Egypt expresses 'deep dissatisfaction' to Netherlands over embassy attack    Global pressure mounts as Gaza fighting intensifies and death toll surges    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    At TICAD, Egypt's education minister signs pacts with Casio, SAPIX    Egypt holds special importance for our investments across diverse sectors: Japanese minister    Cairo, Tokyo sign LOI to expand educational cooperation, support for persons with disabilities    Madbouly invites Japanese firms to establish industrial zone in SCZONE    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Al-Sisi meets Qatar PM, Bahrain security adviser to discuss Gaza crisis, regional stability    Indian tourist arrivals to Egypt jump 18.8% in H1-2025: ministry data    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Hobby 25, home for different kinds of hobbies
Published in Daily News Egypt on 13 - 02 - 2009

Popular hobbies in Egypt are usually centered on arts, sports, reading and writing, but only a few would put RC (radio control) car racing, planes and boats on the top of their list of hobbies.
As small as the number of people interested in RC cars and airplanes in Egypt is, they are all familiar with the shop Hobby 25, and may have paid it a visit at least once or twice.
Hobby 25 describes itself as "the first real hobby shop in Egypt. It is the official store of RC cars, trucks, planes, helicopters, boats and their accessories in Egypt. Hobby 25 also offers maintenance and spare parts.
Started three years ago as an idea by Rawy Abu Lela, a fanatic of the sport who wanted to establish a shop that serves the needs of RC toys fans, the shop is owned by Vertex Company with capital that exceeds LE 1 million.
"We are now operating without neither achieving profits nor losses . When we started we had to deal with huge losses, said Hesham Nagah, one of the establishers of the shop and a practitioner of RC planes aviation.
Hobby 25, located in Nasr City close to Al Ahly club, sells different kinds of RC cars, airplanes, nitro and electric power helicopters, RC boats as well as Byron fuels, engines, car accessories and radio equipment mainly imported from outside Egypt.
Car prices range between LE 700 to 10,000 depending on their model: on-road, off-road, sand cars and trucks; while airplanes prices range between LE 1,000 and 50,000, according to size and engine type.
"We also offer the services of assembling cars and planes as well as maintenance, Nagah said.
"Our customers are mainly composed of professionals who participate in RC car races and RC airplanes shows and amateurs who buy cars to play at home, he said.
"I have been involved in this sport for three years when I had a car back in Dubai, said Ahmed El Ghezawy, who was visiting the shop to change a spare part of his RC car.
"This sport needs more publicity in Egypt to gain more fans, he said.
A major problem that faces the sport is low level of popularity; however, Hobby 25 organizes events to introduce it to the public.
"We mainly depend on people telling each other but we also organize exhibitions like the one we had at the Master rest house on the Cairo-Alexandria Road. We also have plans to organize more similar events, Nagah said
Radio Auto Club of Egypt (RACE) organizes more than 16 races a year with two main races during the season: the last one was held on Feb. 6 and brought together more than 20 racers.
Established in 2001, RACE uses the American RC car racing regulations in the races they organize on the fields of Victory College in Maadi.
"The sport is growing [in popularity] quickly among Egyptians and there has been rising interest in it. In the past Egyptians constituted 10 percent of the members, now they form 90 percent of it, John Klingler, head of RACE, told Daily News Egypt.
"In the beginning we used electric cars only but five years ago, the government allowed Hobby 25 to import Nitro fuels and we started racing with nitro cars for the first time, Klingler said.
Klingler expressed his hope that one day one member of RACE would participate in European and American races outside Egypt.
On the other hand, RC airplanes aviation existed in Egypt for more than 50 years; however, there are only four professional trainers here.
According to Nagah who has been practicing it for 18 years, RC planes aviation is more difficult than cars because it needs training on how to use cars and it needs space.
"In order for the plane to take off it needs at least 100 meters, that's why we usually go to open spaces like deserts, he said
"The initial and running costs are very prohibitive and it isn't affordable by the average person, he added.
Another problem is the lack of an adequate number of technicians qualified for the maintenance of this genre of electronic toys and those who exist "need more training, Nagah said.
Yet despite the hobby being an expensive one, aficionados are taking full advantage of Hobby 25's services, and taking it to new levels in Egypt.


Clic here to read the story from its source.