ALBERTO DOÑA
Owner of Hobby Club
By Jay Smith | jays@modelaircraft.org
JAY SMITH: How did you become involved with model aviation?
ALBERTO DOÑA: It started 68 years ago when my mother bought me a chuck glider. After a few more purchases of single units, she took me to the store that was selling them, and we found out that the same store sold balsa wood sheets. I told her instead of purchasing the gliders, just buy me the sheets and I will make them myself—that was a huge turning point on my life.
When my father saw my interest in model aviation, he started to take me to watch model airplane contests. At that time, RC model airplanes were large and carried radio receivers that worked with vacuum tubes. The tail feathers were controlled by an escapement moved by a twisted rubber band. Generally, the model flew some yards and would completely lose the control signal that was coming from the transmitter.
I had a desire to come to the US after seeing Bob Palmer and Dale Nutter doing Control Line (CL) and RC flight shows in my city, when the Federación Argentina de Aeromodelismo invited them to tour the main cities of Argentina.
JS: How has model aviation impacted your life and/or career?
AD: During my times in elementary, high school, and university, I was involved with
model airplane competitions—mostly Free Flight (FF) and CL. In the meantime, I started importing hard-to-get materials, such as engines, RC equipment, timers, covering material, etc., to my city of Mendoza, Argentina. This initiated my business enterprise that is still with me.
[I] flew in many local and national contests. In 1961, my teammate, Masetto, and I won the CL Team Racing Argentina National Championship. During Easter week in 1971, we finished third at the Pan-American and South American Championships held in São Paulo, Brazil.
During early September of the same year, my wife, daughter, and I moved to California and adopted a new culture, lifestyle, and economic opportunities that marked us forever. Luckily, I was able to create and promote my own hobby business, Hobby Club.
JS: What disciplines of modeling do you currently participate in?
AD: I’ve been flying Thermal Duration RC Gliders for the last several years and also enjoying nearly every weekend flying with my friends at our local flying field, Kite Hill, in Laguna Niguel, California.
JS: What other hobbies do you have?
AD: There are no other hobbies, but we enjoy walking at least three times a week along the Pacific Ocean shoreline in southern Orange County, California. I also enjoy traveling within the US and overseas, although now, because of the pandemic conditions, we have missed one of our joys in life.
JS: Who or what has influenced you the most?
AD: In my aeromodeling beginning, Antonio Arria, an excellent friend and neighbor, was involved in model airplanes and he used to manufacture his own glow engines. Reading American model airplane magazines, such as Flying Models, Model Airplane News, etc. created my desire to come to the US and see in person and experience what I read about.
JS: What was it like competing in the FF World Championships in 1981?
AD: It was the pinnacle of my competition life. From the time that I won a place on the US FF team to compete and represent my adoptive country in a world championship, to the time spent before, during, and after the contest, was a dream come true. Just being able to share the experience with my teammates, Juan Livotto and Jim Wilson, and be a part of the group with such expert fliers as Walt Ghio, Doug Galbreath, the Simpson brothers, and many more, was a life experience! It will stay with me forever!
In early April 1982, the South American and Pan-American Championships were held at Aero Club Rio Tercero in Cordoba, Argentina. I represented the US, flying in the F1A FF event, and had the honor of winning it. What a thrill!
