Who got you in this.

[Sukhoikid]

Was wondering how you guys got into model airplanes. I got in when I was 7 years old with my granddad teaching me to fly. Back then I learned on a plane called a butterfly. Doesnt feel like its been 9 years since I learn how to fly.

[TheTank]

Same thing with me. Dad had been flying RC/models since back in the 50s. Started training me to fly when I was 5 or 6. Still seems odd when I say I have been flying fo over 20 years... just doesnt seem like its been that long.

[Geojungle99]

My older brother got me into it when he broke his leg in a motorcycle accident back in 84'. Out of boredom he built a glider and started flying but quickly realized he needed a "pit boy" to help him out so he got me involved as well. We flew slope for years and then came our first trainer and progressed to sport flyers. We have both stayed involved off and on over the years but in 02' it became my main hobby after breaking my back in a motorcycle accident. In 04' I got my first gasser and now I'm flying Imac in the basic class with a somewhat beat-up 40% Katana. I haven't looked back since. I miss riding from time to time but I'm happy doing what I'm doing.

[50%PITTS]

Well my story is a bit different and has some sad parts please take 5 minutes to read! When I was 12 My mom had 2 rc trainers about 60 size sittin in the basement of our house at that time... they were there when we moved in to the house. I got curious and wanted to fly them one weekend. By the powers that be there was a flying field and club about a 1/2 mile from the house. So I went down there, they told me what to do to get one of the planes all ready to fly. So I went home charged the batteries and went back the next weekend. The plane crashed about 2 minutes into the first flight due to the battery haveing low voltage. So I got discouraged and gave the other plane away to the guy who was helping me there.

Ok so Im discouraged and probably not thinking about model airplanes for a good 5 years after that. My family moved to a new state and all. About 2 months before christmas my Mom took me to a hobby shop. I was oooooo'ing and ahhhhhhhh'ing all over! The guy that owned the shop gave me a phone # of a guy in my home town seeing how the hobby shop was about 30-40 minutes from my house. So I called this guy.... His name was Gary Stapleton. He was 46 years old at the time. He was a bussiness owner and all. He went flying any time he could get time away from work. He took me in just like a son!! It was the best time ever. So Gary got me started on what I need to get for my first airplane. My mom got everything I need for me for christmas and I got it as an early christmas gift! There was one thing missing thou.... an airplane to put my brand new radio and servos and motor into. I was kinda dissapointed. the next day I got a phone call from Gary. He said hey im comming to pick you up in 10 Minutes. I was only home from school for about 5 minutes before I got that call. Well any way he shows up in his truck. I open the passenger door and there sat a Box... It was My first ARF. I was soooooooooo happy!

Ok He and I went flying almost every weekend for about 4 months after he helped me and taught me how to build an airplane and set everything up. He was always telling me that He wanted to some day build a Giant scale Pitts and that it was his favorite airplane of all.
About 2 years after meeting him and all this I left for college down in Tulsa OK. Took all my airplanes with me and kept flying while I was in college. I was in college for Commericial Airline pilot training! It was soo much fun and work... lot to learn.
After being at college for about 6 months I got a phone call from my Mom with some really bad news.... she saw a collumn in the paper saying that there was a bad accident involving a Black Dodge Ram and a Semi truck. The only person I knew of that drove a black Dodge Ram was Gary.... So immediately I asked... Is he ok???? My mom told me he was killed instantly. I was sooooo sad... I even couldnt fly for about a year after that.
So now im back into flying and doing Great!! I miss him alot. Our old flying field isnt the same any more. Flying all together isnt the same any more for me either. Now you all know about my latest project... 50% Pitts Special. On the Tail of my plane, well Just look at the picture!
The End

[Boulder]

Damn dude...I just got a tear, no joke...

Please do us all a favor and listen to all of the advice on your project. Make sure everything is strong so your maiden is a pleasure not a failure.

I really want to see this bird fly, now more than ever.

God Speed!!!!!

[Sukhoikid]

Thanks for the response. I also lost someone that was a good flying buddy of mine that got me where I am now. As you see on the rudder of my 260 I have in memory of him on there. He died though of a brain tumor. Before he died though he gave me a 50cc plane called a Aeromax and a 3W 60 with all servos ready to fly. He also gave me all his plates from all the Joe Nalls he went to. He went to almost every Joe Nall there was it seems like it and all the TOC there was. I just hope he is able to see this 260 fly. I believe he is there with me everytime I fly it.

[Ryguy]

Great story.


I got into RC myself. Never been on a trainer cord. Got a $50 thing from walmart, taught me the basics, then got a good ol' Hobbyzone Firebird XL. Great plane. Had that for about two years, and my Dad got one too. Then, I was looking online and found out about 3D. I knew I wanted to do this. I got a Stryker for Christmas, and love it. I taught my neighbor how to fly it too, in exchange for lessons in a full-scale Bonanza!! We now have lipos in our Strykers, which makes it a blast to have combat with. I got into 3D foamies last summer, and have gone through several now (but who doesn't...?). Now I'm doing rolling harriers with the wingtips hitting the top of the grass each time around. I bought a PA Katana Mini with my Christmas money, which is an absolute blast. Crashed it about two months ago, but on Wednesday I finally got it ready to fly again, and it's great. Different from foamies, but still 3D capable.

I've now taught several friends how to fly too, but they haven't gotten their own planes. I love this hobby. I competed at MIFF, but did poorly because my plane was destroyed in a midair earlier in the day. This really is a great, lifelong hobby.

[ShortBus]

Grandad was flying model planes when he was my age, then my dad started to fly when he was my age.....Lost their field. Club found a new field a while ago and I started to fly!

Jon

[Tailwind]

Hi All,
My Father started me in R/C, he has been in RC since the 50's, he used to fly at the Grish Brothers farm(propeller fame) in Indiana. In the mid 60's he switched over to full scale, and around 1975 he taught me and my brother control line.(I still have the remnants of a profile ME-109 we built in 74, in my work shop.) In the late 70's he started teaching us R/C with a 2 channel Cessna 150. He was a very patient man...my brother and I spun that thing a thousand times by overcontrolling with rudder until we got the hang of it. Once we got the hang of it we flew the models while he flew a Smith Mini-Plane bipe that he and a friend re-built after it was ground looped at Oshkosh. Now..20 years latter, he has had 5 full scale planes, and taught my brother and myself how to fly full scale, I caught him flying the Real Flight G3 Yak, and its the first time since that 150 that I saw him flying R/C. Now that he is semi-retired..who knows maybe my WH Ultimate is next!

Dom

[Biff]

My dear old dad Sexy Rex got me hooked! He was a control line dude with better than the average building skills. He showed my the ropes and taught me there's builders and there's fliers. I wasn't too hot at either, but I sure love the hobby!!

[pitviper51]

well it all started at little rock air base, when i first saw the thundersbirds demo, 1990 by the way, i was 5,, from then on iv been hooked on aviation, studied full scale fro most that time and flew for 2 years sailplanes over in germany, that was 6 years ago, then i got back my dad retired, so i knew i can get me a plane and not move around with it know the movers would break it,, so here i am flying rc stuff for about 3.5 years good thread!
mike
ps pic of glider i flew

[Rockoflyer]

It all started one summer whne I went to visit my Grndparents and Grandpa took me flying.I learnd how to takeoff and fly that summer didnt reaLLy get the hang of landing.I owe him alot now I work in the industry and get paid to do what I love and would be doing anyways.He is past now but I think he sees what I am doing and smiles I hope.