My way into this hobby was a little round-a-bout. Model aircraft fascinated me throughout my childhood, usually in the form of rubber power models, cheap electric free-flights and toy gliders of every shape and description. By early high school, I'd also grown a fascination with gas engines of any kind. I bought a couple Cox motors and regularly annoyed the neighbours by pushing clouds of glow smoke into their yards with a screaming .049.

Years passed, and more engines arrived, still no planes. The last straw was a Norvel Big Mig .061. It's such a beautiful engine, I knew this one would have to fly. It had made enough smoke in the basement and back yard (yes, I know better than to run engines in the basement....now...).

a happy thing happened, and a co-worker gave me the airframe for a 3 channel .25 size trainer, a very heavily kitbashed Aamco H-ray, bashed into something of an S-ray. I re-built it. The co-worker began flying electric aircraft, so we both joined the local club. I learned to fly.

I spent many hours soaking in the contents of various magazines, and found the plane I wanted that little Norvel to haul around, a Herr Aquastar. Very easy building kit, and with what I read on the forums, I made a buncha changes to it as well. Ailerons, bolt on wings, chine rails, upthrust, etc. Managed a couple flights with it my first year, but was always very nervous with it, it being my first 4 channel plane, and with a finnicky 1/2a engine.

The next plane was another gift from my flying co-worker, a Dynaflite Fun Scale Mustang 40. This would be my low wing and aileron trainer, LOL. Rebuilt her with an OS 46AX, and got her to the field early in my second year. Holy (*^&^%^, that's fast! Somehow, we both survived the year, and it's now been clocked at over 100mph. Made me a much better pilot (didn't have much choice!).

that second year also brought the Aquastar's first float fly, where it performed admirably, ROW ing with decent ease in less than ideal water conditions. I'd spent some time over the winter figuring out the finer points of Norvel tuning and had it running as well as could be asked for by this time. The little Aquastar has dozens of flights on it now.

The 4th and last plane in my hangar right now is a byron Pipe Dream, an old giant trainer, and its been flown 2x so far. I've grounded it for inadequate elevator servo power for the time being, but when I get parts, she'll be no trouble.

This is the beginning of my 3rd year flying, and this year I'm serving as a Jr. instructor with the club. Basically, I'm helping with new plane setups and preflights, doing much of the ground schooling and I'll be instructing in the air very soon.

To me, going to the field on Club night is a great time. I'm almost as happy to just chat with the guys as fly, and often the wife comes along with our 1 year old daughter and we picnic at the field. I've seldom encountered such a large group of people with so little need for ego stroking in my life. Great bunch.

J