Wassup in UK?

[mnentwig]

Moi,

While Fins are getting buried under meters of snow and spend their time discussing Mac-vs-Linux-vs-PC, this is currently hot on rcheliaddicts:

- Flybarless! Align system, and other new controllers (BeastX, CY etc). Dedicated flybarless blades etc. This is hot.
- 3D championships, alternative to 3D masters
- 3D championships, "grass roots": A simple format, trying to get people to compete who have never done before.
- A test: In UK, most clubs require passing this to fly unsupervised
- B test: In UK, this needs to be passed to fly in public (their flying license for a "kopterileiri").

Regarding A/B tests, everybody hates them, but most people agree that they had to practise to pass, and this improved their flying skills significantly.
In general, I can only encourage anybody to pick a list of set maneuvres, and learn them. Yes, it's hard work, but it pays off.
In Finland, the "popular" and "eurosport" schedules come to mind for a start (or try the above A/B test)

Remember: The weather is no excuse. You can practice everything in the simulator. If it's seemingly impossible, don't blame the sim but practice more :-)

What I notice is that in UK they are much more organized to get beginners (and everybody else) a challenge to improve their flying. In comparison, Finnish flying tends more towards, fly where the heli wants to go and talk 3000 posts a month in LiirumLaarum about converting the electric toothbrush to brushless 

 

[ropellihattu]

Remember: The weather is no excuse.
 

Yes, all who attended spring camp last year witnessed that....

Markus seemed to think: "Hell, let the lightning strike, maybe it charges my battery so I don´t have to quit yet.."

On the other hand, discussing of flying or brushless toothbrushes on the forum won´t help anyone learn to fly. Flying does, so the Brits aren´t that special. And I think they have longer history on flying rc helis so assumably they´re more organized also...

On the weather aspect I have to disagree with you. I REALLY don´t think that you´ll learn much if you go out when it´s -20 degrees and snows like hell. Then you try to focus on flying while your jaws dance "säkkijärven polkka" and you can´t feel your fingers...

At least I do not want to learn to fly on this kind of conditions. But it´s just me though...

[mnentwig]

I agree completely, no use to fly in the cold (I did one LiPo at -17 in the weekend, but only to earn my bragging rights).
"sim", that's the magic word.

PS the thunderstorm flying is arguably the most convenient way to clean a nitro heli. Unless it's a .30, which fits into the dishwasher

[kaardian]

I think one reason for being more organized is the simple fact that there are much more people in UK. If we'd have 200 active RC-heli addicts here in Tampere, perhaps we would be more organized.

Dunno, perhaps it is just the nature of Finns. We go deep in the forest and double check that no-one is watching and then start to practice.

[tuupola]

Too much organizing takes sometimes the fun away.

[mnentwig]

depends - if somebody consciously decides "I'm where I want to be. I don't want to make progress, but have fun and relax", I respect that.
Though, he may be missing most of the fun (it's a rare exception for a sports ot evolve as rapidly as RC heli flying, and there is no end in sight).

At least on rcheliaddicts, there is quite a percentage of flyers, who are stuck in a dead end. For them, those achievement programs etc are valuable, because it provides clearly defined targets. And sometimes it takes a bit of pressure, like, "two of my friends got their B cert and I don't have it".

BTW, "you" Finns are very well organized, the kopterileiris are world class 
But still I think that it is valuable to push people a bit towards competitions etc. It clearly improves the level of flying. And that should make it more fun for everybody involved.