"Old" pilot flying old equipment

Wrecked · Oct 22, 2019

Would like to know if there are any more "old" pilots out there? Im 48 and don't see many my age.

I started with a Wizard X220 with F3 flight controller, and still fly the same quad although with better motors and camera now.

My latest video:

IceFyre13th · Oct 22, 2019

55, that old enough....lol

still flying an older Amimon Falcore and a custom built FrankenDrone (mostly old parts just to see "what if").

Wrecked · Oct 22, 2019

Awesome man! So pleased to meet you!

That Amimon Falcore looks like a heavy beast. Does it fly freestyle?

HighTechPauper · Oct 22, 2019

Hello @Wrecked, 59 and counting here, plus I too still fly my Wizard X220, but now I have about 20+ others to choose from. Nice flying!

Wrecked · Oct 22, 2019

HighTechPauper said:
Hello @Wrecked, 59 and counting here, plus I too still fly my Wizard X220, but now I have about 20+ others to choose from. Nice flying!

Ohh HighTechPauper, you have a Wizard too

I just love the way they fly, and how durable the are. I crashed mine sooo many times, and it just keep coming back for more. 20+ quads sounds like a lot.. What else you got?

BTW. I also tried to race, but Im having trouble hitting the gates. I reckon younger people have an advantage with their faster reaction, so I'll just stick with freestyle.

HighTechPauper · Oct 22, 2019

Yes, the Wizard is one of the few quads I have never broken any carbon on... yet. They are durable as all get out and have gotten more people into this hobby than any other quad in history.

About the gates... I would think that in time with practice you will be hitting any gap you want. For me the issue was looking through the gap to where I was going instead of focusing on the gap itself, like the old adage, where you look is where you'll go, so if I looked at the gap I would hit the edge of the gap, but if I looked beyond the gap I got better and better at going through unscathed.

20+ is a lot, I am never grounded now since there is always something airworthy in the squadron to fly, and I didn't mean to do it, it just builds over time since I never retire a quad completely unless I can't get the parts I need for it, which is rare.

I have, just to name a few...
ChamTi 6"
Rooster 5"
Skitzo Dark Matter 5"
2 TBS Oblivion 5"
3 Wizard X220 5" (my original quads for $115 a piece, $99 for the quad on sale and $15 for the RX's)
2 Diatone 3" (GTR349 and a GT-M3)
2.5" no name build from Drone Drop parts, but it flies great and I get about 7 minutes of flight time from a 550mah 3s so it is super efficient.
Emax Babyhawk 2"
Emax TinyHawk
Happy Model Mob7
2 Happy Model Mob7HD
3 Rakon Heli brushless Whoops
3 Tiny Whoop's (2 Josh Evans BATT's and a Jessie Perkins Freestyler)
Eachine Trashcan

Currently building a 6s 7" TBS Source One with Radix FC/PDB, T-Motor 45 amp BLHeli32 ESC's, and Karearea TOA 2208 1850kv motors, and I will put a Fatshark Byte Frost HD in it.

I'm sure I am forgetting something but that is a brief list of some of what I have (LOL), and I have enough parts to build another 6 or more 5" quads and about 6 more brushless whoops and a couple of 2-3" ones.

Yes, I know, I have a problem. and that doesn't even go into the other gear I have. 3 Frsky TX's (X9D+, Qx7S, and an X-Lite), 5 sets of great goggles (sold 3 pairs, Aomway Commander V1, Fatshark HD2, and HD3's), but I will keep my HDO's as backups once my Orqa FPV.One's arrive).

Let this be a cautionary tale! LOL

tevek · Oct 22, 2019

Turned 60 a couple of months ago so I consider myself chronologically advanced. Not in the same league as @HighTechPauper but I have 12 quads of varying sizes including two wizards that caused me grief in the early days but are now considered ‘reliable’.
Back in the early days (here we go..) the only mode available with my various flying apparatus was to get it airborne, cut some laps around what ever park I could find and hopefully get it back.
We are spoilt for choice now and times are good indeed.
Nice piece of flying by the way!

Madhungarian · Oct 22, 2019

Wrecked said:
Would like to know if there are any more "old" pilots out there? Im 48 and don't see many my age.

