So back in March of 2016, I was invited to go to Red Flag, a first of its kind pattern contest for turbine powered models. Bill Cunningham was going to fly in this invitational event with his BVM Ultra Bandit and he asked me to assist/call for him. The old TOC team was back together! It was a lot of fun and I'll admit, I was bitten by the jet bug.

While there, I met Seba Silvestre, the owner of Sebart and fell in love with the Avanti S. I had to have one! Turns out that Seba had his Avanti that he flew last year in the US for sale and I bought it. I knew my flying skills were not up to it and I would need to get some practice in before applying for my waiver, I came up with a plan. I would build a mini Avanti, set up as near to the turbine one as possible and fly it on the same 10S setup that I use for my F3A airplane. After getting some flights on this electric jet, I would be ready for the turbine.

So, after waiting 4 months, my mini Avanti arrived. My flying buddy, Dennis Maras, ordered one also and we built them in parallel. I set mine up with JP Hobby 10S fan unit, Castle Creations Phoenix Edge 120A ESC, Castle Link telemetry unit, Spektrum AR9350 receiver with AS3X gyros and telemetry, and a Turnigy BEC. I had some Power Master 5S 5400maH batteries that I use in F3A. I also purchased some Gens Ace 5S 5000maH batteries that are 45C discharge rate.

Both airplanes turned out nice. The Sebart kits are excellent. Dennis' airplane has the same receiver and BEC but he is running a 6S setup. First flight for mine was 8/21/2016. I flew two flights that day. Dennis' first flight was 8/28/2016. He flew two flights. I also flew mine three flights that day.

The airplane flies very nice and I have been tweaking on the control throws and settings. Very pleased with it so far.

I built my first RC model plane when I was about 12. That was 48 years ago this year. It was a Midwest Esquire that my uncle gave me. It was originally designed to be rudder only but I modified it with a elevator and throttle control. I taught myself how to fly it. I flew it for several years and branched into other models like a Goldberg Senior Falcon.

I had the chance to learn to fly full scale so I pursued that (including competing in IAC Aerobatic competition) and just dabbled in models until the 1980's. I had started a family and the full scale flying had to be set aside. I decided to get back into models and particularly Pattern. I took a job in Tulsa, OK in 1988 and was lucky to meet Bill Cunningham, one of the top pattern flyers in the land. Bill was very helpful and encouraging to me. Bill was invited to fly in the prestigious Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas and he invited me to come along as his assistant and caller. I went with Bill to each of the TOC's that he participated in and had the pleasure of meeting Chris Lakin, Peter Goldsmith, Ivan Kristenson and other top fliers.

I moved back to Memphis in the early 90's and started back flying and building full scale airplanes. I have built several homebuilt airplanes over the years and now own and fly a Sequoia Falco F.8L.

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine at work, Dennis Maras approached me about flying models. I bought a ParkZone P51 and a spektrum radio. It was my first introduction to electric airplanes and I really liked it. I quickly moved up to a 3D Hobby Shop Vyper (65"). Now, I have just this week put a maiden flight on a Sebart mini Avanti EDF jet.