NEAT Fair 2013

Hmmmmm yes have experienced similar officials in the uk, think you need thick skin and a cool temper to fly at a some large organised events! Great vid guys, love the monster wing, very cool.
very well done for keeping your cool guys ( think I may have flipped out being screamed at like that). Your a credit to the hobby guys keep it up.
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People like the so called 'Officials' you spoke of so fondly are the exact reason I have no desire what so ever to join a club. Thanks to guys like you at Flitetest I have managed to get myself into the hobby, learn at my own pace, ask questions and get answers that are short simple and to the point. It's a real shame that so many people join clubs, be it RC or something else just to get the high of making themselves feel important and authoritarian at the very expensive cost of some poor young newbie that just wants to start and see were the hobby takes them.
People on power trips suck!
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I can understand that people are concerned about safety, and if that stresses them out and they don't know how to control the crowd that just adds to their stress making the situation much worse. However, a calm mind is much better in preventing accidents than an angry one ... good that you just walked away. Cheers Arend
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Hey guys, what is the website survey all about?
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I visited a public RC club fly-in and was trying to chat up several of the guys who were not currently flying but sitting under their pop up awnings with their planes displayed. My four year old was holding my hand and just looking amazed at the planes. I was just asking general questions and talking about how I was interested in getting into the hobby. After the fourth person I tried to talk to was a complete dismissive, elitist butthead who seemed to be TRYING to keep me from getting involved in the hobby I just took my son and left. That experience would have kept me from EVER getting into this if I hadn't found FliteTest. You guys are the new guard and your open hearts and open minds will create a new wave of people who fly RC because they love flying and they love people.

Cheers to you.
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Great video, as always, watched it twice in a row. NEAT is off my list, good honest review. Great camera footage. I want a Kraken!!(with lights) =D
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Sucks that the officials acted that way. I don't know if they had any safety release/waiver that they made everyone sign, but usually the best course of action is to make every one sign an agreement that states that you understand the rules, understand that you are responsible for your own safety, and that you understand that you can get hurt, loose planes, etc and that it is not the fault of NEAT. Usually having that buffer allows the officials to know that their job is simply to remind people of the rules. Yes they want you to be safe. Yes they want to stop you from hurting yourself or others. But it should be clear that you are responsible for your own safety and the officials are just there as reminds and since they are only reminders, they should be nice about it. Hopefully.

I'm just glad I fly at my parents farm. Just me. If I do something stupid. Oops. But I don't get yelled at or have to worry about dodging or crashing into any one else.

Now I know that if I go to an even, I should just plan on watching everyone else and maybe bring stuff to fly, but not actually plan on flying.
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It was great meeting you guys! Josh, Dave and Alex are all very gracious people! I'm sorry you had a bad experience on the flight line. Next time I will make the trek out to the Flitetest open house instead of the NEAT fair. I fly at the local soccer field and the kids in the community love it. My next move would be to get AMA and fly at a "fun" fly, but I think I'll stay away from angry officials. They should be encouraging more people, I'm surprised that the AMA and vendors didn't get together and comment. If they make NEAT into a miserable experience, who will go?

Thank you Josh, David, Alex and the Flitetest crew for the great time! Thank you for making it easy to get into the hobby. I Look forward to meeting up again!
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Two comments...

1. The first ever large electric event I attended was the NEAT fair and I have to totally agree with what the flitetest crew experienced. The weather that time of year in that area is more often than not cold, windy, and rainy/overcast. To make that drive from Minnesota and have 3 out of the 4 days be cruddy weather was horrible.

2. The people (in general) from that part of the country (New York) are much more in your face and not polite than just about anywhere I have ever been. I had the same experience with the flight crew when I went to the event 7 years ago.

I went to SEFF the next spring to try another large electric event hoping for a nicer atmosphere (people and weather) and was not disappointed. After going to both events within a year of each other and making the comparisons and contrasts I came to a decision. I would go back to SEFF and not back to NEAT. I have made it six years in a row down south and have never been disappointed in my decision.


