I just turned 71 years old today. I have loved airplanes since about 4 years old. I started flying GA planes at 12 and soloed at 16. I started a family in the early 20s, so I had to put airplanes on hold. Airplanes have been a big part of my life. I will never forget my ride in a B-17 "Aluminum Overcast." I started flying RC airplanes full time 2.5 years ago.
I have been flying since I was 7 years old. I started with rubber band-together TD Control Line models and then moved onto larger Flight Streak-type Ukies. I left the hobby for 35 years for a career in commercial photography but came back with the encouragement of an old flying buddy. I am currently engaged in RC Scale, Pattern, and Sport. I teach a class at my local senior center called "Build it Fly it." I still keep building and flying them at age 78, and I have dragged a few others along for the glorious ride.
I am 67 years old and graduated high school in 1976. I worked as a welder for 20-odd years, transitioned to ASME Code Quality Control, and then was hired by an authorized inspection agency providing code inspection services to non-nuclear and nuclear fabricators and power plant operators. I recently retired after 13 years as the resident ASME Section XI Code inspector at Farley Nuclear Power Plant near Dothan, Alabama.
İbrahim Yavuz Dal is an academic and air sports expert born in Eskişehir. He has worked for many years as a lecturer at Anadolu University and Eskişehir Technical University, specializing in sports sciences and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. Throughout his academic journey, he earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and sports teaching, a master's degree in sports sciences, and a doctorate in sports management and recreation. His research has made significant contributions, particularly in the field of recreational aviation.
I have been flying since I was about 5 years old. My dad got me hooked with Control Line, and soon I was flying Pattern events and even winning or at least placing in events. Once I became a teenager, I followed other interests, but I came back to flying about 15 years ago.
I am a contest director, and I received my turbine waiver going on five years ago. Putting on events and bringing people together, along with helping others, has been my passion. I am a BVM Jets rep, and my family and I enjoy traveling to events and meeting new people.
I'm 60 and have always been fascinated with RC airplanes. Finally, at 57 years old, I joined a club and started flying. Less than a year after learning to fly, I was diagnosed with throat and lung cancer. I haven't flown in a while because of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, but I look forward to getting back into it this coming summer.
To me, I have always thought that to live a good life, you should be a part of something bigger than yourself; however, one needs to contribute time, money, energy, or something of value to be that most important part.
My name is Katie Pates, and I live in Dearborn, Michigan. I started flying RC planes when I was 13. My grandpa would build the planes, and I would fly them. I flew until I was 18, and then life took me in another direction. When my 40th birthday came around a couple years ago, I thought I would start flying again and I pretty much picked up where I left off. I'm not good at building, so I buy and fly the pre-made foam planes and they are just as fun as the balsa kits were!
I began flying Cox U-control in the early sixties on eastern Long Island. Then I joined the USAF in June 1970 going thru basic in Lackland AFB and weapons tech school at Lowry AFB sent in January 1971 to Nakhon Phanom RTAFB Thailand 456th MMS A-1 Gunshop working on the A-1 E/H/J prop planes.
I am in a family of model flyers. My 93-year-old uncle flew strings 'dogfights' before I was born. My first gas plane was a plastic, stringed, yellow .049 P-51 Mustang in 1973.
I built my first balsa windup in 1973, a stick windup then a 3D balsa windup. We then built the Spirit of St. Louis 4' balsa windup.
When I joined the military, I built and flew my first RC plane in 1985. Fast forward to recently, and I bought my first helicopter, an articulated contra-rotator.
