The hobby of rich people: indeed?
Emotions by loving helicopters
I keep listening time by time: this hobby is for rich people. Well, we know how many of us aren't rich at all. There are many-many pilots with cheaper, older stuff, older models. Many of us can have one or two helicopters only - not even the best ones. And there are few others with 8-10-12 helicopters, most of them latest versions, but this is is not so typical. Which hobby is cheap? If you do it well, none of them.
Having a helicopter not on the self only is costly. When that terrible bang happens, most of us is beginning to calculate: "how am I going to afford the recovery?" Even good pilots can have similar situations. Your money doesn't count too much in the hobby, instead which is important: how dedicated you are, how agile you are, what you could achieve by your knowledge. The rest is just part of the hobby.
Obviously you must have some money collected up to begin: a good transmitter, a simulator, tools, helicopter with all electronics cost a nice chunk together - for average people. But you can do it step by step. Sometimes you think: "that good pilot is lucky, because he or she is sponsored, he is lucky and wealthy", but this fortune is not true in most cases.
I know many stories I'm not allowed to share with you here, and you would be surprised, how hard it was/is even for well known names. Most of them are real enthusiasts, but they are coming from - let's declare - a certain level of poverty. There's one thing in common: we all love the aircrafts we fly, we all respect the science behind them, as helicopter flying is still an experimental science. And finally but last we all appreciate the effort and time taken in learning and experiencing regardless where you are coming from. And this makes our beloved hobby one of the bests.
Most recent story: Rachel
Rachel Plant is one of our few lady pilots, and she is the only lady on the pilot list of Global 3D. People closer to her know that, Rachel has a hard time now, which appears even her financial situation. The cause is not important and not our business. But she is there with the dedication, motivation and hard work for going to Global 3D. And there are the problems. And of course the bad luck as well.
She has crashed her one of her two Mikado Logo 700 helis recently at Helifest. Those evil trees in the middle of the flight line caused the trouble. Somehow Rachel flew into the trees. The Mikado Logo got damaged very badly. A typical little basket story - a little basket is enough to collect the remaining bits. She told us: "it is over". She just can't afford to repair it.
Then this morning a post popped up by her:
However there is something which is not shown in the post: the moral side of this entire story. Rachel preserved one thing all times: her dignity. She never turned to anybody asking for help, except once when there wasn't any other option. She spoke to Ralf Buxnowitz asking a little support, even so she is not Mikado pilot officially.
She never said: "give me your free stuff and I'll promote you". These people gave her the supports by their own intentions and kindness, and they have appreciated the dedication of Rachel in RC helicopter flying. True people help true people.
This makes our hobby much more than a simple passion.