I started with a Wizard X220 with F3 flight controller, and still fly the same quad although with better motors and camera now.

My latest video:

I am 42 I started with a tinyhawk then mobula7 and now 7 inch quad. What camera are you using does it have image stabilization?
All of the drones others have I wasted on my Autel Evo to start.

Futuramille · Oct 22, 2019

55 in January! there's allot of us long time fliers here on DRP. makes for a great mental library of experience and the single best reason this is my only forum to goto.
Ive got a 3yo 3" Flynoceros Cerberus I just rebuilt for its third time. I do like endestructables after years of flying planks and Hellis.

IceFyre13th · Oct 23, 2019

Wrecked said:
Awesome man! So pleased to meet you!

That Amimon Falcore looks like a heavy beast. Does it fly freestyle?

Its actually very nimble, maybe not as fast as others but 85 mph is still pretty quick.....

Yes it has free style mode, and it is fun too....the built in video system is top notch, never drops out.

BTW, add the numbers in you age together......that makes me 10...and I still act like it, lol....old is not what I feel, just what I look like

Wrecked · Oct 23, 2019

Thanks for all the great replies guys. So good to hear people in all ages are into this hobby.

@HighTechPauper, thank you for the tip about the gates. I will try to remember that the next time I get to join a race. Thats an impressive list of quads you have there. I see lots of smaller models which I guess is easier to find a spot to fly with. I also have a tiny whoop btw. Its great for the cold windy days! I only fly it indoor though.

@Madhungarian, I use a GoPro Session 4 camera with no stabilisation. Unless you have a Gopro 7 Black with hypersmooth, stabilisation will make your footage look worse IMHO.

@IceFyre, Yeah, age is just a number really, but when Im the age president and surrounded by youngsters flying FPV locally, I can't help feeling a little "old"

But hey, this thread makes me realise I still have lots of quad flying years in my future.

Do you guys feel the age is limiting you in any way? Like slower reactions, or having difficulties to learn new stuff?

IceFyre13th · Oct 24, 2019

Being "Old" has not slowed me down ....its fun to show all those whippersnappers a few tricks.....LOL

HighTechPauper · Oct 25, 2019

Wrecked said:
@HighTechPauper, thank you for the tip about the gates. I will try to remember that the next time I get to join a race. Thats an impressive list of quads you have there. I see lots of smaller models which I guess is easier to find a spot to fly with. I also have a tiny whoop btw. Its great for the cold windy days! I only fly it indoor though.

Sorry @Wrecked, I missed this and forgot to answer, yes I have a lot of small Whoop class quads, here in Maryland we have a 6 month period where it is just too cold and windy to fly outside, so then I move inside to fly the little ones.
Also I do think the young kids who gamed a lot and have quicker reflexes may have a bit of an advantage over us older guys, but with practice I think we can catch up and maybe pass them due to our experience and our instincts.

Futuramille · Oct 25, 2019

Ive played Xbox as long as Nate has. he plays more (playing together with his brother in montana right now in fact)..
I believe its simply based on batteries burned and taking risks. you can't learn if your not crashing... ...maybe that's the key as younger people will take more risks. I pride myself in burning full batteries without crashing where Nate barely gets a full battery in out of six and very often crashes three to four times in one battery. but... because he pushes his skill more.. hes better than I am. there's nothing wrong with my stick reflexes. just my attitude is different.
JMO though.

HighTechPauper · Oct 25, 2019

JMO too, but playing as long as Nate doesn't mean you play as well as Nate, and you have bought and fixed all the broken quads for a long time, we could all be better it we had you for a dad growing up!

Wrecked · Oct 26, 2019

Futuramille said:
Ive played Xbox as long as Nate has. he plays more (playing together with his brother in montana right now in fact)..
I believe its simply based on batteries burned and taking risks. you can't learn if your not crashing... ...maybe that's the key as younger people will take more risks. I pride myself in burning full batteries without crashing where Nate barely gets a full battery in out of six and very often crashes three to four times in one battery. but... because he pushes his skill more.. hes better than I am. there's nothing wrong with my stick reflexes. just my attitude is different.
JMO though.

Hehe, guess Im in the last catagory. Im taking too many risks, and crashes all the time. (or maybe Im just a lousy pilot LOL)