rcdude07
12-22-2009, 07:51 PM
Hello, my name is Nick and I have a problem. I'm addicted to R/C aviation. ::tonguee:
I've been involved with R/C aviation my whole life. My dad got involved in the hobby in the 70's, I was born in the mid 80's and would go to the field as a kid and watch my dad fly. Club members and the local hobby shop watched me grow up. I would also sit and watch/help my dad in his many building projects. He always had a plane on the bench in progress. I started to dabble with learning to fly sometime around the age of 6. We tried some sort of powered glider and it didn't work out. Around age 8 Dad purchased a .40 sized Tower Hobbies Trainer and off I went. We didn't have the buddy box technology at the time so I learned by resting my thumbs on his thumbs and eventually taking over the sticks with his thumbs near by in an emergency. Around age 10 or so I soloed. At the time we were flying with the Greensboro, NC, club. I moved up to a .40 sized Big Stick. The pieces of the plane were cut out from Dad's old kit pieces and plans. I built the plane as part of the Aviation Merit Badge in the Boy Scouts (I reached the rank of Eagle). Some time around 1996 or so, we moved club membership to the High Point, NC, (CCRC) club to have a more open airspace for flying. I moved up to a House of Balsa .40 sized Extra 300 which my dad didn't like and had put in the attic. After crashing this plane beyond repair (loss orientation due to dark wings) I was left with my trainer and Big Stick. Christmas of 2000 I received the Great Planes .60 Extra 300S. Took me almost a year to build due to school and being in High School. I mastered this plane and Dad scratch built a Sirex Wasp fun fly from plans on the internet and I covered it in with Monokote. During my time in High School at CCRC I was a certified club instructor and would help take people's planes up if they wanted a little help after first soloing or almost ready to solo. People weren't too fond of a kid teaching them how to do something. During high school my dad and I were at the field almost every Friday afternoon during daylight hours. I went off to college and bought Real Flight G2 to keep my fingers in shape. We'd fly some when I was home from breaks. In 2007 I bought the Blade CP because I wanted something I could fly on campus and wanted to get into Helicopters. I upgraded to Real Flight G4.5 in 2008. In 2009 I recieved the ParkZone Ultra Micro Sukhoi. I currently live in Morrisville, NC, and fly at the Morrisville Community park when the weather permits. There's 3 nice AMA sanctioned clubs in the area, but I haven't joined since my nitros are at my parents due to my lack of storage space and support gear. I hope by the end of the year to have my nitros with me and in a larger facility. When at the local field, I'm always one of those trying to help someone else, especially if they are alone and need someone to hold a plane or spot. I failed to mention all the different aircraft my dad has built during the years and my little experience with them, but to this day I'm always coaching my dad in on his landings. I also got some experience with Airtronics radio gear, as this was my dad's choice in his planes.
As you can see, I am most experienced with glow engines. And to me nothing beats the sound of a good running 4-stroke.
My current hangar consists of the following aircraft:
- Great Planes .60 Extra 300S, Saito .91 (4-stroke), Futaba TX6A (will be converted to Spectrum 2.4GHz)
- Sirex Wasp FunFly, SuperTigre .45 (2-stroke), Futaba TX6A (will be converted to Spectrum 2.4GHz)
- Blade CP, stock, stock E-Flite 72MHz TX
- ParkZone Ultra Micro Sukhoi, stock, Spectrum DX6i
I look forward to being able to help anyone in the Raleigh/Cary/Apex area of North Carolina. I can also help point people to clubs in their local area of NC, especially the Greensboro/High Point/Kernersville/Winston-Salem area of NC as well.
I've been involved with R/C aviation my whole life. My dad got involved in the hobby in the 70's, I was born in the mid 80's and would go to the field as a kid and watch my dad fly. Club members and the local hobby shop watched me grow up. I would also sit and watch/help my dad in his many building projects. He always had a plane on the bench in progress. I started to dabble with learning to fly sometime around the age of 6. We tried some sort of powered glider and it didn't work out. Around age 8 Dad purchased a .40 sized Tower Hobbies Trainer and off I went. We didn't have the buddy box technology at the time so I learned by resting my thumbs on his thumbs and eventually taking over the sticks with his thumbs near by in an emergency. Around age 10 or so I soloed. At the time we were flying with the Greensboro, NC, club. I moved up to a .40 sized Big Stick. The pieces of the plane were cut out from Dad's old kit pieces and plans. I built the plane as part of the Aviation Merit Badge in the Boy Scouts (I reached the rank of Eagle). Some time around 1996 or so, we moved club membership to the High Point, NC, (CCRC) club to have a more open airspace for flying. I moved up to a House of Balsa .40 sized Extra 300 which my dad didn't like and had put in the attic. After crashing this plane beyond repair (loss orientation due to dark wings) I was left with my trainer and Big Stick. Christmas of 2000 I received the Great Planes .60 Extra 300S. Took me almost a year to build due to school and being in High School. I mastered this plane and Dad scratch built a Sirex Wasp fun fly from plans on the internet and I covered it in with Monokote. During my time in High School at CCRC I was a certified club instructor and would help take people's planes up if they wanted a little help after first soloing or almost ready to solo. People weren't too fond of a kid teaching them how to do something. During high school my dad and I were at the field almost every Friday afternoon during daylight hours. I went off to college and bought Real Flight G2 to keep my fingers in shape. We'd fly some when I was home from breaks. In 2007 I bought the Blade CP because I wanted something I could fly on campus and wanted to get into Helicopters. I upgraded to Real Flight G4.5 in 2008. In 2009 I recieved the ParkZone Ultra Micro Sukhoi. I currently live in Morrisville, NC, and fly at the Morrisville Community park when the weather permits. There's 3 nice AMA sanctioned clubs in the area, but I haven't joined since my nitros are at my parents due to my lack of storage space and support gear. I hope by the end of the year to have my nitros with me and in a larger facility. When at the local field, I'm always one of those trying to help someone else, especially if they are alone and need someone to hold a plane or spot. I failed to mention all the different aircraft my dad has built during the years and my little experience with them, but to this day I'm always coaching my dad in on his landings. I also got some experience with Airtronics radio gear, as this was my dad's choice in his planes.
As you can see, I am most experienced with glow engines. And to me nothing beats the sound of a good running 4-stroke.
My current hangar consists of the following aircraft:
- Great Planes .60 Extra 300S, Saito .91 (4-stroke), Futaba TX6A (will be converted to Spectrum 2.4GHz)
- Sirex Wasp FunFly, SuperTigre .45 (2-stroke), Futaba TX6A (will be converted to Spectrum 2.4GHz)
- Blade CP, stock, stock E-Flite 72MHz TX
- ParkZone Ultra Micro Sukhoi, stock, Spectrum DX6i
I look forward to being able to help anyone in the Raleigh/Cary/Apex area of North Carolina. I can also help point people to clubs in their local area of NC, especially the Greensboro/High Point/Kernersville/Winston-Salem area of NC as well.