Aero Mail
If you have a letter to the editor, please submit it to MA Editor-in-Chief Jay Smith at 5161 E. Memorial Dr., Muncie IN 47302, visit www.ModelAviation.com/editor, or email jays@modelaircraft.org.
Something Different
I have been flying RC for a few years. I was listening to some podcasts, and gliders were what they were having fun flying. I was thinking, how much fun could a glider really be? I thought all you do is watch it slowly come down. [It] seemed boring to me, but then I saw The RC Saylors [YouTube channel] put up the Tower Hobbies BL Vista.
I thought that would be cool to try and it looked nice. So I got one and put it together. Come maiden [flight] day, I tried to fly it in 20 mph gusts of wind and it was horrible. Yes, I know it was stupid of me, but I wasn’t thinking and I was very unhappy. I blamed the plane and not my bad judgment.
Later I took it to a fun-fly on a calm, warm day. What happened that day changed my whole thinking about this aspect of the hobby. I put this beast in the air, shut off the motor, and started hunting [for thermals].
I didn’t know what I was doing until the magic happened. I saw a wing dip and it started going up. I didn’t know what to do but circle like the buzzards do. It was climbing like crazy and the next thing I knew all of the pilots surrounded me, watching intently as this plane slowly climbed almost out of sight.
Then, while still going, something else amazing happened. I suddenly had company in the sky. I was then joined by some hawks and turkey vultures. My mind was filled with joy.
Then I heard someone say, “Is that under 400 feet?” It was the CD of the event. I had no clue how high I was as I was having so much fun. Finally I brought it in and landed really long. When I got back to my pop-up, the questions started coming. “Where did you get that?” “How high do you think it got?”
It was amazing. I still remember that day and the goosebumps I got—not to mention an adrenaline rush like I never had before.
No matter the sector of the hobby you enjoy, never doubt the power of trying something different. It may just give you goosebumps.
—Chris Breemes
