There’s no such thing as boredom behind the sticks
Jennifer Lea Reynolds
jensunshine3@gmail.com
I often have an opportunity to talk to people—from newly formed friendships to a random conversation with a cashier—about the fact that I fly model airplanes. Most of the time, these individuals are highly intrigued. “Wow, that’s pretty neat. I’ve always been curious about them!”
Then come the questions I wrote about in my December 2013 Model Aviation column, about common things people ask RC pilots. Questions such as how high model airplanes go, the cost, etc., are almost always inevitable. I love answering the inquiries and sharing my experiences as they ask away.
Some share stories of a friend or family member who is involved in the hobby. It’s a fun exchange, and I always leave hoping that I’ve inspired the other person to take up the hobby (for the first time, or again if they fell out of it) themselves.
Then there are the “Negative Nellys.” Thankfully, these people are few and far between. They’re the ones who unleash quips about RC flying being “weird.” (Hey, I won’t comment on your outfit or bizarre fixation of eating prunes with horseradish dip while watching YouTube videos if you don’t call my hobby “weird.” Deal?) But it’s those who use the “B” word to express how they imagine RC flying to be who really get my fuel clunk in a crank.
“I don’t know,” some have said. “It seems kinda, well, boring.” Ugh. Boring. I’m not a fan of that word, especially when describing a hobby that is anything but.
As they say the word, they may motion toward the sky, making a circular motion with their finger repeatedly. Around and around they swirl their finger as if to suggest that flying is only about making our aircraft do the same old merry-go-round moves in the sky.
I must say (ahem) that flying this way is perfectly fine. I tend to fly like this, perhaps adding some Figure Eights and loops to the routine when I feel the urge. I simply enjoy flying in a low-key, controlled manner. Even then it’s filled with fun and excitement, and I’m left feeling a rush of adrenaline both during and after my flights.
Regardless of how RC pilots decide to fly, it’s anything but boring. Here’s why:
A Variety of Maneuvers
Many RC pilots fly model airplanes as realistically as full-scale airplanes. This could include a takeoff that mimics how a World War II aircraft would have lifted up back in the day. Others take that same airplane and lift up abruptly, making a turn well before onlookers would have thought. It’s up to the pilot, and it is fun not always knowing what to expect from their talented ways.
There are pilots who fly RC jets, the engines screaming with every flightline pass. Others enjoy the smaller size—and by comparison, the silence—of rubber band-powered flight. I’ve seen RC helicopters suddenly become inverted, blades skillfully placed mere inches from the tips of the grass. There are knife-edge passes performed in a matter of split seconds, creating an entertaining dance of sorts in the sky. With so many maneuvers and flying styles, both pilots and spectators experience nothing short of excitement and often, an ever-changing, edge-of-seat anticipation.
More Than One Type of Aircraft
Variety is anything but boring, right? As you know, there are many different types of RC aircraft around. If you’re putting new covering on your Kadet (as I have been for … um … two years now) and are itching to fly something else, you can. There’s no such thing as being
locked into one type of airplane, or even a way of flying.
Maybe a foamie? Perhaps an A-10 or maybe a quadcopter? How about breaking out your favorite Slope Soaring sailplane, or getting involved with a fun aerobatic number? What about giving Pylon Racing a whirl? Maybe consider some indoor electric flights.
Indoors, outside, catching a hillside thermal … wherever you are, varying environments are at your disposal, and the many types of aircraft that can be flown in those environments make this hobby one that never ceases to amaze me!
Incredible Shows and Contests
Throughout the years, I’ve often mentioned one of my favorite events, the Old Rhinebeck Jamboree, held in Rhinebeck, New York, every September. Model Aviation Editor-in-Chief Jay Smith wrote about it in the January 2017 issue of Model Aviation, highlighting the 50th anniversary of the event.
At the gathering, you’re treated to everything from vintage cars to World War I aircraft. Noontime shows feature people wearing outfits from days gone by. It’s nothing short of fun. If that’s not your thing, there are the likes of scratch-built jets and 3-D giants to be seen during Joe Nall Week at the Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina. Mark your calendars for May 13-20, 2017, if you don’t already have plans to attend. I was able to go once in the mid-2000s and can
Maybe a foamie? Perhaps an A-10 or maybe a quadcopter? How about breaking out your favorite Slope Soaring sailplane, or getting involved with a fun aerobatic number? What about giving Pylon Racing a whirl? Maybe consider some indoor electric flights.
Indoors, outside, catching a hillside thermal … wherever you are, varying environments are at your disposal, and the many types of aircraft that can be flown in those environments make this hobby one that never ceases to amaze me!
Incredible Shows and Contests
Throughout the years, I’ve often mentioned one of my favorite events, the Old Rhinebeck Jamboree, held in Rhinebeck, New York, every September. Model Aviation Editor-in-Chief Jay Smith wrote about it in the January 2017 issue of Model Aviation, highlighting the 50th anniversary of the event.
At the gathering, you’re treated to everything from vintage cars to World War I aircraft. Noontime shows feature people wearing outfits from days gone by. It’s nothing short of fun. If that’s not your thing, there are the likes of scratch-built jets and 3-D giants to be seen during Joe Nall Week at the Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina. Mark your calendars for May 13-20, 2017, if you don’t already have plans to attend. I was able to go once in the mid-2000s and can assure you that it’s anything but boring.
Of course, there are several other RC events across the country to enjoy and surely, many still to be discovered.
Local flying fields—maybe even your own—might participate in landing contests (or other fun competitions) that could have a unique twist. Laughter, conversation, and honing your flying skills is always a given. There truly is something for everyone.
Interesting People
Sure, chatting about propellers or the latest RC auction is to be expected. But the conversations don’t always stop there because there are RC pilots around the world. With so many of us, there’s a lot to talk about and learn from one another.
Add to that the fact that everyone has a range of backgrounds outside of the RC hobby, and it’s often a pleasure just sitting underneath a canopy with someone and striking up a conversation. You never know what you’ll discover.
That man from Florida flying his heli might also have once been a movie stunt man. Or, as you might recall from the August 2016 issue of Model Aviation, some flight enthusiasts are musically inclined. Jay Smith, who still has his first bass guitar, enjoys playing heavy metal, blues, and rock with his Fender Precision and Ibanez Roadstar basses. “Control Line Combat” columnist Mark Rudner enjoys playing guitar on a Fender Telecaster.
I used to play the cello way back when, worked briefly as a dental assistant, and used to write advertising copy, so that “who knew?” aspect transcends the fact that I also have a bunch of RC aircraft in the shed—and the spare bedroom, and … well, you know how that goes.
This terrific hobby is filled with many interesting types of aircraft that are flown in so many different ways, and by so many fascinating people. For me, excitement and enthusiasm are always the first words that come to my mind when talking about RC flying, and I plan to always keep it that way.
