how will aeromodelling benefit students entering the working world ?

[Ivan M]

I guess we should all focus on the benefits of this hobby.

For me, it teaches patience, troubleshooting, overcoming the obstacles, hand-eye coordination, being helpful.

Best part, it makes you lots of new friends from all walks of life.

[Ghostfit]

Life's like an Apple !

If you just look at and stay on the surface, you'll be able to admire the colors and smoothness of the skin, you'll enjoy looking at it and move on as it will not benefit you in anyway. (That's 80% of the people who tried Aeromodelling)

If you take a bite and go below the surface, you discover the pulp and it's full of nutrients and fiber, it fills your hunger and you want more, it is sweet as you now know of the benefits. (That's 19% of the people who are Aeromodellers)

If you finished the apple and look at what's left, you'll see the very core and it contain apple seeds, you have reach the very essence of the apple, with these seeds you can plants more apple trees and now you'll never starve.
(That's the last 1% and I salute them for growing the apples for us !)

...pardon my ramblings

[baby_zyklon]

Yah true. But then, there are actually more R/C model flyers than 'Aeromodellers', you see? There are some major differences between 'Aeromodelling' and R/C flying, if you really want to dig it up.

Speaking about the benefits, why do you take up Aeronautical studies anyway?

I am doing aerospace, not sure whats the difference with aeronautical courses overseas. To tell the truth, I took it not because of pure interest or prospect in the industry but because I didn't quite have an idea of where to go. When it was first opened during my year of registration, it was a course that was relatively harder to get in compared to other engine courses...so of course I had to accept the offer when I managed to squeeze in...Worst still, I was in BMT at that time, so didn't really have much time to measure all the pros and cons of the difference courses. Fate, I guess.

[joe yap]

Well, at least it is partly due to your interest that lead to you this path, isn't it? If not, you'll probably take a totally different path already. If that's the case, than at least aeromodelling still have something to do with your choice of career, true?

[shaneyee]

I am doing aerospace, not sure whats the difference with aeronautical courses overseas. To tell the truth, I took it not because of pure interest or prospect in the industry but because I didn't quite have an idea of where to go. When it was first opened during my year of registration, it was a course that was relatively harder to get in compared to other engine courses...so of course I had to accept the offer when I managed to squeeze in...Worst still, I was in BMT at that time, so didn't really have much time to measure all the pros and cons of the difference courses. Fate, I guess.

It doesnt really matter what field you start off in... you can move on as long as you are willing to learn. I started as an Electrical Engineer because, like you, I didnt have an idea of where I wanted to go. I worked 4 years in HP as an engineer and then took a pay cut and started in a bank. Now, I've been in banking 20 years and I can say that my engineering course has been a great help in understanding the world's financial markets and working in engineering has helped me understand how manufacturing works and what in the world affects it. Building models helps me understand how materials and glues work and from the balsa models I have gone on to make dining tables in solid teak up to 16 feet in length. I am playing around with Carbon fiber parts and maybe in future I will make a carbon fibre boat.... learning to make small things helps you make big things. Learning to sail boats can help you trade in foreign currency markets.

Learning is for life...

Shane

[edmond22]

It doesnt really matter what field you start off in... you can move on as long as you are willing to learn. I started as an Electrical Engineer because, like you, I didnt have an idea of where I wanted to go. I worked 4 years in HP as an engineer and then took a pay cut and started in a bank. Now, I've been in banking 20 years and I can say that my engineering course has been a great help in understanding the world's financial markets and working in engineering has helped me understand how manufacturing works and what in the world affects it. Building models helps me understand how materials and glues work and from the balsa models I have gone on to make dining tables in solid teak up to 16 feet in length. I am playing around with Carbon fiber parts and maybe in future I will make a carbon fibre boat.... learning to make small things helps you make big things. Learning to sail boats can help you trade in foreign currency markets.

Learning is for life...

Shane

hey Shane, any jobs for me? kekekeke

[baby_zyklon]

Well, at least it is partly due to your interest that lead to you this path, isn't it? If not, you'll probably take a totally different path already. If that's the case, than at least aeromodelling still have something to do with your choice of career, true?

Not really though. I love anything r/c with a motor or engine and make noise, but I just never really had an interest for the real thing. I couldn't, and still can't, differentiate a F16 from a eurofighter and in all honesty, I am not sure if the dreamliner and 787 are the same thing...sounds like a joke, but I bet lots of people can't too. Not that those are really important, but they do get mentioned in the MCQs of foundation courses.

My interest is actually in the social sciences, especially psychology, sounds a bit girly and gay, but hey, there are lots of male(and famous) psychologist. Why didn't I apply for it then? Practicality over anything else. Plus, sometimes there is no fix answer for social sciences which is great when you are in the tutorial class with all the time in the world to argue, but not so when you are in the exam hall sweating

[joe yap]

In a way, I can more or less conclude that Aeromodelling can provide some benefits for students in many aspects, but it depends on whether the student choose to use them or not.

[edmond22]

Not really though. I love anything r/c with a motor or engine and make noise, but I just never really had an interest for the real thing. I couldn't, and still can't, differentiate a F16 from a eurofighter and in all honesty, I am not sure if the dreamliner and 787 are the same thing...sounds like a joke, but I bet lots of people can't too. Not that those are really important, but they do get mentioned in the MCQs of foundation courses.

