Beautifully put Jeremy.

I will tell you guys my story.

Ever since I laid my hands on the first MS Simulator, way back in the eighties, I got hooked on planes. From then on, I bought all the flight sims that have come out. To the point that I had to sacrifice, one way or another, in order to upgrade or change my computer along the way. I have always joked that if I was ever on a plane and a pilot was need, I would be able to do it. Fortunately that chance has not come. The irony is that I hate flying for real, so my love for airplanes could only to be expressed in the computer. Back then, little did I know that RC planes existed. Anyways, my first experience with models came in the early 90's when, under a bad advice from my cousin, I bought a Mustang kit. When I got home and opened the box and all I saw was wood I said to myself "sh%t what did I just do." Advance to 2002 and here is where all the fun starts. My girlfiend's sister's husband was in the hobby and several times had invited me to join him. For one reason or another I never did go, until one day I finally call him and ask him what I needed to buy to start flying. A couple of hours later the Tower order went through and two weeks later we were at the field starting up the engine, it was a Duraplane with an OS 46 LA, by the way. The feeling I got when I saw that ugly plane take-off in the hands of my friend was amazing. When he finally passed me the radio my hands were shaking. I still remember that feeling. A couple of weekends later I was practicing approaches for my first landing. The anticipation was killing me. A couple of bounces later the Duraplane had landed. WHAT A FEELING!!!!!! I started jumping and shouting. I must have looked like a fool but I did not care, I had just landed a plane. I still remember that day. Along the way I have bought, sold, crashed a lot of planes and I can say that the worst feelings I have had when one of my planes crashed was when my hands had nothing to do with it. It's a very different feeling when I did a manouver and could not get out it and the plane crashes than when someone turns their radio on your frequency and the plane crashes. The feeling is kind off being impotent. Your plane just crashed and you had nothing to with it. It really really sucks. Fortunately the guy who did it was and still is, a good friend mine and immediately, no questions asked, offered to repay me. Of course this helps but it does not change the fact that my plane just crashed. To read that we jet guys are elitists and what not, boils my blood. How dare they say that if we can afford to fly them we can afford to crash them. Do you even know me? Do you know what I had to do to afford it? What "cojones" those guys have. As I do not personally know anyone of you guys in this "elitist" group, all I have to go on is what you guys post in the forums. Through those posts I have come to "know" many of you, especially the heavy posters, and it is my opinion that you guys are as tight as they come. You defend one another, give very good advice, offer suggestions, offer a hand, etc etc. Point is: you guys are there when someone cries for help and THAT is what makes you guys "elitists."

Regards

Alex