Perfect answer!!

Hi guys,what is some of the answers you fire back at the "Smart A--" who makes wise cracks about our C/L model planes,more commonly called ....."string line airplanes"!!!!I have been hasseled with this on and off for years,especially among the r/c guys!!!and every now and then by a green onlooker!"Hey is that the kind you fly on string????"(that sort of thing )......I need a good intelligent answer for those kind of wisecrakes!I am sure you all have encountered this somewhere along the way????what do you tell the idiot to shut him up????and put him in his place????????????/

"Proportional Digital Controls".

I once had an R/C flier ask me "what frequency you flyin'?" (I was flying an F1A, and had a thermal pole setup). My reply "3 or 4 times a week, if the wife will let me." He went away scratching his boney head. Steve

Steve Helmick
Renton, Washington
USA

>"Proportional Digital Controls".
>
>I once had an R/C flier ask me "what frequency you
>flyin'?" (I was flying an F1A, and had a thermal pole
>setup). My reply "3 or 4 times a week, if the wife will
>let me." He went away scratching his boney head.
>Steve
>
>Steve Helmick
>Renton, Washington
>USA

When asked what frequency I fly on I reply "Oh, about 20 meters."

Talk about scratching of heads!

Bill Lee

You fly RC? Way up there, huh? Afraid that you will hit the ground, huh? Why don't you try doing your maneuvers 5 feet off of the ground as we do?

You fly RC? So do we. It is Real Control. We fly with the stick connected to the airplane. We can feel the responses like in a real airplane. No worries about batteries wearing down. No worries about someone else turning on their transmiter and shooting us down. Hey, why don't you watch while I put in a flight. (We have had a number of responses of "I didn't think they could do that.")

Hey Len,great answer!!!!wish I could have tought of that as exactly you stated!cool...I usually get so frustrated I can't think of anything at the time???/ .....I am about the only one in my area that perfers C/L! been doing it since age 12 or so????off and on thru out life....truth is most r/cers can't even begin to fly C/L!and I have mentioned the fact: it takes just as much skill ,if not more so to fly C/L! as there is only (60ft.max. top to bottom to perform our stunts without bitting the dust)not much room for error! unlike R/C where any idiot can recover from an error when up 200 feet or more !!!.......(and you call that skill????????);

Ronney,

Whenever that comes up, if if isn't obvious - like standing at an RC-mainly field - I just ask if he flies RC. Obviously the answer is yes. My reply:

"Tried it once, long time back. Put some time into it, got pretty good, but I found it boring. No real feel... Like buying a Maserati and letting someone else drive it...

"Not knocking RC, understand. I just prefer feeling what my airplane does. It's a hobby, right? You like RC for whatever reasons. I like flying on braided stainless steel cables.

Oh, yeah. The question: What freq are you using?

"Two by .015 by 60 (or whatever I'm using).
"Wouldja help me do a ground check?

(-- hook up the lines. Up/Down -
"Elevator, Check!

(-- wag the handle left/right -
"Rudder, Check!

(-- simulate pulling a throttle stick with your other hand -
"Throttle, Check!

(-- roll your wrist left/right -
"Ailerons, Check!

"Thanks!

I usually say that I don't much like video games. Flying an RC plane is about the same. No contact with plane. What fun is that?

But right now I'm being really nice to the local RC club. They are talking about putting in a CL circle. Hey, I eat a lot of nonsense for that.

"You are a little behind on your technology, pal. Never heard of 'fly-by-wire' control systems?"

Larry Fulwider

Had a guy come down and ask if the airplane was connected by strings. Said yes and showed him a handle and lines, He wasn't much interested in details. Said he and his girl friend were arguing about it in the car. He said with strings, she said without. He went away happy.

Easy - "I'll take up radio when I get old and my reflexes are too slow to fly 5 feet off the ground". That usually has some effect.

Good answers from everyone!I will have to remember all these......We have some real jerks here (r/c ers).....always poking fun of my C/L models....kid stuff they call it........I was flying C/L when R/C just started around here,back in late 50's.....when there were reed systems,wind up escapements,and galloping ghost systems were state of the art,no transistors or sevros!.......basically free flight with limited control.........bottom line ....model airplane flying started with CONTROLLINE

....model airplane flying started with CONTROLLINE!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Actually, it started with Free Flight. That said, it's been a pleasure to note the significant number of former and present RC flyers returning to controline -- as well as the "retreads" who've been away from the (ahem) HOBBY for a number of years.

Mike Keville

> ....model airplane flying started with CONTROLLINE!
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>Actually, it started with Free Flight. That said, it's been a
>pleasure to note the significant number of former and present
>RC flyers returning to controline -- as well as the
>"retreads" who've been away from the (ahem) HOBBY
>for a number of years.
>
>Mike Keville
You are right,it did actually start with free flight....but what do the younger r/cers know anyway??????most have never even seen a push button vacumme tubed trans. and receiver with rubber band wind up escapements/actuators!!!