My interest is actually in the social sciences, especially psychology, sounds a bit girly and gay, but hey, there are lots of male(and famous) psychologist. Why didn't I apply for it then? Practicality over anything else. Plus, sometimes there is no fix answer for social sciences which is great when you are in the tutorial class with all the time in the world to argue, but not so when you are in the exam hall sweating

Hey Zyklon (almost wanted to call you baby but it didn't sound too right to me lol), I can relate to what you are saying. Do you read a lot of history into historical characters and learn about their life or on the different generations of people like Baby boomers (current bosses. traditional), Gen X/MTV gen (upcoming bosses, current managers, loose fittings, no rules/ structure) and Gen Y (demanding, expects structures, walk more than communicate and perhaps more creative)?

I agree with you practicality over anything else. Some people (esp girls) lol often asked me why men tend to be more obssessed with movies such as Star Wars. I told them Hitler did exactly (almost) the same thing like the emperor and started WWII and they almost threw it down right away lol. And long long time ago before National Geographic featured the Shaolin Monks and George Lucas documentary, I had long suspected George Lucas modelled the Jedis after the Shaolin Monks where they were almost wiped out by an emperor then too. Anyhow this is not the important part, the point is this is how I met a good friend, she is the only one in the world then to have thought the same way lol. We were from 2 different world, she is a "Magistrat" in France today! Rare is the word I could think of the describe our meeting lol.

[shaneyee]

My interest is actually in the social sciences, especially psychology, sounds a bit girly and gay, but hey, there are lots of male(and famous) psychologist. Why didn't I apply for it then? Practicality over anything else. Plus, sometimes there is no fix answer for social sciences which is great when you are in the tutorial class with all the time in the world to argue, but not so when you are in the exam hall sweating

You shouldn't worry about exams, at least you know what the questions are... My old boss used to lament that the graduates in Singapore are good at answering questions but in real life, no one tells you what the correct questions are, you have to find it out yourself... and the 'correct question' can change and no one tells you.

Case in point - Creative Tech made great technological products which answered the question at the time which was " What can I carry around to listen to MP3 music files". Then the question changed to " What can I carry around to make me look cool while I am listening to MP3 music files" and Apple came out with the right answer- the IPOD. No one knew what the question was until Steve Jobs answered it.

Shane

[Sunstorm]

I agree with you practicality over anything else. Some people (esp girls) lol often asked me why men tend to be more obssessed with movies such as Star Wars.

It's because....of Carrie Fisher / Princess Leia in that metal bikini

Actually spot on; for the Nazi / Emperor relation. George Lucas took modern history and converted it into a space opera.

[baby_zyklon]

Edmond, no longer so. Used to read a bit(ok, more like forced to read) about such stuff when I was still doing GP back in JC. But when I came out from NS, all I can remember was M203 barrel is 38.2cm, weights 4.8kg..

Shane, I am not the sort of ambitous person who always strive to be the best. In fact, I prefer a laidback life, but I have been told by a few older friends that in uni, its better to graduate with a second upper or better. A third class might become more of a liability than credit when you are looking for a job which means that you won't even get a chance to show that you know what the correct questions are. I am not sure how the "real" world is like, but I had a colleague with a 3rd class and she couldn't quite get the jobs that she prefer.

[edmond22]

Hey Zyklon,

That will become a "limitation" only if you allow it to be one.

I am working in a MNC and often people used to think that I must have gotten good results or have good track records to land a marketing job there. But the truth is, I too suffer from "obstacles", determined not to let such things get in my way, I tried to work around it. I will never get the job I want at my company on first try or second try, what I did is "get" into the company first. You will have to eat the humble pie really. I took a part timer role (really out of place, everyone around is just different world) in Tech Support answering phone calls for three months earning less than $6 per hour. From there, I was able to spot key people, pitch to them, improve things or call it wayang even if you want to. Do it tastefully and objectively, get noticed, COMMUNICATE career interest and viola, 3-4 years later, in a Marketing capacity, launched several key products like the most recent CES event in Las Vegas. I think the main thing is, you need to learn to differentiate yourself from the rest, always maintaining an edge in something be it selling, or answering the no of calls, or project implementation.

I think the most useful sentence I ever used in my life that I even apply to my aeromodelling:

"Do something that makes a difference everyday no matter how small"

Very important, even building a little bit everyday adds to the plane overall, better than nothing. Just remember life is sometimes a stupid rat race, sometimes you are ahead, sometimes you are behind. Every decision made is half chance, so don't congratulate yourself too much if you are successful but don't despair too if you are behind.

[tucfaz]

Patience my friend.. A first class honors won't guarantees your future.. What's important is sustainability.. Some start out slower then others, but end up better off then their peers 20 years later, when they're parents of Teenagers, and enjoying their week-ends and holidays, while their peers need to work through these time. That's what important..

Edmond, no longer so. Used to read a bit(ok, more like forced to read) about such stuff when I was still doing GP back in JC. But when I came out from NS, all I can remember was M203 barrel is 38.2cm, weights 4.8kg..

Shane, I am not the sort of ambitous person who always strive to be the best. In fact, I prefer a laidback life, but I have been told by a few older friends that in uni, its better to graduate with a second upper or better. A third class might become more of a liability than credit when you are looking for a job which means that you won't even get a chance to show that you know what the correct questions are. I am not sure how the "real" world is like, but I had a colleague with a 3rd class and she couldn't quite get the jobs that she prefer.

[Ghostfit]

Patience my friend.. A first class honors won't guarantees your future.. What's important is sustainability.. Some start out slower then others, but end up better off then their peers 20 years later, when they're parents of Teenagers, and enjoying their week-ends and holidays, while their peers need to work through these time. That's what important..

You are so right, Paul ...we should stop and smell the flowers along the way sometimes.

...Having all the "toys" in the world means nothing if we dun have good buddies to enjoy them with !