry folk and those who are more experienced, but still in the park genre.

So, how much does Aufwind cost per yearly subscription?

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I have looked over a few of the posts and yes we have become an instant gratification and throw away world, in the years gone by we would repair, now we just replace.

Dog airplanes (ARF, ARF) are here to stay and are cheaper than building from scratch but there is no gratification in my mind of having the same model as everyone at the field and not being able to say look what I made!

People now days want looks before function, just look at mobile phones, 90% of them I cant use as the keyboard is too small for my fingers and thumbs but people love them as they are "cool"

I read an interesting article about a similar subject in an old model magazine (1960's) and this person was saying what he thought the problem of attracting new blood to aero modeling was that during WW2 every kid wanted to be a pilot as that was hero status, so they all played with model airplanes, and in the 60's that "pilot hero status" had been lost, then he went on about other things pertinent to the times.

That got me thinking what do kids now days see as a hero?

Now days a hero is considered a computer game designer etc, and what better way to emulate them than by playing computer games, so that may be one of the reasons why kids are not interested in hobbies that require some work to get gratification.

I am sure there are way more reasons why the "Aero Modeler" is endangered, but these are just a few of the ones I have seen.

Lionel.

This is Simply a Wild A__ Guess. When I joined the AMA in 1976, there were roughly 60,000 members. Those members, if they wanted to fly model airplanes, had to build them. Now there are somewhere around 150,000 members. I'm guessing around the same mount of members still like to build. Locally, things may be very different then they are globally! In Europe building must still be very popular, as it makes up a large portion of what they talk about in their printed media. Here in the states, where sales are everything and money is king, building is simply not given the nod because it doesn't sell.

Originally Posted by Mode One

The only magazine that gives building any play time is Model Aviation. Very rarely will one of the other magazines have a build article.

You're reading the wrong magazines.

Flying Models (www.flying-models.com) is the only REAL builders magazine left. MA is still very good, but FM has the most coverage for the widest variety of readers.

Andy

I'm just coming back to the hobby after a long lay off doing other things. Pulled out a 1/5th plan of an ASK 18 which I initially started to build many years ago but never completed as it was stolen out of my garage before it even had wings!

Having selected the plan I ofcourse needed materials, I couldn't believe what a poor selection of wood that was available at the nearest model shop, now no longer local as the two shops which had been my local model shops closed down some years ago and the shop I went to was full of ARTF and RTF kits which, quite frankly didn't have the character of well built scratch/plan or quality kit built aircraft. There was even the horror of a Sopwith Camel covered in shiny plastic covering hanging from the ceiling...aargh. What happened to attention to detail.

Anyways, I'm now looking forward to creating a bit of dust, fabricating scale details and simply reaqainting myself with the joy of building.

It doesn't answer your question but I for one will be sitting at my building board sometime soon

Andy, I occasionally buy Flying Models and really don't see it having all that much content! I know people talk about it's being the best; but, sorry I just don't see it. I get two R/C magazines, Model Aviation and R/C Sport Flyer, which I feel is trying hard and does have some in-depth stuff. So, I like R/C Sport Flyer, a magazine that frankly, very few people seem to know about/have opinions on, and Andy, you like Flying Models! Go figure!

Rybjon, You don't need to answer any question! The fact you are a builder is good enough for me!

What Andy said. Flying Models is the best builder's mag on this side of the pond. Check out my FM article index in my blog here at RC Groups. Lots and lots of building articles over the past five years.

Steve

I guess comparing FM to the others and calling it the best doesn't mean that the bar has been set very high I'll grant you that. But which other magazine besides MA consistently has ANY plans in it? FlyRC used to, but hasn't in a while. FlyRC is another one I enjoy.

RCSF is OK on the inside, but the covers have a way of making sure it will never be something that comes as a subscription to my house.

Andy

Wait wait wait! I see a good bit of information!

Originally Posted by Rybjon

I couldn't believe what a poor selection of wood that was available at the nearest model shop,--- and the shop I went to was full of ARTF and RTF kits which, quite frankly didn't have the character of well built scratch/plan or quality kit built aircraft.

I know we cant put anyone up to blame, but could the LHSs be part of the growing problem?

I've noticed the same with the LHSs here! Only one is specifically for planes, they still stock some cars, because they're popular... but, they only sell the RTFs/ARFs, there is no in between. They have plane parts, but they are all for specific planes! Nothing at all to build your own plane except for a very small selection of balsa and a few sheets of depron (along with CF and that kind of thing)

Of the other 2 near me, one is pretty much a well rounded store, with an equal amount of car, heli, and plane(RTF/ARF) stuff.

The last one is mostly cars, with no heli stuff, very little plane stuff (lite ply, some balsa, CF, CA, covering, etc) (and no foams), and some static kits.


Could it be The LHSs that are making it harder to build one on your own? I have yet to see one that stocks a balsa kit... Could it be that people just don't want to do the airframe research in order to choose a kit they like? Are people that lazy?

But Chuck, thats not building, thats assembling kits, the only difference to "almost ready to fly/crash" models is how much is done for you. Building to me means designing, drawing plans, sourcing materials etc and constructing and finishing. Been doing that for 71 years and not likely to stop, build a lot for other people also, and average a model a month,(more in bad weather, less in good weather because then I'm out flying them). Here some pics the last few I've built.

Originally Posted by Legot

Wait wait wait! I see a good bit of information!


I know we cant put anyone up to blame, but could the LHSs be part of the growing problem?

I've noticed the same with the LHSs here! Only one is specifically for planes, they still stock some cars, because they're popular... but, they only sell the RTFs/ARFs, there is no in between.

Mine doesn't stock R/C kits b/c they don't sell. He does have quite a few balas stick/stringer 20-25" span rubber jobs that would make nice electrics though.