What do you like most about this hobby?

Just being out in the field, often with my son, and always with a great bunch of fellow fliers and onlookers. Taking in the flights, getting and giving advice, eating hot dogs and other healthy foods. There's just nothing like it.

Great hobby if you're stuck inside, then getting out in the field away from politics, taxes, commercials, and the other BS in the world. Hanging out with other people who love rocketry.

Since I don't do auto body repair anymore,
or have my wood shop to make things,
I'd have to say sanding and painting.
I like building stuff, but I pride myself on finish work and details.
Also being part of TRF.

Top of the list: rocket people. Best damn geek crowd ever, bar none. I'll go to launches even if I have nothing to fly that week.

All the rest - rocketry has dozens of sub-activities, all of which I like. Electronics, composites, simulation, physics, materials science, competition, gliders, R/C systems, machining, graphics, photo/video work, club operations, TARC coaching.

Unlike some, I actually don't mind building. Except sanding. Definitely not sanding.

I just like the idea of building something, painting it up with some cool design and then seeing it fly over 100 miles per hour. And I love doing it all with my kids now.

I am a scientist, so I love that aspect of the hobby. But this is my way to think about engineering problems--something I've always loved, but don't have much of a chance to do in my career.

I should say that I really love TRF too. Who knew there were others out there who obsessed about fin shapes and staging techniques?!

I hate doing jobs around the house, but give me some fins to bevel and I'll sand on them all day.

I like building things on my kitchen table that will go 500 mph.

caveduck said:

Top of the list: rocket people. Best damn geek crowd ever, bar none. I'll go to launches even if I have nothing to fly that week.

All the rest - rocketry has dozens of sub-activities, all of which I like. Electronics, composites, simulation, physics, materials science, competition, gliders, R/C systems, machining, graphics, photo/video work, club operations, TARC coaching.

Unlike some, I actually don't mind building. Except sanding. Definitely not sanding.

Click to expand...

+1. But I also hate painting too..... :bang:

I have to say it's the people. This hobby has a lot of very talented and cool folks. I keep seeing questions posted, and sometimes in minutes answers freely given that are not just snarky remarks (of course I see those too from time to time, but rarely are they truly mean spirited).

Building. For me it is a zen thing. I get off in my own world and "create" something from a pile of parts.

Just fun. I like writing reports about how things went. I like taking photos. I like building something and having people say "Cool!"
Who knows? I am child of the space age. I guess for me, I still get the same wonderment and kick I did in 1970

Back in 69, I thought that you glued fins on with Testors model glue, I liked that aroma. I just liked building model rockets or cars back then. I won the first model car building contest I entered, then built a Estes Goblin (first year they made it), while listening to the lp "Chicago II" over and over.

The hands on part of the hobby, the creating of it all, building,new ideas,ect. All that scratch stuff...start to finish.
The mental/emotional part... I like how (at 55 + yrs) the building of a simple "Astron" or getting a Semroc clone of my first 2 stager, the "Marauder" , not only still thrills me, it brings back memories of Dad and I flying together.
I also like the 100% / 180 * different types of people that all enjoy building rockets.
I like that people that fly HPR can appreciate and give props to people who fly LPR.
And I also like having a place where a wacko like me can come and convince people I'm OK.

The people. When I became a BAR and found the local LPR club, the people were awesome. That kept me coming back. Which then got me into HPR, and those people have helped me all the way up to my level 3. And after I got into HPR and thought I was out of LPR for good, I got pulled back in to help the local LPR club and am really enjoying it.

I also like aiming for a goal and achieving it. For example, certifying level 2 and then figuring out how to launch the largest motor within that cert. Starting with looking at kits and sims to keep under the waiver, selecting the kit, learning and applying techniques for fiberglass builds, learning tracking, all the ground testing (charges and tracking) and shake-down flights. Stacking the odds for a successful flight that achieves the goal and then achieving it.

While the successes are fun, they’re more fun when shared with friends. And I really have fun with the friends I’ve made in this hobby.