Sounds to me like you just had a run of bad luck. Don't give up.
I was flying in my front yard a few weeks ago, minding my own business, and one of the little neiborhood kids seen it and immediately ran straight toward me and almost got nailed by a car. It wouldn't have been my fault, but I would have felt awful if he had gotten run-over. There are always risks involved one way or another. As for dogs, I think if a dog runs up and attacks me, I'm going to rip its F-ing throat out, and bill the owner for damage to my property. Simple as that.

 

Dude you will have to start your on Heli only club
we are lucky at mrchc its a Heli only club
no planks allowed

 

Don't take it personally purchase a cheap foamy plank. Get accepted as a member and when the time is right ask if you could use the main runway for 10 min to fly your heli ! The members aren't singling you out, they have the same problems with IMAC-Quads-Pattern-FPV-Pylon and cars, nothing has changed!

 

Not had a problem at one of my clubs mixing heli's with planes. Last time I flew my 700 Jet Ranger, there was a turbine tearing up the sky. As long as all the pilots are aware of each other it shouldn't be a problem. The bigger issues are clubs that are against helicopters. Some do it from a safety aspect whilst others are just anti heli's.

 

If ever a dog chases my heli i fly the heli away, let the dog chase t- once i am 200 meters or so away turn around, fly back and land quickly. The dog can rarely keep up. But if the dog jumps on you while flying??? no cure for that one, its a @Crash Heligod dog....

But finding good flying spots that are close is half the battle. I sometimes fly at a swamp. Its Dangerous this time of year because of snakes but heaps of room and far away from houses and the general public. Mind you i only fly a small heli there. I would not risk anything bigger because of no insurance etc.

 

There is a Heli club here in Oklahoma City, but I have yet to go there. It's all the way on the other side of the city from where I am and I get most of my flying done at odd times of the day when there most likely isn't anyone there. So I either fly indoors, in my yard, or at the lot where I work. I suppose I should eventually contact the club and arrange a visit though.

 

I get along well with plankers at the clubs I fly with. But the way I see it, I pay my dues for the right to fly just like everyone else. So if they were to start giving me trouble about flying off the runway, I`m afraid I would have to tell them to sit down and shut up. Especially if no one was flying anyway.

 

It's like our club, a 50 dollar foamy takes precedence over a 3k heli on the main flight line, we go early so we can 'big air' on the main field, then when they turn up, we get relegated to a much smaller area. After I joined the club, they changed their constitution to " we are a fixed wing model club' go figure. I find that it's one or two members that carry on like pork chops, luckily most of the people that turn up early are cool and will swing flights with you no problem, but I do feel your pain @HungryHungryHippos . I have found if flying at a park, ALWAYS have a spotter, their job is to watch for dogs (and control them if necessary. When I first learned I was flying a JR ergo (remember those? - a 550 size with a 30 engine), with training cart. I was hovering low and a dog thought it was his lucky day when he saw 4 flying 'tennis balls', a handful of collective and a dog sailing just under my heli at eye level right in front of me was a sight to behold. Never without a spotter.
Simon

 

Runways?? We don't need no stinking runways.

 

Yes...... go chase planks for awhile. Leave us be.

 

I concur with my learn'd bony friend
Simon

 

I have never seen a place where plankers and helis mix well... Whaere are you located @HungryHungryHippos ?

 

I am located at Whiteman in Perth.

It all depends on the day.

We have Jet fliers, and most are extremely excellent and friendly. For the majority, the runway is shared. Also have some fliers that fly both helicopters and fixed wing jets.

A good part of the plankers are good and have encouraged joining in circuts. There was a day where I flew circuts using a helicopter with 6 plankers. However, also, there where a whole bunch of plankers sitting in the pitts fuming mad at the idea of a helicopter flying circuts with 6 aeroplanes.

Then there are some days where I am told to fly elsewhere.

 

haha happened to me at dog rocks Geelong. Most were liking my flight but one penis started his plane on purpose and took off, I hovered while he performed this brain straining task. He they said "hey! this side is only for miniature aircraft only"! "I said "No shiz dickhead what do you think I'm flying, and kept flying. I don't put up with idiots.

But yea, no one to fly with down here so I nearly gave the hobby up... still might..

 

My club too!, and they love you there, your mate at your club talked to our mate at our club, and he is pissed, LOL as if we care
Simon
ps. don't give it up mate, your too talented and can teach n00bs like me heaps
Heli flying rocks.....(perhaps not at Dog Rocks!)

 

Oh I know that problems you guys are talking about very well..

I have been in a Club in Zurich Switzerland for a while. It was not that bad because most of time there are not a lot people flying. So one flies after the other.

In Switzerland you can join the national aeroclub, pay the bill for a year and you are insuranced up to 10 million swiss francs. So even if you kill somebody you are insuranced..

But there is the other problem. As I dont like that older guys in the clubs flying their f@cking planks and gliders I have been looking for some other places. But in Switzerland you are never alone!! Nowhere!! Joggers, walkers, doggers, bicyclists... They are everywhere!

Im living in Serbia for a while now. And there is a real 750m runway 10 minutes from my house. This runway has been used for small airplanes once. Its perfect for this hobby!

But there is also a small problem. People here never seen a rc heli before. And everytime Im flying someone stops with the car or bicycle and asks me "how far can you fly that thing" "how much does it cost". Its annoying man..

Now Im just saying shut the f@ck up cant you see that Im flying. Ask me when I have landed it. And than the same questions over and over again. But yeah.. I probably would also like to know more about when I see it for the first time in my life..

Im thinking about opening a Heli only club in Switzerland. Put some money together with some others and find a good place. But only for smackers. No scale, no planks. And if someone asks to fly a glider we will lough at him and tell him sorry its to risky!

 

I don't know any plankers, so I can't say for certain.... but I suspect that some of them may have an inferiority complex or jealousy issues where us heli enthusiasts are concerned. So goes the saying: Those who can't fly helis fly planks, those who can't fly planks drive rc cars, and so on.....

 

You need one of these tee shirts @iggy
Simon