Will you be hobbying more?

I know, gas prices and food prices are getting crazier. Historically, during times like these, people will nest, staying close to home and doing much less traveling, whether by car or plane. I think what is really interesting is that the more simple life is in most ways, better. Instead of searching for “excitement,” we find rewarding activities that bring us closer to our families and communities. One example, over the past few years, the number of meals that we “eat out” has exploded, yet I am not sure our quality of life has improved. My thought is that eating at home, together, is in fact a more enjoyable and happy experience. That is not to say that eating out can’t be enjoyable, but I think a lot of the time we eat out because it seems “simpler,” when it really is not simple or better.
Why is this relevant to hobbies? Well, hobbies are one of the activities that we return to when we are living to enjoy life more. Over the history of RC, plastic model building, trains, and slot cars, the interest has always been greatest in difficult economic times, when we want activities that are challenging, rewarding and can be done at home or nearby. So, I am interested to learn if you will be spending more time enjoying your hobbies over the summer. Let me know, and if possible, ask your friends to respond to this question as well. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Take good care,
Matt

Hobby People New Stuff

Since the beginning of 2008, Hobby People has been searching the world for great new products for our customers. Just in the past 12 months, we have added the VQ Models and BH Models lines of airplanes.
And now, we are proud to announce that we will be bringing in the UltraFly line of electric ARFs and accessories. Ultra Fly has been a leading maker of RC aircraft for over 15 years, and has some incredible products. We are hard at work building web pages for the new line, and you will find them at HobbyPeople.net very soon. I think this addition really adds to our electric airplane selection and will please our RC Pilots with some very cool, exceptionally high quality planes.

For all of you drivers with M8s and M11s, we just added a new Radio Case that is a perfect fit for these great Airtronics Radios.

For all of you drivers, we will have the new XTM XT2 Racer in stock in Mid May.
Additionally, we have recently received the Axial Scorpion Rock Crawler RTR and now have them in stock. Rock crawing is a hot category of RC and just keeps growing. Axial is helping to lead the way. We also have just received the very limited edition Revo Platinum Edition and have them available for sale now.

So much good stuff to make your RC experience ever greater. Check out all the great new products. The best part, is there is lots more coming. It seems like every day we are getting new products that make you really happy.

Take good care, and great modeling.

family

My brother from northern California called again yesterday to give me an earful because I didn’t call him back from the night before. I tried to explain that I was at a trade show, but that didn’t seem to appease him very much. After many minutes of mocking me, he told me that my nephew Clayton used the XTM Rage for one of his video projects in school and that he put it up on youtube for the world to see. Check it out here.

My nephew is a high school student who has been into RC for the past 3 years. Absolutely passionate about tearing the cars apart, and rebuilding them. He built his own workbench indoors, and an outdoor rock crawling area as well. Very cool.

Update on RCX

Just came back to office from the RCX show at the Pomona Fairplex in Southern California, and I have to say I was impressed. The promoters of the show have really hit upon a successful format for a hobby show. Unlike most shows I have attended, this was more interactive, from Try Me Car Tracks, to flight demos, drifting demos, 1/8 scale on road racing, off road racing, rock crawling demos, heli demos, and so much more, I thought the show was dynamic. This is definitely not your typical show and I am really proud we are involved. The number of families was outstanding and you could see by the number of people who were walking out with RC cars, helis and planes that a great many of them were new to RC. I congratulate RCX for such a vibrant show that in really interesting. The show is open tomorrow, Sunday, as well, so I hope to see more of you there. Rock on RC!!!

RCX

Today a big part of our team is setting up our booth and the Try Me Track (a track for newbies to try their hand driving RC trucks) at the RCX show at the Pomona Fairgrounds. We have built a Hobby People store at the show and it loaded with the best of RC, airplanes, helis, cars, motors, batteries and more. We hope to see you there, as this is a great opportunity to see the hobby in action. Come on by and say hello. You can pick up discounted tickets at any Hobby People store. Take good care and see you at RCX.

RC Rocks

A few months ago, my daughter’s teacher asked if I would do a show and tell of RC products. I know we have all been in a situation where you want to do something, but it is a fair amount of effort, and you try to find a reason not to, but after the fact, you are thrilled you took the time. This was definitely one of those moments for me.