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Hey guys,
Great meeting you and totally awesome to fly with David. Thanks a bunch!
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I've never been to NEAT but I've been to many larger events and also run a larger and growing event here in Minnesota called WATTS. It can be tough to keep things safe but you also have to have a cool head and stay balanced. I'm sorry your experience was not the best but thanks for the honest report. Hope to see you guys around at some indoor events this winter!
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The highlight of my NEAT Fair experience this year was getting to meet the Flite Test crew. What a great bunch! I'm sorry to hear of your experience with the officials. Truly unfortunate and it makes me sad that such things happen. It also saddens me to see people "club bash". For those of us who are not blessed with their own private flying area, clubs allows us to enjoy the hobby as well. Individual people make up clubs as well as governments and religions. Don't let one (or two) bad apples cause you trash an organization and the good it may do. I hope NEAT is able to fix any issue they may have so that others may have a better experience in the future. Keep up the great work Flite Test!
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I've also been to events where I couldn't help but wonder if a safety officer was on duty! Neither situation is ideal, but I think we need to err on the side of safety.
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I'm new to the hobby. I have been flying quads for nine months and am just getting into foam aircraft building and flying. Regarding the way the officals were there at that event; Good manners work world-wide. I think the thing to do is to take note of what groups really do treat the pilots and public with genuine care and go to those places rather than deal folks who are putting an angry face forward as a routine.

I had the chance a few years ago to fly an *actual* fighter trainer for an entire magical hour of aerobatics and the pilot I flew with certainly did not yell at me as I was figuring things out as I took the controls, but encouraged me and worked steadily to winning me over to getting my sport pilot license for flying real aircraft. I'm going for my license early next year. Oh - And on that first ride, I pulled 3.4 Gs and absolutely loved G maneuvers and looking up to see the ground as we flew inverted numerous times - lol. Let's just say FPV is in my future in a big way with RC because of that experience. I'd recommend having actual aerobatics experience to anyone interested in RC to get the real feel of what happens inside a plane during aerobatics.

Regarding that nice Cub there at the event; I'm quite taken with Super Cubs and love how they look and how simple they are. My eventual goal will be to either build one or to buy one outright and fly it all over the place. I'd love to see a Super Cub kit here on FT if you guys ever think about doing one.

Thanks FliteTest - you guys are the best. I get most of my RC information right here and intend to keep it that way ;>)
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It sucks how officials can have such a negative effect on the atmosphere of a meet. It was a couple of guys like that who made me lose interest in RC flight when I was 12. I got my first plane a small electric (before electrics were popular) and my certification and went to my local field. All the old farts did was make fun of my little plane because it wasn't a giant scale gaser. Thankfully I found flite test and all these years later I am finally flying proud. Thanks flite test for all you do and for helping to remove the "angry old fart" stigma that is so often connected with our hobby.
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You guys are very entertaining to listen to! I'm Sooo jealous, you guys have a ton of fun!
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As far as I am concerned Neat Fair just became irreverent! I have wanted to go for several years but never made it. Now I never will!
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This why I like you guys Straight up if you don't like something you don't dance around it good job
This why I also am very hesitant about joining a club as the ones I have been too every pilot has attitude. I`d rather learn on my own anyway. Some one had to in the beginning :)
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Thanks for the Honesty, I wish more people were honest and up front. Thanks Guys for being you..!!
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Love the episode. Shame about the jerks running the flight line. This probably goes without saying, but Can we please have plans for the Kraken?

You guys are awesome!
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Thanks for the great videos and also for telling it like it is. I have been to SEFF several times and to The Joe Nall more times than I can count ( only 47 miles from my home ) and have never seen "officials" act that way....this is a HOBBY and it is supposed to be FUN !!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK !!!
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This is why flite test is doing so well you can see the love for this hobby ( I call it a addiction ) that you all have for it, love to see how pissed you guys got just talking about the butthead officials at the fare I have the same love for this hobby and safety is important but to the OFFICALS PULL YOUR HEAD OUT !!!!!!!!!! Keep up the fantastic work

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thank you for the video and the photos, I noticed that David fly a Solius from Multiplex. Can you give your opinion on this glider. I have one since May And I am very satisfied. I'm a beginner, and I have no chrash with this glider :)
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didn't read all the comments so if the answer to my question is in there somewhere, sorry. What exactly does "NEAT" stand for? And where is the event located? Catskills would be NY state?
Keep up the great work, you guys are truly a credit to the hobby.
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I understand the need for safety AND the fear of law suites. Unfortunately though, this is something that limits who can/or feels like joining the hobby. I'm also not very inclined to join a club at this stage. Ours here (something I completely missed the first time I went out there and flew my quad) actually has a sign that states that it is forbidden to fly there, unless you are a member of AMA and the club - obviously for insurance reasons. Would be nice if there was a little more enthusiasm to get new people in the hobby and accommodate the 'newbies'. It really does feel like an elitist community when you first run up on 'them'!
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Ok guys, just wait a minute here, if the NEAT officials over stepped their bounds that is something the organizing committee should look at. That grumpy old guy at about 5 minutes in, should be dressed down. If there is a real safety concern then fine, address the concern in a respectful manner and move on. Don't talk down to a fellow hobbyists like they are morons! If the sponsors agree, then they should withdraw their support, no sponsors, no event.
I agree with Josh and David, this hobby should be fun. After all, we all lead stressful lives and need an outlet. I find mine in building airplanes from foam; others from balsa. The thing that binds all together is a love of flying and building.
So the point is, would I make the six hour drive from my home in Ontario, to NEAT? If that is the kind of reception I would receive from an official, not likely! I will use the 200 bucks in gas and buy a new airplane or several kits from flight test.
To the guys at NEAT; you have what looks like a wonderful event. If you allow "Those grumpy old men to indulge in their terrine" your event will die a slow and agonizing death and that would be a shame!
Please look at the constructive criticism the members of this forum offer. I would love to attend your event as a MAAC member, but not, if you if you do not correct the issues outlined here.
Whiskeyjack.


