Bob Underwood Box 40, St. Peters MO 63376
NewComers
This month's offering is quite unlike any of my previous columns. It is safe to say that for the most part it is directed to the adult NewComers, whether they have just found this hobby/sport or are returning to it after a period of inactivity. As you get into it, you may be inclined to feel one of several different ways. This could range from saying, "Nonsense!" to "Right on!" to "Ooh, I hadn't thought of that!"
What follows is gleaned from my experiences and from observing my fellow modelers' experiences. Some of this material repeats comments I made very early in this series. NewComers who read them then may have forgotten, and now after a year or so of activity may well find some material most relevant. "New" NewComers can put the thoughts in their data banks.
Some questions to ponder
Why did I get (do I want to be) involved with this hobby/sport of aeromodeling?
We live in an activity-impulsive society. Individuals tend to skip about, then commit their time and financial resources. Sometimes this is based on whims, fueled by experiences around us. This one is the result of a flood of media and advertising. It is suggested that you spend some time determining your motives and goals before committing those resources and time.
We've heard a vast variety of reasons for starting the hobby/sport:
- "I've always been fascinated by airplanes."
- "I'm trying to get my kid(s) interested in a healthy, learning-type activity."
- "I need something to take my mind off business and/or personal problems."
- "I was a full-scale pilot and lost my ticket because of medical reasons."
- "It looks like fun."
- "I'm a ham (amateur radio operator) and I'm intrigued by radio control." (Incidentally, it works the other way around as well.)
- "I want to build something with my hands."
- "I want to fly, but don't have the time and/or money for the big ones."
Give some thought to your motivation. This leads us to:
What do I want to achieve with this hobby/sport?
While this may seem to be another version of the first question, it isn't in most cases. For instance, if your motive was to learn to fly or to build, you will generally find that goal fulfilled within the first year. What then? There are, of course, many additional levels of skill which can be achieved, but these will require a new set of goals.
Perhaps your original motive included a recurring dream of masterfully maneuvering a complicated, multi-engined model. That dream alone may well be the carrot that keeps you moving forward. Maybe you have a competitive streak, triggered directly through your participation, or vicariously by watching others.
As you achieve some level of success in the early stages, formulate plans that will take you beyond.
How involved should I be?
This is a very personal question that has many possible answers. Certainly the available time and resources provide the governing factor. The reason for mentioning it here is to suggest careful consideration of the effect your activity level will have on those individuals around you. Your wife, children, and other family members are particularly critical factors you must put into the equation.
Aeromodeling is a little like the sport of track. You may be a part of a team, but the bulk of the activity is focused on individual performance. The building of the model, as well as the flying, occurs individually. As a result, you may find your wife and children isolated from the process. If the amount of time you devote to aeromodeling becomes disproportionate to quality family time, problems begin to surface. Over the years, I've watched a significant number of families undergo problems due to this factor.
Some years ago, I was invited to speak at a club banquet. During the meal and prior to my talk, my wife and I heard three wives of club members indicate a total rejection of the activity. The subject of my talk for the evening was how modeling activities had provided a total family outlet for the Underwoods! I know there were women at the banquet who were less than enamored with my comments.
How can I maintain peak interest?
This is the point at which you must assess your responses and combine the answers for the first three questions. It's partly noting past goals, reflecting on new challenges, and determining whether you are achieving satisfaction without harming other elements of your life. Once done, the direction that will enable you to maintain peak interest will become almost automatic.
If you proceed on the basis that the experience is purely recreational and make no effort to try and learn new skills and techniques beyond just boring holes in the sky, you will fade from the scene. I am convinced that 75% of the average flight of an RC model by the individual who has not given some thought to the subjects we've dealt with will be mindless. The person will simply be bringing the model back from some point in the sky where they hadn't intended to send it!
Try to make every flight have some element of "purposeful flight." This does not mean that you need to practice competition-style aerobatic maneuvers, but rather that you set some goal for at least a portion of the flight.
At this juncture in your development, competition can be a meaningful element. It provides a natural incentive that helps you maintain "peakness" for the activity. Check out Free Flight activity. Virtually all of those involved are competitive to some degree. The advantage is that the basic goal for their flight is duration. As a result they can be competitive themselves; a formal competition venue is not necessary. While it's true every flight they make may not have a watch on it, you can better believe that their "unofficial" internal clock is running and registering.
Does this mean that the bulk of the competitive-minded fliers gravitate toward Free Flight? Not at all! Rather, it is the nature of the flying and its goal that creates the situation. For the average RCer, no such built-in mechanism exists for the flight. It must be consciously manufactured by the modeler.
What can I expect to happen to my life as I participate in aeromodeling?
- You'll learn new skills and refine old ones. If you aren't inclined to continue learning throughout your life, then go find another outlet. Watching all the videos at the local video store (A to Zed) comes to mind.
- You'll meet some fascinating people. True, some of them are a little strange, but by and large the fraternity is populated by wonderful people. Any group you associate with will have its population of "interesting" individuals! Quite frankly, there are few other activities that will bring together such a varied cross-section of socioeconomic groups. Aeromodeling has something for every age and ability level!
- It's healthy!
- It's fun!
- It's challenging!
Being a pilot with your feet on the ground is well worth the effort. Just try to make certain that you embrace it with some element of thought and development of immediate and future goals. Otherwise, where is the nearest video store?
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
