What Are You Buying Right Now? (non-OT version)

nolaegghead said:

Electric advances revolutionized the hobby.  Digital 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi-like radios, brushless motors and Lithium polymer and ion batteries made it much better and affordable.  If you can get the kid off video games and social media 😂🤣

Ha, fortunately neither daughter into video games…social media though (when not occupied in athletics).  

^^^ The above is interesting to me.  Like the republicans are bringing back, I started working full-time in the summers when I was 13, and nights when I turned 15.  My first major expenditure was a Heathkit 3-channel radio, a Fox .19 gas engine and a Carl Goldberg trainer (Dad was NOT happy).  It worked, occasionally, and I developed a very good skill-set for recovery/repair/ resoldering/cornfield surveillance, that served me well for the next 30 years.  I learned to hate Ni-Cad batteries with a vengeance. 
Just "flying" an R/C simulator on a computer would've saved me so much money/time/blood in those days; kids got it too easy anymore.  

I used to fly rc airplanes a lot.  Competed in IMAC (aerobatics), Quickee 500 (.40 sized planes with specific size requirements.  We stood between two pylons and raced a triangle pattern), and then raced in SWRA.  40 sized planes utilizing a completly worked over 0.91 4 stroke running 85% nitro and 15% oil.  Plane was clocked at 180mph, raced about 20-40ft off the deck with 4 other planes.  Was an absolute blast.

We were always doing stupid things.  A favorite was taping glow sticks to our planes and flying at night.  Also built heavy lifters to drop stuff and even as a dare built some out of cardboard boxes.

Here is a Gold level race (class I raced in), skip to about 2:50 to see the speeds.

https://youtu.be/FNeEqau88ho


Here is a Quickee 500 video.  Skip to about 1 minute in.

https://youtu.be/P4_raAVK8dM

alaskanassasin said:

Once I flew rc the cars and trucks were immediately boring.  I’m going full controls on the drone this year @lkapigian. I’ll let you know how it goes!

You’ll love the freedom 

alaskanassasin said:

lkapigian said:

alaskanassasin said:

Once I flew rc the cars and trucks were immediately boring.  I’m going full controls on the drone this year @lkapigian. I’ll let you know how it goes!

You’ll love the freedom 

You have fully unlocked it? 

Fully unlocked is the way.  I have a Traxxas Aton that, to me, is wicked fast and maneuverable when fully unlocked.  It is a trip.  I can't imagine how fast the dedication racers are.

alaskanassasin said:

lkapigian said:

alaskanassasin said:

Once I flew rc the cars and trucks were immediately boring.  I’m going full controls on the drone this year @lkapigian. I’ll let you know how it goes!

You’ll love the freedom 

You have fully unlocked it? 

Sport Mode is plenty fast for me, unlocked on the Simulator I still crash lol

Ozzie_Isaac said:

alaskanassasin said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

alaskanassasin said:

lkapigian said:

alaskanassasin said:

Once I flew rc the cars and trucks were immediately boring.  I’m going full controls on the drone this year @lkapigian. I’ll let you know how it goes!

You’ll love the freedom 

You have fully unlocked it? 

Fully unlocked is the way.  I have a Traxxas Aton that, to me, is wicked fast and maneuverable when fully unlocked.  It is a trip.  I can't imagine how fast the dedication racers are.

Bro it’s a little different with aircraft.  Mode 1 is 30mph and let go of the sticks it stabilizes and obstacles avoidance.
 Mode 2 is 60mph no obstacle avoidance but it stabilizes 
Mode 3 is 90mph full aerobatic and if you don’t keep it in the air it will just crash.

That is how all my planes were growing up.  We had no safety mode or gyros or anything.  Flying the nerfed drones was very frustrating until I learned about the different modes.  The hardest thing with the drones for me is orientation.  Since their silhouette us symmetric it makes it hard for me at times especially if back lit.  

Yep, I flew rc planes for probably 10 years collectively, mostly enjoyed flying 3D, everything from indoor foamys to 55cc gas edge 540, extra 330 and a top flite 87” corsair for break time.

