From the beginning. How did you start flying RC?

[jtec/radiowave]

I had my first successful RC plane in 1965, I was 12 years old. It was a Goldberg Falcon 56 with a OS 15. My dad and I use to do some control line flying before that. My brother in law was playing around with R/C flying escapement ( that's rubber band powered servos for you new guys) not very successful but got us hooked. At that time most RC radios were nothing like today. There was escapement ( rubber band ) Reed ( lots of switches on a transmitter. no gimbals or sticks) Galloping ghost. Sort of controlled flutter. (all the surfaces moved constantly by moving the stick the control surface would slew more to the direction you pushed the stick) and if you had lots of money proportional radio ( basically what controls today's radios ) We basically taught ourselves how to fly. We had a cemetery close by that had no occupants. My dad and I would take turns hand launching the plane without power on and glide it back to the ground. Then we did it with power. One day my Pop didn't land but flew around and then landed. We were now RC PILOTS!!!!! LOL FYI: I remember my Dad coming home one day with a Kraft 4 channel radio. It was 1967. He paid $500.00 for it back then. There was no such thing as servo reversing or expo, just 4 servos you had to figure with way to mount so it would go in the proper direction. Things have changed since then!! LOL

I had a pretty success career in the aerospace industry but somehow it took a turn and went into the direction of R/C. I have been in the R/C business for the last 25 yrs. Today with my son Kevin we own and operate JTEC/RADIOWAVE. JTEC is a muffler manufacturer that started in 1956. We purchased the company in 1999. RADIOWAVE was the name of our hobby shop in the early 1990's. When we started manufacturing planes we intended to put them under the RADIOWAVE banner. I can say R/C has had a pretty outstanding effect on my and my family's life.

AL Young

 

[Terryscustom]

I was 32 years old, burned to a crisp mentally from working 16 hour days for a few years in a row. I had some money in the bank so I Googled "radio controlled airplanes".

Man, I'm really screwed now and loving every minute of it!!!

 

[stangflyer]

I was 32 years old, burned to a crisp mentally from working 16 hour days for a few years in a row. I had some money in the bank so I Googled "radio controlled airplanes".

Man, I'm really screwed now and loving every minute of it!!!

Bet you didn't think you would be custom building when you began huh? LOL

 

[doublea]

This is great guys.

 

[Xpress]

It all started back in 2000 I believe it was, when my dad brought me and my brother by a Hobby People hobby shop (I believe it was called Hobby Shack at the time). I remember ogling over a TwinStar airplane sitting on the shelf, thinking it was the coolest toy ever. Since then I was basically hooked into the hobby. Later that year my parents bought me my first airplane, a Wattage Wind Cruiser:



It was a basic 2 channel airplane with only throttle and rudder control, but nonetheless it got me into the air. I only had ah andful of successful flights with it before it became too damaged to fly anymore, but I was hooked real deep, and knew I wanted another almost right away. It wouldn't be for another year or 2 before I got my next airplane, which was an actual real RC airplane, not just a basic 2 channel toy: A Hobby Shack Schoolboy, an airplane which I still have to this day (and may make into an electric if I'm feeling like it). I was never able to successfully take off and land that airplane since I had help from an instructor, but I did get to fly it a few times before the main wing spar snapped mid flight when my instructor was bringing it around to land.

From there it would be yet another year or so before I had another airplane, this time a .60 size fugly stick (I think it was a Model Tech Joss Stick, as they called it). That would be the airplane I would solo on and kickoff my endless modelling addiction as I now know it. It was unfortunate that I was still flying on an analog transmitter with analog trim sliders, because one day I neglected to check my elevator trim. Turns out, these airplanes don't like full down trim, so into the canyon of no return it plunged. I still have that airplane and the Schoolboy, just merely for nostalgic reasons.

That is basically how I got my start. After that ugly stick I found myself into 3D airplanes with another ModelTech (Magic Extra 3D I think it was called) which obviously tumbles downwind fast, since now I'm totally hooked on 3D flying.

 

[Robotech]

I flew the old Cox control line stuff back in the late sixties but got out after I got a whiff of gas and ......... and .......... girls. Flash forward 25 years and I got a call from a local hobby shop for some IT work (Advance Hobby in Monticello, AR). I walked in the store and *POOF* it was all over. Planes hanging from the ceiling, engines, kits, everything you can imagine. Needless to say he came out way on the plus side over the years as far as exchanging money.

 

[MSColan]

Ever since I was a toddler, I would sit around the workshop watching my grandfather work on his airplanes. When I was four he lead me around the circle with a CL airplane. I loved it! I didn't get to fly any model planes again until I was 9 when my grandfather bought me a .40 size trainer. I flew it for most of the flying season in the northeast until I crashed it. That winter he got me another one and I was able to fly on my own without much help, although that plane crashed once again. During that time, I started learning to fly CL as well. I ended up dropping out of RC and began competing in CL, competing at the NATS and Team Trials. I got back into RC when I came down to Daytona for college in 2012. I began learning how to fly 3D and it's been going strong ever since! I've gone from that 40 size glow trainer to an Extremeflight 91" Yak that is sitting at my house in VT waiting to put together! I still compete in CL, and love it, but RC gives me a nice break from the competitive side of things.

 

[garlandk]

Started going out to the field when I was 6. Granddad use to always bring me out. Started flying at 7 and solo at 8. Came home from AZ Friday for Thanksgiving and I showed my Granddad what new planes I am getting into and talked about my UAV job...he mentioned to me yesterday I came a long way since flying the Butter Fly with a OS25 LA on it. One of the first R/C planes I flew was a butterfly which was basically a glider with a glow engine on board... He barely flies anymore now and ask me the other day what I wanted to do with all of our old school planes...I said you better not get rid of one....There is a lot of great memories in our old barn.

 

[stangflyer]

I flew the old Cox control line stuff back in the late sixties but got out after I got a whiff of gas and ......... and .......... girls. Flash forward 25 years and I got a call from a local hobby shop for some IT work (Advance Hobby in Monticello, AR). I walked in the store and *POOF* it was all over. Planes hanging from the ceiling, engines, kits, everything you can imagine. Needless to say he came out way on the plus side over the years as far as exchanging money.

Oh heck yeah.... I'd have done the same thing. "No honey, we didn't make much on the repairs at the hobby shop. But I "DID" get a really nice plane". LOL

 

[Mark Harper]

I flew cox control line planes in the early 70's. in the middle of the road! It's a wonder we never killed anybody. Then around 1976 when I was 15 my uncle from Florida came to visit for a week. He brought a Dirty Birdy pattern plane with him and flew it at the local football field. Thats when the bug bit. I've been in and out of the hobby since then but keep coming back. I think I'm in it to stay this time. I'm going to have to reduce inventory though, or get a bigger house!