As a child, our "flying farmer" neighbor's take-off path put him just 200 hundred feet or so from our house, roughly 150 feet in the air. The thrill of seeing him wave to me as his plane roared overhead started a lifelong love of aviation for me. Although I eventually went on to pursue my own aviation career, I began modeling much earlier.
"Graduating" from dime-store balsa gliders to Free Flight and Control Line models around the age of ten, I eventually began to fly Radio Control by the age of 14. Modeling has been my lifelong passion, and I never grow tired of it.
Today, over 50 years later, I still enjoy all types of RC planes, from sailplanes to helicopters to giant scale aerobatic/3D planes. For me, it is more than just a hobby. It's a way of life, and I love it!
The AMA has also been a big part of my modeling experience. I have served continually as a club officer for over 40 years, including the offices of Secretary, Safety Officer, Newsletter Editor, and President, as well as being an AMA Leader Member, Intro Pilot, and Instructor Pilot. I have served as the President of my current club for over 30 years.
