I fell in love with RC flight at 14, and I've kept a transmitter in my hands for more than three decades. I sold every toy I owned to buy my first airplane—a Thundercore .40 that was wildly underpowered but full of promise. There was no buddy-box back then—just a mentor ready to grab the radio and hope for a save. I learned the hard way, and I've loved every minute.
As a dad, I have tried my best to follow my son's passions. He's a builder, creator, and inventor. Autism has played a part in his ability to hyperfocus and his will to answer his "What if?" questions. We found a registered field for RC planes on Oahu and have been guided by the kindest crew of guys.
Retired pilots, engineers, current pilots, and others, the Pacific Islanders Flyers have taken my son under their wings and motivated him more than I could ever do. My son, Aiden, now teaches other children how to fly three times a year on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor.
I have been flying model aircraft for 50 years. I proposed to my wife with a Sig 1/3-scale Spacewalker.
I was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts—a poor kid with a funny French last name. Little did I know that three famous gallic aviators would pique my imagination and shape my destiny.
Louis Blériot, the first to fly across the English Channel in 1909. As a wee child, I pictured myself sitting in the bottom of his daring creation, waving at the peasants below as I flew over the white cliffs.
Later, I read Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's exciting stories of daring flights that I replicated in my dreams.
I started modeling at age 6, and I'm now 83 and still active. After graduating from MIT with a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics, I spent 8 years in the Aerospace industry but then escaped to spend 35 years professionally designing model aircraft and toys.
My dad owned Walls Hobby Shop in San Jose, so model airplanes have been in my life since birth: solid models, static plastic models, Control Line, Free Flight, R/C, indoors, and outdoors. I fly full-size airplanes, too. Model flying was put on hold while I raced motorcycles and started a family.
My father got me into RC in 1986. I loved all forms of flying, but I really caught the bug for Pattern competition. 2026 will be my 40th year of flying RC. I have made many friends along the way and always have a great time at the field.
It was a trip to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, that got me started in modeling radio control aircraft. After the inspiration of the Wright brothers, and learning that there were kits, engines, and radios that could be put together to fly my own plane, I was thrilled and jumped right into it. I built my first kit and taught myself how to fly. The learning curve was steep and super exciting!
From the beginning, safety was my number one priority. So, when I learned about AMA and the insurance it provided, I joined and have been a member ever since.
I have been an AMA member since 1984. That is over 40 years of being part of a tremendous organization. I am proud of that.
I grew up with machines, had my first airplane ride in a J3 in the spring of 1956 (third grade), and got hooked. The first time I got my hands on an airplane was the spring of 1966, in a Cherokee C 140. I got hooked even more.
I tried college twice, but it didn't agree with me. I was a Chinese translator for Uncle Sam (US ARMY, 14th ASA FS, Hakata, Japan) from '69-'72. I spent years in "the trades," including automotive, electronic, HVAC, and then went into teaching math (and an elective, model aviation!) at a middle school.
