Who inspires you?

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
There's lots of people who have helped me in this hobby. While there's plenty of people that have helped me at the field, I can't really share them here. There's lots of them that I've learned from, or have made me more excited about the hobby by doing something so interesting that I wanted to try it myself. Many of them don't even know it. There's online personalities, and forum users, who shared their knowledge and passion with the rest of us.

I's sure I'm not the only person that feels this way.

I thought that it would be good to share those people, and maybe something about what they've done that made them stand out in a thread that others could read, and be inspired themselves.

If there's someone that's inspired you. That you came across online, and they sparked your interest in the hobby. Someone that challenged you, without even knowing it maybe, then share it here. Who are they? What did they do that caught your attention. If there's a link that shows this, share it, and I'll add it to the list.
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
I've got a long list of people that I have found inspiring. I won't go and list them all, because I know that other people would like to use them as their examples. I'll start with one that I made mention of recently, and we'll take it from here.

Chad Kapper for bringing this site and all of the talent that he has shared. He also brings a ton to the RC industry for doing this for nothing. (themajik1)

David's RcExplorer site is just awesome. The tutorials are great and the finished products always look perfect! (Carbon)

J Morgan created a couple of threads showing how he added painting touches to the planes he built, that could be applied to any plane, to give a more personal touch. First was "How I Finish My Planes", which was followed by "How I Finish My Planes, Part Duex."

Josh Bixler for being as upbeat and positive as anyone. Willing to share what he knows and promotes this sport and to me is what I looked for in a club which I found.(themajik1)

Josh Scott for keeping the videos here as funny as they are. Great for the new pilot and see how he is progressing.(themajik1)

Mac Hodges and the Hodgehounds. There's a group of guys that hangs out at a little field in GA, they go by the name The Hodgehounds. The field belong's to Mac Hodges, owner and pilot of that giant B-29 that carries the Bell X-1 under it's wing and drops it for a show stopping flight of it's own. (See the Flite Test Episode where they feature Mac and the B-29) The group there is great, and you'll find them at every event which includes but is not limited to, SEFF (View Flite Test's videos about SEFF starting with part one HERE), Pop Curtiss, Warbirds Over Georgia, and the fall version of SEFF, HHAEFI. They're very welcoming, and they'll make you feel like one of the gang if you wander into their camp and say hi. The saying "birds of a feather, flock together" can also be about good folks, and it speaks volumes about Mac's quality, by the fact he's surrounded by the guys that you'll find at his field.

NODD on Wattflyer is one for me. (earthsciteach) His work in design and scratch building is impressive. Here is an example: http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67904

RCHacker inspires me too. http://www.rchacker.com/ (colorex)

VRFlyer has been doing FPV longer than most people even knew what it was. Here's a video of an FPV F-16, that the "pilot" had moving hands and feet, that matched the control inputs from the transmitter. FPV F16
 

Carbon

Elemental Madness
David's RcExplorer site is just awesome. The tutorials are great and the finished products always look perfect!
 

themajik1

Monkey/Bear Poker
Mentor
For someone that has inspired me is Joe Smith. He is a young man that has only been flying for about 5 years and is one of the best pilots I have ever had the honor to see fly.

I aspire to attempt have a fraction of the piloting talent this kid has.

I am an old man as compared to him, but I will watch, learn and practice for however long it takes me.

There is 3 more that I actually have to thank as well:

Josh Bixler for being as upbeat and positive as anyone. Willing to share what he knows and promotes this sport and to me is what I looked for in a club which I found.
Josh Scott for keeping the videos here as funny as they are. Great for the new pilot and see how he is progressing.
And last but not least, Chad Kapper for bringing this site and all of the talent that he has shared. He also brings a ton to the RC industry for doing this for nothing.

There are a ton of people here on the forums that need mentioning as well; Colorex, Flyingmonkey, earthsciteach, pgerts, and a ton of others.

You guys are what keeps me interested in this hobby!!!

Thank you all!

Sorry I tend to ramble on a bit but the people are what makes this hobby great!!!
 

colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
There are a ton of people here on the forums that need mentioning as well; Colorex, Flyingmonkey, earthsciteach, pgerts, and a ton of others.

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FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
Thank you all!

Sorry I tend to ramble on a bit but the people are what makes this hobby great!!!