 The drone @lkapigian and I have is fpv wearing goggles so it’s like your in the cockpit but without peripheral vision and no instruments.

Also I can’t get the goggles adjusted just right so there is always a blur in the area I’m not focusing on which does not lend itself to aerobic maneuvering. Going to try it anyway 

alaskanassasin said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

alaskanassasin said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

alaskanassasin said:

lkapigian said:

alaskanassasin said:

Once I flew rc the cars and trucks were immediately boring.  I’m going full controls on the drone this year @lkapigian. I’ll let you know how it goes!

You’ll love the freedom 

You have fully unlocked it? 

Fully unlocked is the way.  I have a Traxxas Aton that, to me, is wicked fast and maneuverable when fully unlocked.  It is a trip.  I can't imagine how fast the dedication racers are.

Bro it’s a little different with aircraft.  Mode 1 is 30mph and let go of the sticks it stabilizes and obstacles avoidance.
 Mode 2 is 60mph no obstacle avoidance but it stabilizes 
Mode 3 is 90mph full aerobatic and if you don’t keep it in the air it will just crash.

That is how all my planes were growing up.  We had no safety mode or gyros or anything.  Flying the nerfed drones was very frustrating until I learned about the different modes.  The hardest thing with the drones for me is orientation.  Since their silhouette us symmetric it makes it hard for me at times especially if back lit.  

Yep, I flew rc planes for probably 10 years collectively, mostly enjoyed flying 3D, everything from indoor foamys to 55cc gas edge 540, extra 330 and a top flite 87” corsair for break time.

 The drone @lkapigian and I have is fpv wearing goggles so it’s like your in the cockpit but without peripheral vision and no instruments.

3D was very fun.  I had a profile Hots with an MVVS 0.40 on it.  I actually still have it in storage.  Can't bring myself to get rid of it yet.

I never flew indoor, but went to some indoor competitions to watch.  Those indoor 3D flyers are next level.  I was a very good pilot.  I was a trainer at my club, raced many different styles and levels, competed in various aerobatic series, and could fly pretty much anything.  I say all of that because after watching the indoor 3D people fly I felt like a beginner.  The speed, sudden change of directions and orientations was insane.  Looked like a 200mph attempt to keep an unstable aircraft from hitting the floor, ceiling, and all walls.  Just crazy.

Ozzie_Isaac said:

alaskanassasin said:

Did you ever go full collective helis @Ozzie_Isaac that sheet will eat into your wallet every time you smack it.

I flew them a few times on trainer boxes, but never got into them myself.  Too rich for my blood!

We had two guys at our clubs that flew them in 3D comps.  This was pre-electric and what they could do was amazing.

Those guys were ridiculous completely unnatural they way they fly those things.

alaskanassasin said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

alaskanassasin said:

Did you ever go full collective helis @Ozzie_Isaac that sheet will eat into your wallet every time you smack it.

I flew them a few times on trainer boxes, but never got into them myself.  Too rich for my blood!

We had two guys at our clubs that flew them in 3D comps.  This was pre-electric and what they could do was amazing.

Those guys were ridiculous completely unnatural they way they fly those things.

This will date me, I watched Quique Somenzini win one of his four TOC championships in Las Vegas.  That was the era of him and Chip Hyde battling it out.

At the show, they had a 3D helicopter demonstration team during lunch.  One of my favorite things was the sounds they made.  Still gives me chills thinking about it.

A new HVAC system.  Think I am going to need a second job.  

Hook_emHornsfan_74 said:

A new HVAC system.  Think I am going to need a second job.  

That sucks.    Went through the same not that long ago, fortunately neighbor is my AC guy and gave me a good price.   

Debating if I need a new one or not?

Legume said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

alaskanassasin said:

https://youtu.be/hvpc-z4-U4E

What is amazing, is that is not some **** sped up video like they do on tik-tok to make it seem more impressive.  That is 1-to-1 speed.  No fancy camera work or editing.

I'm sure that's incredibly difficult, but it seriously just looks like a seizure to me.

They look like complete chaos.  Like they have an out of control helicopter and just trying to keep it from crashing.  However, they are controlled choreographed routines.