We have some real jerks here (r/c ers).....always
>poking fun of my C/L models....kid stuff they call it

Wow, you must live in Huntsville, AL. Remember the RC/RCers
that would come by the ball park when we were flying... I sure
bet you do! I think the best comment I ever received from one
of those was....."I did that sort of kid stuff back in the 50's."

Ty, Rollin?


Jim Pollock

>Easy - "I'll take up radio when I get old and my
>reflexes are too slow to fly 5 feet off the ground". That
>usually has some effect.
great answer David!....I will certainly remember this one....

Great answer!

I fly both RC and CL. I tell em I fly RC for the fun of it. I fly CL for the THRILL OF IT... the maneuvers all end 5 ft off the ground. Then I challenge them to fly the CL stunt pattern on RC, at their choice of alititude. I can tell you there are very few anywhere who could do that. I'm still working on it and have not found a plane yet that can do it. I have a 3D plane with just over double the power it should have as my next attempt. Just tell em to try a reverse wingover ... with the circular profile of flying the circle during the approach and inverted section. That WILL shut them up.

Bob Branch

>I fly both RC and CL. I tell em I fly RC for the fun of it. I
>fly CL for the THRILL OF IT... the maneuvers all end 5 ft off
>the ground. Then I challenge them to fly the CL stunt pattern
>on RC, at their choice of alititude. I can tell you there are
>very few anywhere who could do that. I'm still working on it
>and have not found a plane yet that can do it. I have a 3D
>plane with just over double the power it should have as my
>next attempt. Just tell em to try a reverse wingover ... with
>the circular profile of flying the circle during the approach
>and inverted section. That WILL shut them up.
>
>Bob Branch
Right on !!!!
>

Where I fly, I get approached by RC boat and airplane guys, asking what frequency I'm on. They see my plane and don't want interference.

A lot of of 'em don't have any concept of Control Line, and I can't get 'em to believe that airplane somehow does all those stunts without a radio.

I've notice that the outlaw-RC park-flyer types tend to fly in hemisphere that's not at all unlike Control Line. I understand how they might assume I'm flying the 21st Century.

I have come to the point of just smiling as if I am dealing with, say, an Irish Setter. Usually I go on to explain that this is what we did as kids, and there are a few of us who still enjoy it. If it's any consolation, you will probably get a lot of practice honing whatever response you choose.

I received an example of RC outreach the other day. It was an invitation to put on a CL demonstration at an RC swap meet. Here's an excerpt:

"If you could get me in touch with the person in the club who might know if there are members willing to man a short line exhibition at the new event and possibly have an intro program for kids whom are not able to pop for an R/C I will make sure there is a place for the service at the venue."

Howard Rush

Have used the when I get too old to fly controlline I'll try RC before.

Have use the I like to feel what I'm flying.

Have used the video game comment at times.

Told one particular jerk that I don't want to develop a disease and all RC stuff must be radioactive before it'll work.

Bill we sure got the frequency coordinater upset at the nationa fly in with the 20 meter statement.

Usually I just ask Why should I go back to the old style control system? Control line is the most recent development. When they ask what I mean my response is RC was patented in the 1890's, control line in the 1940's, and that RC was first flown at the Nats in 1937, control line was flown in 1946.

>Have used the when I get too old to fly controlline I'll try
>RC before.
>
>Have use the I like to feel what I'm flying.
>
>Have used the video game comment at times.
>
>Told one particular jerk that I don't want to develop a
>disease and all RC stuff must be radioactive before it'll
>work.
>
>Bill we sure got the frequency coordinater upset at the
>nationa fly in with the 20 meter statement.
>
>Usually I just ask Why should I go back to the old style
>control system? Control line is the most recent development.
>When they ask what I mean my response is RC was patented in
>the 1890's, control line in the 1940's, and that RC was first
>flown at the Nats in 1937, control line was flown in 1946.


Very intelligent answer!!!

My response; I used to fly C/L when I was a kid, up through my early 20's. Then flew R/C pattern for 25 years, then back to C/L 18 years ago. Controline is more fun. I am pretty lucky, as the R/C club I belong to put in a C/L circle for me and I am about the only one that uses it. No one in the club has ever said anything derogatory about me flying C/L. I do still fly a little R/C, mostly old time free flights with sparkers. Our field is in a fairley remote area, so no problem with open exhaust Fox 59's and old ign. motors.

>>Have used the when I get too old to fly controlline I'll
>try
>>RC before.
>>
>>Have use the I like to feel what I'm flying.
>>
>>Have used the video game comment at times.
>>
>>Told one particular jerk that I don't want to develop a
>>disease and all RC stuff must be radioactive before it'll
>>work.
>>
>>Bill we sure got the frequency coordinater upset at the
>>nationa fly in with the 20 meter statement.
>>
>>Usually I just ask Why should I go back to the old style
>>control system? Control line is the most recent
>development.
>>When they ask what I mean my response is RC was patented
>in
>>the 1890's, control line in the 1940's, and that RC was
>first
>>flown at the Nats in 1937, control line was flown in
>1946.
>
>
>Very intelligent answer!!!
>

Most of the clowns you'll be talking to won't understand an "intelligent answer"!

