The 200 hour theory

Experiencing and learning within your hobby—trying new things, picking up new skills, diving into new areas—requires a substantial amount of time. It is often said that it takes around 200 hours of doing something before you reach a certain level of proficiency. Whether that number is 100% accurate or not is actually not up for debate (see side notes at the bottom). What truly matters is the differentiation of skills and how you spend hours with your hobby. However, the truth is - you’ll get better by actually doing things - but does it improve your flying skills.

The German FPV pilot Niels Vollenbruch (niels vo) made an excellent video about getting better at flying FPV drones and how long it actually takes to reach the 200-hour mark (YouTube: “Why it’s so hard to get good at FPV”). With precise, typically German-style analysis, he breaks down the numbers and explains how using a simulator can significantly support your progress. He also gives practical technical advice on how to operate FPV drones in the field. That short YouTube video was the initiator of this blog post.

Most people spend hundreds of hours consuming social media: YouTube, Instagram, forums, Facebook, Discord servers. It’s easy to accumulate 200 hours that way. But during that time, you’re mostly passive. You’re not actively building the skills you actually want to develop. You are investing time, but not necessarily in the direction of your intended proficiency.

Even reading this article takes your time. It may give you inspiration, but it won’t automatically make you better at what you want to achieve.

So before we go deeper, here is the essence of this blog post: Get out and experience the thing you want to improve at. Doing the activity itself is what will make you better.

If we talk about RC aviation, the only thing that truly makes you better at flying is flying. Learning theory, chatting with others, exchanging ideas, spending hours in the workshop building planes—these all add to your overall understanding of the hobby. You learn about materials, tools, construction techniques, repairs, and you expand your knowledge through exchange with others. All of this is valuable.

But none of it replaces actual stick time.

  • Detecting where your plane is going.
  • Recognizing whether it is flying toward you or away from you.
  • Understanding its attitude and leveling.
  • Making turns without losing altitude.
  • Feeling how thermals influence your aircraft.

These skills require real-world practice. Theory can support your understanding, but it won’t build the muscle memory. It won’t create that coordination between your fingers on the sticks, your brain processing the situation, and your eyes interpreting what the aircraft is doing. That proficiency only comes from repetition and experience.

So ask yourself: What do you actually want to achieve?

And then start doing exactly that. Fly safe.

Sidenote: The 200 hour story - which might be based on the 10.000 hour paradigm of Malcolm Gladwell doesn’t hold up to current research studies. You might want to check the references if you are interested.