For the show and tell, we brought a EF Mash Heli, a Phase3 Rookie Airplane, and a XTM XT2 Nitro Buggy. I asked Craig, our master R&D car expert to come for the display because he can launch a car like no other. From the moment we arrived the 20 kids, mostly 7 & 8 year olds were primed and ready. The teacher told us they had been counting down the days for our show, which was both exciting and a bit of added pressure as these kids wanted action. Due to wind, we could not fly the Rookie but hopefully another day. We flew the indoor Mash heli which definitely had the kids attention. Craig emptied a battery and the kids wanted more, but since we were on a time limit (can you believe they had to learn about things other than RC?) Craig showed the XT2 and then we headed outside. I must say it was really cool to have kids so amazed and they were ready for some noise and jumping. Craig had brought some small skateboard jumps and set them up in a way to allow for about a 60 foot runway. The kids took their places along the grass infield, and yes they kept wanting to move closer, Craig fired up the buggy and the kids went nuts as he hit the gas and the buggy took off. After a few test laps, Craig lined up the ramp and launched the buggy about 25 feet. I will admit that I was too busy talking to the teacher and watching Craig that I did not realize that in the time it took Craig to get the buggy around the grass and do a jump, another 10 classes of about 240 kids and teachers had come out to see “what was going on.” What had been a demo for 20 kids was now well over 260 kids, parents, and teachers. Craig and I made eye contact and I could see he was going to kick it up a notch so he moved the ramp back to allow for greater jumping space and then he set the car up and hit the throttle. The buggy may have hit 45mph and went airborne 40 feet through the air, and as it did, there was silence as 500+ eyes followed the buggy through the air. When it landed all the kids yelled, clapped and gave a collected WOW! and Craig looked like he had just won the worlds, it was that cool. Craig did a few more jumps and when he thought he was done, was about to shut the buggy down when a teacher asked for 1 more jump, with the kids adding a collective Please. It was one of those moments when you just feel blessed to be doing things you love, and I will not forget it. It was so much fun that we are working on setting up demos for schools on an ongoing basis. Its a lot of work, but I think the response speaks for itself.

BH T-28

Just thought I would pass this on. Today we received our latest shipment of the BH T-28. This has been our most popular scale warbird and is back in stock, but please be aware that stock is limited. Hobby People stores will begin to receive stock beginning tomorrow. Take good care, and great modeling.

Options

Over the past 5 years, the RC industry has experienced an incredible seismic shift in the electric powered products. Clearly, airplanes have been at the forefront of this change, with park flyers allowing modelers to fly in smaller areas and with greater frequency. The evolution has been tremendous with brushless power systems and high performance lipo batteries. Electric helicopters have really transformed the category as now more and more people have the option to fly helicopters . Most recently, the power and performance of the brushless and lipo revolution have hit the car/truck market. Traxxas and Castle Creations have been leading the way and the results are incredible, as drivers are experiencing what the pilots already know, electric gives more performance, faster and with great torque. It is really an amazing phenomenon. I don’t think this means nitro will go the way of the dinosaur, I think it means the hobby is giving RC’ers much greater choices. Unlike any other time in RC, modelers have options that truly will make their experience even better.

Nitro, Electric, Park Flyer, 2.4g, 1/8 scale, 1/10 scale, 1/18 scale, Gas, Scale, Sport, amazing opportunities, The selection is as great as the personalities in the hobby, and I believe we are moving into a growth period for the hobby. The hobby has always been about choices, and there never has been greater choices, with the quality we are seeing today. From toy RC from spinmaster to high performance RC from Associated and BH model, the hobby has something for everyone. This is what I really love about the hobby, there are compelling options for every personality.

So get outside and start enjoying RC. We are here for you. Take good care.

XTM XT2 & rage on youtube

Earlier in the week one of our customers mentioned seeing a video of the XTM Rage on youtube. I will admit to probably the last person on the planet to spend any time on youtube, so forgive me, but I did check out some videos of rc cars and was had some good laughs at the outrageous jumps, and driving. Mostly, it was cool to see rc in full action. I picked a really cool video that I thought you might enjoy, in it are many cars we carry, including the XTM XT2. watch here

Another great video was taken at Pegasus Hobbies on their track in SoCal. I think this is the one the poster mentioned of the XTM Rage, check it out. This little truck has been hopped up with lipos and a brushless power system and it is flying!!! watch rage here

Hope you like them as much as I do. Take good care, and don’t spend to much time watching, spend time doing, living is a verb, so get moving.

A customer called me and asked for this

This morning I received a call from a customer who said he liked my blog. He said he and his buddies liked the specials and in a “ROUND ABOUT” way, he asked for special on an electric plane. So here it is, a hot deal on the Sport Flyers Simple Stik. This is a limited stock item, and the special ends Friday or whenever we run out. This is cool park flyer and has been one of our best sellers over the past 18 months. We cannot get more, so it really is limited time. Great flying.

PS: Thanks for all the interest in the BH Spitfire and the Traxxas Revo, I am glad our special buys are appreciated. Take good care.