I've been wanting to write this, but I'm having trouble writing it. On an emotional level I'm tired and feeling burned out. But this subject came to me last night.
It is hard to decide on how far back I want to start my story. Cause I could go all the way back to when I got started in radio control. That would take you all the way back to the late 1980's, and early 1990's. I could talk about the first time I tried to fly R/C with my dad and how that was a complete failure. Then I could talk about 13 year old model speed boat with an engine, and how trying to start that engine caused me to buy a book about model engines. Then I could talk about the combination of studying that book and building our first speed boat inspired dad and I to try flying again. Only this time we built a plane and joined a local airplane club.
So yes, in the very beginning of flying R/C I was a member of a local airplane club. As playing member/student I was a part of the club. But on a social level I was not. There was two older individuals who kinda helped me get started. But they didn't want to be involved with me. They were old and just wanted to enjoy the few years they had left. Finally I got a hold of a flight instructor and my instruction began. He was very nice guy, and a very patient teacher. But not long after He had taught me to fly his job caused him to take his family and move to another state. I never saw him again. Also after I graduated High School, the club dues went up. Since my family own's 97 acre farm, my dad decided that we should drop the club and just fly at home. That is what we have been doing ever since.
As I have progressed in the hobby my airplanes got bigger. Larger models are easier to see and fly. However they are harder to transport unless you are willing to play the money for a truck and sometimes a trailer to haul such models. You can take the wings off the airplanes, but depending on the model, that isn't always easy. My Biplane takes me about 30 minutes to put the two wings on it. And that would be working at it as fast as I can do it. There are a lot of little screws and nuts and washers involved.
I don't own a truck and trailer for transportation.
My dad and I came up with the idea of going out to the club and see if we could get anyone interested in flying from our field. Not as a way to take them away from the club, just as some place they could come and fly when they wanted something a little different. When we went there and offered this idea, nobody we talked too was interested.
The last I heard the local club has moved to another field. I asked the local hobby shop owner, where they moved too. He tried to give me a map. My dad looked at it and He couldn't understand where that location is. My dad is actually good at reading maps, and used to plot out our family vacations. But in this case He couldn't understand this one. I also tried finding it with my GPS, and that didn't work either. So currently I don't even know where they are flying now.
Our local hobby shop is not in good condition. The person who runs the place is already retired, and He's talked about closing shop, so that him and his wife can travel more. If that happens I might even be able to continue buying fuel for my planes anyways.
In the next year or so, my parents are planning on moving. Since I am not married, and they are the only family and friends I have, I will be moving with them. After that I don't know if I'm going to continue in the hobby at all, or just a little bit with some of the smaller models that I already fly at the school, I clean.
Anyways that should give you an overview of why I'm not apart of the local flying club.
