[F3AFlyer7]

Well it's 12:32am as I start this and one more day until spring break so let's see how this goes.....

This year will be my fifth year flying pattern, and my sixth year flying RC. Since the day I started, I've tried to perfect my flying every time I go to the field, and strive to make it to a forever undecided level. I never thought about the professional side of flying as a future possibility. Sure it was always a dream, but I never thought it would actually get to that level. After taking second place at the Nationals this past year, my simple hobby was boosted to a "professional" hobby with the advent of a couple sponsorships. How awesome could that be! Well, maybe it isn't all that it's made up to be. Sure, there's no substitute for free stuff, but there are plenty of costs that I never thought of before it became a reality.

I think the word that best describes what a sponsored hobby feels like is PRESSURE.

I don't think I've ever felt more pressure flying RC than I do now. This past weekend, I got a chance to fly in the E-Xgames, and what a wakeup call that was! I always thought that I could control an airplane pretty well. After seeing the top pilots up close and in such a small confined space, the magnitude of their skills in my eyes have increased ten fold! I never thought how difficult it would be to just look good out there, and the pressure to make sure you don't totally screw yourself and your reputation. To make sure you look good for your sponsors, and to make sure you are always conducting yourself with the best of behavior.

I also knew I had to fly a demo during the intermissions. So now not only must you worry about flying in the contest, but also not totally screwing up when people are watching that new product in your airplane. What kind of pilot would you be if you crashed your plane and made everyone think it was the equipment that did it? How would your aponsors feel?

I guess my reasoning for this is to give an idea of what sponsorship is actually like to all the people out there.

However, don't take this as me saying I dislike it. Sure, the free stuff is cool, but thats not what I like about it. It's when you are standing at the booth and someone comes up with a question and they just cant seem to get the right answer, and you help them figure out exactly what to do. The smile of gratitude on their face makes it all worth while. For me, that is what makes all that pressure go away.

The other benefit is being able to meet and fly with all the top pilots. Sure, Chip, Jason, Mark, Quique, etc...they're all just normal people living an everyday life like you and me. BUT! These are people I've looked up to for the past six years, and now I know some of them personally.

Those two benefits, for me, completely smash the costs. And I think that anyone who want to or is striving for this exact thing should keep some things in mind.

Never give up. You can make it there if you really want it. Practice doesn't make perfect, deteremination, goals, and dreams have to go along with it. I surly haven't made it anywhere near where I hope to be someday. Eventually it might happen.

I salute this site for everything it brings to the hobby, and all the smiles it brings. And I salute the real professionals of this hobby. Being able to withstand the presssure of such a great responsibility to yourself and your sponsors is a great feat. And I salute the people in this hobby trying to make a difference, and the ones who help make those goals and dreams come true.

Dont know where I went on this but maybe someone will get somthing out of it.