I got my love for miniature, flying airplanes when my Dad brought me to the local hobby shop when I was 9 or 10 years old. Unfortunately, he was dis-abled in a mining accident and we were on social assistance so we could look, but couldn't buy. His injuries did him in when I was 13. That spring, during final exams, if you did well enough on your mid-term, you got an automatic pass to the next grade. So when everyone else was doing exams, us nerds were instructed to go to the local hobby shop and pick up a free, "package". It consisted of your choice of a Guillows kit to build. All of the necessary tools and glue and pins etc. were provided. The building board was a soft, paper type ceiling tile. Worked great.

The girls got to do embroidery. Two of those girls insisted on building models and that wasn't a problem for anyone.

The teacher was a private pilot and the school board provided the funds.

That Fall, I entered High School and while walking home on my first day, I came upon an amazing sight. An older man and his son were loading up a collection of free-flight planes. You bet, I stopped to chat and off I went with them to the local, flying site which was an old, tailings area. In the mining industry, "tailings" is what's called the muck that they discharge after the gold bearing rock is crushed and the gold extracted. It's like quicksand, off limits to man and beast. But when the tailings mature, (20 to 30 years) they become firm and accessible and smooth, just like a salt flats.

We never had to cut any ole grass, we parked on the other side of a creek and crossed a make shift bridge. The "pits" were set up according to the wind direction, this WAS free-flight after all.


We had a half dozen flyers for many years, some would leave, new fellows would join us, all by word of mouth. By then, that hobby shop closed,,,, it was a combo toy and hobby shop, was there for decades and the owner simply retired.

I wondered why there wasn't a club and was told, no need, what more could you want?

Well, by my early 20s, I decided we should have a club and with just two more agreeing, we formed that first club. I did my stint as Prez for a half dozen years and by then, our numbers had grown to 15 with 5 regular die-hards. You all know how that works,,, seems like that's the way it is, all over the world. And that's OK.

My story is likely very typical, it was the 60s and 70s and the world was VERY much different back then.

Exposure to the hobby has grown by leaps and bounds not possible to imagine back then. The Internet and Youtube and social media is what drives much of that exposure. What youngster could't HELP but be inspired by the offerings on YT about our hobby. In the old days, static pictures in a magazine really didn't do justice to what we love to do. Imagine a ten year old coming across one of the pros in heli 3D flying on Youtube. Or the incredible, scale meets and monster scale, 3D planes.

Those youngsters will pick up the typical, Walmart offerings and get a small taste. That can easily become a craving for more. I've seen it first hand, at the local park. The next thing you know, they're at the local hobby shop, selecting one of the offerings and yes, many times it will be a plug and fly. From there, after learning to fly, they may go on to other thigs but can just as likely want to get more invovlved. Assemble an ARF. Maybe one day, build a kit.

Personally, I think that things have changed for the better and it doesn't really NEED a club. There are a great many small towns with populations too small for a local hobby shop OR a club. Most of these towns will have a park or even empty lots. And all it takes is one adult who loves indoor RC and the kids will flock to the local gym, once the word gets around.

It was great back then, and it's STILL great.

Just enjoy, be happy.