Bill

Thanks Bill, I usually look at them and say I also fly RC when I want to play. Then I ask if they had ever flown CL. When they respond with a yes answer, I then ask why did they grow up?
DOC Holliday

Howard,
Sounds like the perfect opening to take some first rate stunters along and show them the "error of their ways".

Display your Impact alongside some of the ARF's.

The "short line exhibition" would be interesting. I'd be reluctant to do an hourglass on 20-foot lines. An unmuffled Snort on short lines might be fun.

Howard Rush

Howard,
What...No guts???

1.5 second laps might impress them.

A friend flys both C/L and R/C. He belongs to C/L and to R/C Clubs. One day, at the R/C field, he was doing some low (10 feet, or so) inverted passes with a pattern ship, when he was chastised by the club's safety guru for "Unsafe Flying."

My friend commented that it was not unsafe, because he always flew his C/L stunt ships with 3-5-foot bottoms on his maneuvers. The safety officer didn't believe him.

Why do you want to alienate potential fliers??

At least these R/C ers have at least a basic knowledge of model aeroplanes, unlike society generally. I know a few blokes who are bisexual (ie. they fly both CL & RC!!!)

Wouldn't it be better to put the smart ar#e comment in your pocket and accept the challenge to get them interested.

As the chinese proverb says "One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes, one who doesn't ask a question is a fool forever"

Probably so.

Howard Rush

possibly have an intro
>program for kids whom are not able to pop for an R/C I will
>make sure there is a place for the service at the venue."
>
>
>Howard Rush

Not able to pop for an R/C ??? That's a good one.

Every junk shop in the country has RTF R/C toys for less money than a gallon of good stunt fuel.

It's not that uncommon. While up at Marymoore many years ago (C/L and R/C facilities in proximity to each other) I wandered over to the R/C field to watch. When I told one of the flyers I had just come over from the C/L field he very-matter-of-factly told me once I tried one of "these" I'd never go back to C/L. He was flying some wreck of a trainer with more wrinkles than his uhhhh.... I pretended to be mildly interested then headed back over to the C/L side.

I and my son both fly R/C and our club members are quite receptive to C/L.

If you happen to one who isn't, just compliment him on his walkie talkie controlled toy airplane.

Some thoughts:
You can find former CL flyers at the RC field by yelling "watch the lines" and see who looks down.

On the perfect answer - "I would rather fly than talk about it" I was president of a 275 member RC club for 10 or 12 years and we were lucky to get 20 or 30 of them out to the field to actually fly.

I have pet theory on this - In Modlers there are talkers and doers. Most of the talkers migrate up through free flight and CL and end up in RC.

The other is that if you want to really fly a model take up CL - no other type you gives the tactile feel of the stick in your hand. CL was the first and is still the only one that does this.

Regards,
Dave Cook

Related: I still get a chuckle out of Mark Bowen's response to gawkers who had the inevitable question: "How much did that cost?". It upset him and he would initially fire off something like "You don't BUY one of these, you BUILD it yourself." If they asked again what that would cost, he would say "How about $2000, that would do it!".

After we talked about it, I said these people were simply ignorant and didn't really mean anything by such questions. We should have some fun with these people at their expense.

So we starting answer with specific information: "$69.95 - got it at WalMart!". Several of them never caught on.

As for the question about flying CL instead of RC, people were always amazed that an electronic design engineer would be flying lowly CL. Some acted like they thought I couldn't afford RC, and tried to query without offending me. To THOSE I made it a point of trying to look impoverished and to say something like "I'm saving up right now. One of these days..". Others were convinced that CL must really be an inferior experience, or that RC might just be too difficult for me. WHEN would I move "up" to RC? My answer was always "just as soon as I master Stunt!".



[photo not recovered: 22137.jpg]
"The artist, like the idiot, or clown, sits on the edge of the world, and a push may send him over it." -Osbert Sitwell

I used to know a vegetarian - when asked why he was one he used to reply - "because I find meat-eaters have very long noses".

Tony

I get asked to fly at the R/C field once in awhile and they are usually curious about the plane. Asking "what's it covered with ?" Followed by "who's kit?" I always answer politely and explain the intricate details of the ship.

I tend to lose it when asked "so when are you going to step up to RC?" My answer is "What makes you think its UP?" They will go away a little bedazzled.

The flight that follows is narrated by my wife who is a pattern capable c/l pilot and a great coach. She'll announce the reverse wingover and naturally few know what to expect. The gasps that follow the first pullout are always pretty loud the ones following the second pullout are always more muted.

afterward the r/c contingent will say "I thought you were gonna crash, then I realized you meant it". I always ask them to come try it with us and explain the details some more. I have never had anyone ask about stepping up after the flight.

B