I agree 100% There's a group of guys that hangs out at a little field in GA, they go by the name The Hodgehounds. The field belong's to Mac Hodges, owner and pilot of that giant B-29 that carries the Bell X-1 under it's wing and drops it for a show stopping flight of it's own. (See the Flite Test Episode where they feature Mac and the B-29) The group there is great, and you'll find them at every event which includes but is not limited to, SEFF (View Flite Test's videos about SEFF starting with part one HERE), Pop Curtiss, Warbirds Over Georgia, and the fall version of SEFF, HHAEFI. They're very welcoming, and they'll make you feel like one of the gang if you wander into their camp and say hi. The saying "birds of a feather, flock together" can also be about good folks, and it speaks volumes about Mac's quality, by the fact he's surrounded by the guys that you'll find at his field.
 

Jnr Kuzi

Senior Member
Ben Gui inspires me, if i never came accross he's homemade helicopter article, i'd have never gotten the interest to follow the RC hobby.
 

AkimboGlueGuns

Biplane Guy
Mentor
Night Flyyer and FT(obviously) got me into RC, but I have always been into flying. My parents tell me that I always pointed at airplanes in the sky as a baby!
 

mjmccarron

Member
The entire Flitetest crew inspires many. I particularly appreciate the cool and inexpensive DTFB designs which enable me to enjoy teaching my kids without risking an expensive airframe. On that note, my main inspiration has always been my dad. He passed 3 years ago but many hours of great memories remain. He was not a modeler. He was an engineer and full scale pilot but he was always there on weekends or whenever I asked him, starting and tuning engines and helping with electronics. Because of him, I am also an engineer (electrical) and full scale pilot. Because of this I have a fondness for those who include their kids in the hobby. You never know the long reaching impact it may have on their lives. Thanks Dad!
 

Epitaph

Ebil Filleh Pega-Bat ^.^
Mentor
I think I would find it hard to choose a person just like that because so many have put their grains of sand in one way or another.

I would have to start with the entire Flite Test community, crew and extended crew. The crew awoke my fascination with aerial photography, FPV and opened my eyes to the world of multirotors. The community after kept that fascination alive with their wonderful shared projects, their technical savvy and their openness to help.

Another thing that everybody has helped with is to not only enjoy flight and have fun in general, but also to aspire to be an even better human being, a social species on this rock, which many of us unfortunately forget.

Right now I am very disconnected for a number of converging reasons, and you cannot imagine how much I miss everyone...
 

tntrcnutz

Junior Member
being a 32 year veteran in the hobby I would have to say a hundred names

there were those in the early 80's and so on
with each of the stages I have been in with this great hobby , pattern , 3d , scale da da da da da
my love of aircraft has been my first inspiration
 

SlingShot

Maneuvering With Purpose
Originally it was my father along with a guy named Bob Anderson.

Now it's all the Flite Test guys. The Flite Test models not only allow someone to get into the hobby cheaply, they also allow someone to gorge themselves cheaply at the "trough of RC flying experiences". Lots of different types of aircraft to tryout at a cost of less than one expensive balsa model. It's great.
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
I have a small list of those who truly inspire.

Wright Brothers for their tenacity and approach when investigating powered flight. (First functional, heavier than air, flying machine).
Coanda for his out of the box thinking. (First recorded reaction powered aircraft design)
Cierva for his problem solving, out of box thinking, and tenacity. (Autogiro and the majority of information to make a helicopter fly).

They all did not let failures or the opinions of others sway them from their desired goal.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
I am inspired by every one here. If not for teaching me something for challenging me to think of ways to help contribute to solving problems. To the Flite Test Crew for waking this part of me back up and getting me fired up enough to get off the comfy chair and go do it. Also the Rotor Riot gang as they have been a great inspiration along my quad flying journey. People Like Metal Danny for showing me us "Old guys" can still rip thru the air with our hair on fire (Note neither of us have hair) Someone like Rolf Venz for the funny way he presents what he does. If you have not seen his videos check him out you will laugh like crazy. Lastly everyone who knows this guy should thank him for the motivation to get better at what we do. Ben Dover has made me push myself to be better so I have to do far less walks of shame to go retrieve my gear.
 
It was my father (Garry Mortimer) who got me into the hobby when I was 4 (mostly carrying aircraft and helping with repairs at that stage) but once I could do circuits then land that's ALL that I did. Now you can imagine that I soon got bored of this and was doubtful of weather I wanted to continue in the hobby, however, my love for the hobby was saved when my dad showed me Flite Test's flying cinder block video, I then watched some more of their video's and this inspired me to challenge myself thus making it more interesting.

So my thanks go to my dad (Garry Mortimer), here's the link to his website https://www.suasnews.com/
and also everybody at Flite Test especially Peter,Josh Bixler,Josh Scot, Alex, Stefan and of coarse Chad Kapper for keeping RC fun!