Edition: Model Aviation - 2026/01
Page Numbers: 58, 59
Jerry Parks seated beside model airplanes, a sailboat, and model cars.
Jerry Parks seated beside model airplanes, a sailboat, and model cars.
“Park Pilot Cars & Boats” author Jerry Parks and a few of his favorite RC airplanes, boats, and cars.

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

By Jerry Parks | zippyparks1@gmail.com

LET ME START by saying that writing the “Park Pilot Cars & Boats” column has been great fun. Being asked to write articles for Park Pilot and Model Aviation magazines has definitely been the pinnacle of my RC hobby experience. I cannot thank Executive Editor Jay Smith and Managing Editor Jenni Alderman enough for the opportunity.

Some of what has brought me the greatest joy within the RC hobby has been sharing these experiences with family and friends. However, just as growing in the RC hobby has brought changes and opportunities, so has my family life and career. With that in mind, demands on my time have changed. Work responsibilities have evolved significantly throughout the past year, as has the season of parenting that my wife and I find ourselves in right now. Our son is busy with his senior-year activities and college preparations; our daughter’s league sports schedule is a parenting commitment unto itself. While I will certainly continue to enjoy the RC hobby, the time I have right now to devote to it has definitely changed.

With that said, this will be my final quarterly “Park Pilot Cars & Boats” column. I am looking forward to RC projects in the future, and am confident that there will be future articles and reviews written—when time permits.

Most of all, I would like to thank all of the readers who have responded to my articles and columns. I have enjoyed receiving your emails about what you have been building on your respective RC workbenches and the fond RC hobby memories that my articles have brought to the surface. I truly hope that I did not miss any emails. I tried my best to respond to each one.

A model Columbia 42 sailboat displayed on its stand beside a bottle of champagne.
One of the author’s favorite sailboats is a 42-inch wingspan Columbia 42 that was built from a bare-hull kit designed by Jim Godsman. He was lucky to get hull No. 42, which is fitting for his sail number.

This wonderful hobby that we are afforded has so much to offer—personal growth, developing skills, and learning new disciplines. For me, the best part is being able to share that with family, friends, and all of the enthusiasts we meet along the way. There is no doubt that these friendships and memories will last a lifetime.

So, until we meet again, I will sign off by simply saying, “Keep it fun.”