Limited scope of this fine hobby here on HIP

[Konrad]

I'd like to ask that there be a reevaluation on the content allowed under RC. With the realities that open space is limited in most parts of the world, RC assist is a very viable option to keep the model within the boundaries of small fields. As I read the guidelines non-scale RC models such as a Sinbad, Comet Sparky, Comet Phantom Fury, Guillow's Javelin,  etc. are not welcomed. Are you sure this it the intent you are after?

Most other RC Forum site are tied to commercial interests. One of the best features of the old HIP was that it was free of commercial interference. As such the truth about the short comings of products could be brought forward to help the membership of HIP get the most from their hobby dollars, free of commercial interference. If the new HIP is free of vendor influence, then there really are few RC Form sites that can claim to offer the openness (honesty) that was available from the original HIP. Please reconcider your position limiting exploring  the very exciting area of aeromodeling, RC modeling. RC and electric flight are the future of this fine hobby we participate in. Please don't close this aspect of the modeling comunity to further discutions/advancement from the membership.

[g_kandylakis]

Hi Konrad, welcome.

I see some valid points in what you write.

"RC-assist vintage models" sounds logical to be included.

I would like some input from others on that.

[Konrad]

Why limit to vintage?

Actually why place any limits under RC? Let the HIP membership (free of vendor manipulation) drive the direction.

There is a lot of skills and craftsmanship that can be shared when making the most of our time in the hobby, be it balsa or epoxy, RC or FF. Let's expand the skill base for all of us HIP menbers.

[Spiros]

Hi Konrad and welcome.

You have some points, I will agree on that.

However and  this is my personal point of view, HPA is rather focused in smaller themes, mainly FF, and opening the doors to the wider RC community would require alot of administration work and obviously a bigger platform, since the RC community is bigger.

This original HPA was the core of the FF community worldwide and since it shut down, we are all trying to revive it. It will take some time but I'm optimistic

[Squirrelnet]

Vintage RC assist is a good thought on similar lines to the small rc scale option but I don't think the site should widen to the wider rc world. There are numerous rc forums but as we have found with the demise of Hippocket there are no FF and small model forums at all. This is now it seems the only one

[TheLurker]

The balance of activity on "old" HPA was very firmly in favour of FF and although I can't be certain the only parishioner I can remember posting anything about RC models, excluding RC assist, was Konrad.  So while I wouldn't say never to a dedicated RC section I can't see that there's a pressing need for it.

[Konrad]

"Need", that's the key term.

Towards the end of HIP we only had 10 maybe 15 regular topic stater/posters. Yes, I was the main poster under RC. We still have the Guillow's board. And while it is hosted by a commercial interest it appears to be open to all to make your modeling experience even more enjoyable.
 
Prior to the big HIP crash there was some activity under RC Stick & Tissue. In the time frame from 2000 to 2015 this was a fast moving area of the RC hobby. I and about 10 others add a lot of content to that sub forum. After the reboot I've been posting in the RC forum  mainly under RC-Gliders as this is as of today my main RC interest. The San Francisco bay area is one of the premier slope soaring sites in the world.

It is mentioned that there are ample forums for RC. I submit that there are few (none that I know of) that are free from vendor meddling. As a result you aren't likely to find topics discussed in such honesty covering the many short coming in the products we use.
Regardless of the topic, HIP has been a place where the product short comings can be openly discuses in painful detail. It is the ability to discuss the shortcoming of products and their solution that has been the key to what I see as value in HIP. It had been my hope that the membership will have learned from my experience. I know I have learned a lot from the membership, particularly what and where to acquire the materials I need.  So no there isn't a place other than HIP to find the exquisite honest detailed advice we all need, be it RC or FF.

Please look at your bias against RC, and ask have my discussions of Gummy band to RC conversions and the promotion of RC glides adversely effected your enjoyment of HIP in the past? I'd like to see HIP maintain its all inclusive appeal to what we call model airplanes.

[g_kandylakis]

Hi Konrad,

there are many arguments for one or the other side. It will take too long to go through all of them.

I will try to be short.

Being inclusive is one thing. But there are limits.

RC... How much RC? do we include drones? (like you, I do not like them either). Foamy 3D schock flyers? Large 20+kg models? Turbine powered jets? Helicopters? How about space models?

This is not what the vast majority of members will like to see here. We know that from the past.

Before HPA there was SFA. there was no RC at all. And that was most attractive to many people.

I am not biased against RC. On the contrary, I must literally be the only person in the world who participates at international indoor free flight events, with an RC transmitter hanging from my neck. And I fly plenty of RC as well.

As Spiros correctly posted, this is too much for me or for what I hope this place to become.

Lastly, you mention vendors. Well, this is a vendor free place anyway and I plan it to remain like that. They will not be an influence.
Vendors are most welcome to post, when it comes to the core of the forum which might be 80% FF and 20% CL. To post about their related products.

But there is also a "limit" as to how much discussion we can have over vendors.
After all, this is mainly a builder's forum, just like its predecessors.

(BTW, please all excuse my occasional spelling errors. To fast or to lazy to go over and correct everything. I need auto correct... Be glad I am not posting in greek)

So, to sum it up because I have to go indoor flying soon,

Your idea for RC-assisted free flight is good and will be added.
The conversion of FF models or kits to RC is also welcome I believe it already falls under the Stick and Tissue RC. It could be a separate board, depending on the interest. Open to discussion.

Further RC classes will not be added, most probably.

George

[Konrad]

I too agree, that the vendor should not be the topic or the threads in the RC sub-forum. I like that HIP allowed the short coming of products be discussed in detail without interference or concern for ad revenue. In my threads I made a concerted effort to show solutions to the issues we often dealt with in poorly designed and/or manufactured products. This is what I often think of as  problem solving during the build. True, many of these issues never should have made it to us the consumer. But the world isn't perfect. Those that offer us high quality products should be rewarded. Those products that are found to be sub par should be brought to the memberships attention and avoided if possible. This isn't just for RC product but all our hobby products. If the vendor is to be the topic of discussion it should have it's (their) own sub forum.

I'm just curious why we see a detailed welcome  in the CL forum. Yet, we (HIP) appears to be very restrictive in it's recognition of the RC side of the hobby.  To my mind CL models are further removed from FF than RC models are from FF models. I also recall almost no threads posted under the CL forum in the last iteration of HIP.

As the RC forum is titled it is excludes many of the models I build & fly that are often built with the same Stick & Tissue type construction we find in many of the FF models we love. I for one love the FF structures we see that has cross pollinated to RC. I'm thinking of FAI F1B and F1C with their carbon taco shell LE, carbon ribs, mylar covered wings. We still see these modeler built model with the FAI F3L (F3-RES of old), and to some extent FAI F3J classes.

If you are wanting to limit this forum to FF then state that. But if rebuilding HIP from ashes focus on what made HIP what it was. HIP was a place to encorage all aspects of this fine hobby. Well, that was what I recall was the goal of the site and forum.

For now how about removing the word Scale from  the RC sub-forum title.

P.S. I would be the last person to call anyone on their english spelling or grammar. This is a toy airplane site. Being an english major is not a prerequisite, well not to my mind!