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RCSB Owner/Founder 		Joined: July/22/2003
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Posted: August/01/2015 at 11:01am  
 
I was talking with a friend a few weeks ago and he was telling me how much he enjoyed this hobby and all the nice people he had met and become friends with. Then he ask me for some ideas on how he could help out the hobby that he loved and enjoyed for so many years. This made me think about a post I did a couple of years ago on "giving back" to our hobby and so for this month's site news I want to republish it. We are all ambassadors of our hobby and our actions and behavior reflect directly on how others in the hobby view us and more importantly these days, how the general public views us. We had several members ask to use this in their club newsletter so feel free to use it any way you wish. Here is "What you can do" from April 2013.

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Here is a question to ask yourself. What were/are your goals in the hobby this year? Attend more events? Build another model? Buy a new radio? Those are all great goals but how about a goal to help our hobby? You would be surprised at the impact each single individual can have in our modeling community, both local and around by doing the simplest things. When our local modeling communities are healthy, guess what, our hobby as a whole is better off. So you are asking yourself "OK Mike, so what can I do?” well quite a lot actually, I call it the "Three C's". Pick any ONE of them and you being a pro-active member of our hobby.

First, COMMUNICATE. if your local club or organization is sponsoring an event at a shopping mall or some other type of demonstration, grab one of your pride and joys and attend. If you don't have a model to show go and help answer questions. Communicating with the general public is the KEY to bringing new members in. Also, if you have a scout troop in your area be sure and seek out the scout master and I am sure he would be interested in you coming and speaking to the kids about model aviation. Setup a day when a local TV station can come out and film you guys flying, sounds crazy I know but local TV stations are always looking for content. There are hundreds of ideas one you start thinking of ways to communicate about our hobby.

Next, you can COLLABORATE. Got someone in your local club interested in R/C Scale Building? Become their mentor! Even though you may feel you are not qualified to teach someone else, you really are. Get together with them one a week, maybe one evening and help them accomplish goals with their project or get them to help you with yours and teach them new skills. Even if you spend 90% socializing and 10% working on a model you have accomplished your goal and hopefully made a new building buddy. Want to take it a step farther? Start a building seminar offering tips and tricks to help folks get started and advertise it at your local hobby shop. Heck, they may help! Get anyone involved you can. Feel like you are a better flyer than a builder? Offer to become the trainer at your club and teach new members to fly! I think you see where I am going here.

Last (but certainly not least) is CONTRIBUTE. This means many things, your time your effort most importantly and of course funds if you have the disposable income. Be sure and show up at local club work days and meetings and give your input. Enjoy writing? Write an article for your club's newsletter or one of the hobby magazines. Heck, post your build here on RCSB! The possibilities are endless. Also, be sure to try to support organizations that are you think are doing a good job promoting our hobby by joining and becoming active members (Like the AMA, LMA, NASA, USSMA, etc).

Heck, even here on RCSB there are many, many members on this site that do one, two, and all three of these things on a regular basis both locally with their clubs, nationally, and of course globally. THIS is one of the main reasons this is the finest community site on the web in my humble opinion. So take a few minutes and reflect on what YOU can do to help drive our hobby forward. Oh, and the best part of doing any of these things.. You walk away with the satisfaction YOU have helped R/C Scale.

Until next month...
Mike


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Mike Chilson,
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My R/C Scale Aircraft Over The Years
 
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Avatar User Offline Tango Juliet
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Posted: August/07/2015 at 10:34am  
 

Great topic/article Mike. 

A few years ago I stepped away from active participation in the R/C hobby while I enjoyed other interests, but I never left it completely; always lurking on web threads and showing up from time to time at the local field just to stay "in touch".  Before my hiatus, I had been on a bit of a building spree and it was getting others interested in building also. 

This past weekend I made a stop by the field and was happy to see one of those previously interested builders at the field with a new, though as yet unfinished, scratch built flying wing combat plane.  The particular model is designed with two vertical stabs and he wanted to cant them over at a 45 degree angle so he asked my opinion.  I don't know how qualified I am, but I think I've spent enough time studying aerodynamics and design principals to have offered some suggestions, and backed them up with sound reasoning.

I intend to make my return to building this winter - eventually with a "scale" project, something I still haven't done - and I'm hoping to stoke that fire in a few more of the local club members if I can.  I think more and more of the younger guys are getting tired of the cookie cutter ARF scene.  They just need a little nudge in the right direction to start building their own models.



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TJ Rohyans - L.A. (Lower Alabama)

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