What's Heliwood
Because we are asked many times
Many of you are asking us: what is Heliwood? Well, the answer is here. We collected its history, its present,future plans and the reason why it was born. Heliwood is coming, it will be held on 11th August next to Alsónémedi, Hungary.
It began almost two years ago. This was the time when all RC model rules have changed in Hungary, making RC model flying more and more difficult. This was the time, when the small community realised, we are not enough to achieve anything against to the government and the regulation just happened, quietly and suddenly. Few enthusiast - let's say fanatic - modellers became lawyers to read, analyse and defeat the chaotic regulation. We spent many nights around Christmas with reading, e-mailing and phoning, instead of our families. But it is a different story.
These things led us to reload and wake up the sleeping Hungarian Helicopter Modelling Association (EMH SE) and refill the Hungarian Association of Modellers (MMSZ - aka BMFA) by new members to make it more powerful. Therefore we had to find the ways in all format of RC modelling how to increase the number of active people. There are generic and there are modelling specific events. Heliwood is none of them, it's an event for all modelling formats, and Heliwood is for RC helicopter modelling in Hungary, a real #KeepRCHelisAlive event.
First Heliwood
The best period of model helicopters was around 2010-2011 in the country. Every event could gather 50-60 people together without any serious advertisements, some of them even more. The number of active members was around 500-800 in a country, where the population is less than 10 million, right after the financial crisis. Then due to various reasons this number went down to a strong 50-70. So we had to do something to keep the hobby alive.
This problem is not country specific. RC helicopter modelling is in trouble in all countries around the world. Therefore we have to do everything to keep it up, otherwise we will have no new helicopters, spare parts, retailers and finally we also can't fly. Yes, it is a bit selfish, but we live in the hobby.
We organised the first Heliwood last year in about two months. All of us put something in it from our budgets. Instead of buying helis, practising in the evening, we dealt with problems: where, how, in what format. And finally we held the first one last year. It was kind of success from nothing, involving few new members into the hobby, and pulling back few ex-members surprisingly.
Heliwood 2018
We want to keep this event up. And the only way to put it on a sustainable path is improving it. Last year was the experience, this year is the final test. We invited retailers (like Area51-rc, Align-TRex Models), known pilots to make it colourful. But we also invite local people from the country, who are interested in model flying just they don't know how to start it. We invite families to show that, RC helicopter flying is a community programme for little ones and grown ups.
Heliwood is a fun fly
Yes, Heliwood is a kind of fun fly. Well known and less known RC helicopter pilots can fly together, people can talk to each other, pilots can learn from each other.
Heliwood is an international meeting
Let's call it a bridge. There is still a big gap between western and easter pilots and pilots from different countries, whilst we fly the same helis, we do the same. Hungary is in the middle of Europe. It's not that far, you can't make it from any other countries in Europe. Therefore people from Russia are interested as much as people from Spain. Heliwood is an integrative event of all kind of flying modellers to meet rc heli and get impressions of our community.
Heliwood is a promotion
Or propaganda? We promote the hobby to the people in the country. This is happening through social media, local media, newspapers and even in the radio. We call them to see helicopters, to see some miracles. Therefore you guys, pilots from Europe show that how an RC helicopter flies in masters' hands. And that's why the event is entry free, because we don't want to keep anyone away.
Heliwood is an experience
It can give you all something new. That's why we will have real helicopter simulator. Even RC pilots can experience something new.
Heliwood is a marketplace
Retailers can talk and meet their local customers there, because we know, many of them already their customers. And - due to the lack of the real Hunarian retailers - they can find future customers as well, people who are never going to shop from there any other ways.
Heliwood is a car boot sale
This format of trading is very popular among Hungarian RC modellers, there are more organised throughout the year and all being popular. Therefore we decided to extend Heliwood with the last missing bit of RC helicopter flying from the programmes of Heliwood.
Heliwood is the RC helicopter festival to everyone
One day in August about RC helicopters for growing the community, making new connections among all participants. And we hope so we can improve it more based on the experiences of this year, we will be able to make an even better next year.
Event facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1062402057246013/
Event location:
