Planes, planes, and automobiles, part two
Jennifer Lea Reynolds
jensunshine3@gmail.com
My February 2017 “Sky’s the Limit” column, about recognizing the signs that we might be a tad obsessed with flying, resulted in many emails landing—yes, pun intended—in my inbox. It turns out that I’m definitely not the only one pretending to fly my car, scope out nearby properties with “this-would-be-a-great-place-to-fly-or-live” thoughts, or any other number of telltale “I’m obsessed” signs.
I thought it would be appropriate to share what other Model Aviation readers are saying about their RC flying obsessions.
In a February email to me, Jay Stargel, a member of the Cadillac Area Modelers Society in Michigan who began flying RC in 1956, wrote that he “just finished flying in 18° weather.” But numb fingers and seeing his own breath in the air was nothing compared to what came next.
“I moved from Maryland to Michigan so I could buy 52 acres [and] have a 100 x 500-foot grass runway [that is] 72 feet behind my house,” he stated
Yes, definitely obsessed, although I admit to having a couple of pangs of envy creep in while envisioning what many modelers often consider as the ultimate flying scenario. Oh, to be his neighbor and be able to step outside with a little helicopter or a small foamie!
Another reader, Mark Fechner, mentioned that he can relate to the fact that I often pretend to fly in my car. I previously wrote about how I’d picture a smooth landing as I glided into a parking spot, banking left just a little to nestle in between the return cart station and a sedan. It was a successful “landing,” despite the nearby flag telling me some serious crosswinds were in effect.
I’d go on to purchase some watermelon and popsicles before getting back into my car-craft.
“I fly my semi-truck when driving late at night, banking for a turn using the joy sticks in my mind,” wrote Mark, whose wife, Sandra, also flies.
Robert Mendane, a member of the Bakersfield Multirotor club in Bakersfield, California, flies fixed-wing airplanes and RC multirotor Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. He wrote that he’s “always wondered if anyone else does the ‘flying the car’ thing.” He recalled doing this as a young child, where he’d steer the imaginary yoke in front of him as his parents drove. “The electric passenger window and door lock switches were my instrument controls!”
Flash forward to today, and Robert is a grown man who still pretends to fly while driving. However, this isn’t a thought he has on occasion, folks. He’s got a whole routine down pat that involves his airplane-car that’s so spot-on, I had to share it in its entirety:
“So, here is my favorite routine that I wish to share with other ‘car pilots.’ Kick the tires, clear [the] prop, and start the car. Assess all gauges for nominal operation, including fuel and fluid levels, warning lights, etc. Taxi out of the complex and out to the street, which is a very long taxiway to the freeway on the ramp.
“Blast into the right lane quickly with the agility and precision of a jet fighter pilot! Immediately set the airspeed to 70 mph, check the tachometer to confirm 2,800 [rpm], and double-check the fuel gauge with a percentage readout!
“Of course, this is all audible. After all, hearing yourself call out the numbers,
control checks, and the flight plan is half the fun of getting there! All the while, [I am] gracefully and tactfully contemplating my final approach procedures for the freeway off-ramp.”
Robert, you take the cake when it comes to car-flying creativity. If you get into flying this much when you drive, I can only imagine what your flights with airplanes are like!
Another “obsessed” RC pilot is Don Adams, who flies at Dick Scobee Field in Houston. He reported that he’s also a car pilot, but added that whenever he’s driving around with his wife, he can’t resist shouting out “flying field!” each time he spots a large plot of vacant land.
“We both get a good laugh and she has even started calling them out as well. It’s amazing how many new parking lots or newly cleared areas for housing subdivisions there are around here,” he wrote.
It’s great to be surrounded by so many creative people who not only like getting in some stick time, but—I have to admit—make me feel a lot better about my habits behind the wheel or when I experience moments of property envy.
