I AM THE AMA
SEAN McENTEE
Retired Sgt. 1st Class
By Jay Smith | jays@modelaircraft.org
JAY SMITH: How did you become involved with model aviation?
SEAN McENTEE: I’ve been going to the flying field since I was 4 months old. My dad, Dan McEntee, flew RC sailplanes, Indoor and Outdoor Free Flight (FF), and still flies Control Line (CL) Aerobatics. He has been flying models since he was 5 years old, along with several of his brothers, and his dad and uncles built models as well.
My great-grandfather was an aviation mechanic during naval aviation’s infancy in 1919. My great-uncle was the first officer on the Kennedy family’s Convair 240 named The Caroline. Aviation and modeling are written in my DNA!
JS: How has model aviation impacted your life and career?
SM: Growing up in St. Louis, I traveled the Midwest with my dad to FF and CL Aerobatics contests and met some of the most wonderful people along the way. Their kindness and fellowship influenced me immensely.
As I got older, I wanted a career in aviation. My dad heavily suggested the military, as my family has an extensive military background and learning trades on the government’s dime. My myopia (nearsightedness) disqualified me from being a manned pilot. As unmanned aircraft became more prominent, that interested me. At the time—and still today—only the U.S. Army had an enlisted career field for UAS operators, so that was the route I took.
Throughout the course of my 18 years in the Army, I flew the RQ-7B Shadow and the MQ-1C Gray Eagle. I completed six combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and logged 3,800-plus operator hours.
JS: What disciplines of modeling do you currently participate in?
SM: I flew CL Aerobatics from childhood through the early part of my Army career. When the Army took me to Fort Carson, Colorado, I linked up with the Magnificent Mountain Men FF club and I have been flying Indoor and Outdoor FF ever since, although I still pick up a CL handle now and then. I also enjoy RC park flyers on occasion. Each discipline of modeling is fun in its own way!
JS: What other hobbies do you have?
SM: I dabble with the guitar, flute, and Irish whistle. I also enjoy the Colorado outdoors through hiking and motorcycle trail riding.
JS: Who has influenced you the most?
SM: Without a doubt, my dad has been my biggest influence. He has been my greatest mentor in both modeling and other areas of life. I have fond memories of our travels to CL Aerobatics contests that I will cherish forever. I don’t get to fly with him as much as I want to, but when we do get together, it’s a special occasion.
JS: How did aeromodeling impact your career with the Army?
SM: The skillset that comes with aeromodeling—basic aerodynamics, meteorology, troubleshooting, etc.—gave me a distinct advantage during initial flight training. Throughout my career, I was the go-to instructor for annual academic training.
Traveling across the country with the Army also allowed me to fly with different clubs, reconnect with old friends, and make some new ones. My passion for modeling—and aviation in general—helped maintain my mental health during deployments. Flying 8 to 10 hours a day, every day, for nine to 12 months at a time can easily lead to burnout.
My dad, however, was my biggest cheerleader, and many friends from the aeromodeling community were supportive and encouraging. Even on my last flight of my last deployment, I was excited to get in the box and fly because I’d dreamed about since I was a kid, chucking gliders at Buder Park in St. Louis.