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I saw the NEAT guys responded to the FT video over at RC Groups. Sounds like they don't intend on making many changes: www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2004453
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You know, I've read about NEAT for years in all the magazines, and this subject was never mentioned. You guys had the guts to say what actually happened. This may be the first real feedback these gentlemen have ever had. Your delivery was understated and classy. This is real, honest to goodness journalism, and it's why Flitetest has such a stellar reputation. Thank you for having the courage and character to tell the truth. Thank you for having the grace to tell it in a responsible way.
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Interesting video, so sorry you have to deal with deadheads from the pee-on group, give a guy and badge or a title and watch him abuse everyone he comes in contact with. Way to solve the problem write and nice letter explaining your feels and how maybe they can correct the injustice for next years event. You do not need a bunch of old farts ruining it for the younger crowd. One older fart's feelings!
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You guys ROCK...but.... please show us the plans. Or build one for me I love that plane, tell me what size motor ..all the goodies.........You guys have a GREAT JOB.................
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GREAT Video
But what kind of lights did you release with the giant wing during the night flight? What are these things called? In Germany they are unknown :-)
Thanks for reply
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Thank you for the candid comments. Please do not change!
Please continue relating your experiences.
Unfortunately your experience is not unique to these events in the North East.

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Release the Kraken [plans]!
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Gotta give Tom credit. He just said that next year would be different and closed the thread on RC Groups like a gentleman. That's really the best outcome anybody could expect, so well done Tom.

Loads of people said that when he isn't the flite line drill sergeant he's a heck of a great guy, so that's food.
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"Good." Stupid IPad!
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Nice vid! I really want to see the Kraken. It looks awesome. Also could you post where you found those bomb drop light things?
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Please do not judge all clubs and club members because of one bad experience with a club. I have been lucky and belong to several wonderful clubs. If anyone is thinking of joining a club shop around until you find one that fits. Don't forget what Josh and David also said about NEAT, the people were great and they had a wonderful time meeting them. Besides being an RC enthusiast I am a seasonal camper at Peaceful Valley Campgrounds. We have a small AMA club made up of seasonal campers and welcome any AMA members to come as our guest, just pay for your camping. This summer I have had the chance to train some young fliers who were thrilled with the chance to fly thier own planes. We fly all types and sizes of RC aircraft. We even have a couple of members with full size aircraft.
I have had the pleasure of meeting Josh and David. They are just what this hobby needs, total enthusiasts. I hope they come back next year, because The NEAT fair is just the place they can do most good for the hobby and people wanting to get into this hobby by showing RC's true nature and wonderful community of fliers, not just a bunch of overworked, undermanned, stressed out volunteers.
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I don't fly in a club, just with a friend. In Canada we have a tonne of open federal land that anyone can fly in (or otherwise enjoy) without any hassle, so we just go out there and have fun within 5 minutes of our houses.

Koodo's to you all for being as kind as you were to the officials, but I certainly won't be seeking out any "sanctioned" events any time soon if that is even close to normal behaviour. I want to have fun flying.
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Hey the Giant Wing with 2 motors and gear looks so interesting.
Any chance to see its plans open to public?
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It really doesn't sound like the most fun thing in the world
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The environment at NEAT may be fine for people who think that officials yelling and screaming like lunatics is acceptable behavior. Each to his own. Fortunately there are plenty of other events in much more amiable locales with officials that behave in a sane rational manner.
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Yep, I was in a club up here in mn back in 92-93. Same over-protective AMA rules and terrible generation gap in membership. I was 14 at the time and every other member seemed to be in their 50's or better. I felt out of place there so I stopped going to the meetings and resigned.
found I could have more fun flying off a dirt road in the country,.
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