My late father was a lifelong free flight modeler. As the years took their toll, I finally convinced him it was time to get into R/C. One of his first R/C models was a converted free flight old timer called the War Baby. This simple cabin model was powered by an English Diesel motor and controlled (sort of) by an antique Digit Midget single channel rudder only radio. After a couple of trim flights, the model proved to be docile and easy to fly. Now it was Dad's turn. He fueled the engine, fired it up and set it down on the runway for an ROG takeoff. True to it's heritage the War Baby roared straight down the centerline and lifted off majestically into a climbing right turn. Dad stood up and assumed the stance of most beginners, transmitter held at arms length, head high. It was then he mumbled something like, "I forgot to turn the receiver on!". We were flying from a small patch of asphalt, next to a fenced farmers field. It was late August, and the field was full of thistles. I gave chase, ripping my shirt open climbing over/under the barbed wire fence. Through the thistles I dashed, collecting a lifetime supply of stickers, trying to keep up with the rapidly climbing model. As I neared the end of the field, and the fence on the other side, the models engine quit. It dropped into a smooth flat glide, circling to the left, and drifting back towards the launch point. As God is my witness, the darn thing cleared the near fence, and made a perfect landing not 10 feet from the point of launch! All I could say as I sat down picking stickers out of my socks was "Dad, maybe you don't need to fly R/C after all!" Its a true story, honest!

That story is too funny. I am still laughing. I can just picture someone running after a plane through the thistles. That's great.

I'm beginning to think that we can take all of these posts and make a book out of them. Title it "What You Don't Want to do When You Get Ready To Fly."