Signs that you might be obsessed with flying RC aircraft
It’s February, and you might have noticed that I like to reserve writings for this particular month with a love-related tie-in. After all, this is the month where we see Valentine’s Day items pretty much everywhere we go. Similarly, when I walk into my home, workshop, or to my car, my heart skips a beat as I look lovingly at all of the airplanes and plans around me. Love is in overdrive this month, right?
Just as there are obsessions in romantic love, there can be with our model aircraft, too. I thought I’d take an honest look at our must-have-it-now moments that make our knees weak. In other words, here are some of the signs that we might be a tad obsessed with our passion for RC (and that’s A-OK!).
Your Driveway Isn’t Shoveled, But There’s a Clear Path Around Your Airplanes
You know how important it is to keep the yard tidy and safe for the mail person or anyone else on your property, but you also know that there are at least a half-dozen airplane projects in the house, it’s warmer inside, and the snow
As long as we can walk around and access our airplanes with ease, that’s all that matters, right?
will melt. So why worry about a path to the car or mailbox when the path to your dozens of airplanes is clear and clutter free? I mean, priorities!
Most of Your Dishes and Clothing Have a Flying Theme
Sure, my husband and I have a matching set of plates and saucers in our home. We also have plenty of shirts in the colors and styles that are common today. However, a great deal of our cabinetry and closet space is filled with model airplane items. Mugs cleverly depict the evolution of man, with the last image showing a man standing, a transmitter in his hands.
Don’t even get me started on shirts. We have shirts from various flying events, many of them proudly declaring the date we attended.
These items often reside at the front of shelves, so although we do (really, we do!) have sets of matching plates and a variety of clothing styles, we prefer to reach for the ones that remind us of the fun we have with this great hobby.
You’ve Accidentally Called Someone an Airplane Name, Part, or Event
When you’ve said, “Hi Nat,” instead of “Nate,” because the Nats were on your mind, or you tell your sweet Rhinebeck, er, Becky, good morning, you know RC and RC-related events are on your mind big time. It’s simply par for the course when flying is pretty much in your head 24/7. You’re all excited about that Sukoi you just ordered, and the next thing you know, it’s “Hi Sukoi” to your friend, Sue. Hey, it happens.
As a side note, speaking of the annual Old Rhinebeck Jamboree (one of my favorites), the 2016 event held in Rhinebeck, New York, was a blast. Interest in the event is growing, too. The Mid-Hudson Radio Control Society, which hosts the gathering, noted that there were 33 more pilots in 2016 than in 2015. Great news to share with your friend Taube, er, Todd!
You Watch a Commercial Because It Features an RC Model
Let’s face it; most people don’t enjoy watching television commercials because they take away from their favorite show. But occasionally, while zipping through the “but wait, there’s more” stuff, there’s a blur of something involving a model aircraft. It’s at this time that rewinding is a must, no matter how riveting your show is.
A few commercials have featured model airplane building or flying as part of the message they’re trying to convey. How neat is that? It’s well worth the pause to see even a few seconds of anything RC aircraft related on the screen.
You Pretend to Fly in Your Car
Let me explain. You’re in your car, all comfy behind the wheel.
Keys are in the ignition? Check. Fueled up? Check. With every left turn, you’re banking that same way over the flightline or maybe over the Atlantic. Each time you look at your dashboard, you’re secretly assessing the instrument panel. Easing into a premier parking spot without having to make adjustments is akin to a terrific landing, right down the center strip.
Is it just me? Am I the only one who sometimes imagines that I’m “flying” either inside of my RC aircraft or in a full-scale aircraft when in the car?
Please tell me it’s not only me. No, really. Shoot me an email if you too are a car pilot.
You Eye Every Place as a Possible Flying Space
Whether you’re in Bermuda, at the zoo, or heading to the supermarket, every place is considered as a potential flying spot. “I bet I could do Pylon Racing around those beach umbrellas. Not that I would for safety reasons and all, but I bet I could,” you think while at a vacation destination.
“Hmm, I’ve never seen so few cars in the parking lot,” you think as you enter the grocery store. “This would be the perfect place to try my new little foamie before I go in for that ham steak. Not that I would for safety reasons and all, but I bet I could.”
You see the pattern here. It’s a safety issue to just whip out an airplane and fly in the middle of your town’s public sledding hill or in the Chinese buffet parking lot, but that doesn’t mean your imagination can’t take you places.
What habits do you have that make you think you just might be a wee bit head over heels with the RC aircraft hobby? Send me an email!
