Howdy from sunny West Burlington, IA

[cochise99]

I have begun the process of rejoining the R/C flying fraternity after a 36 year absence. It is amazing how things have changed. I began building my fathers original design rubber powered models........gluing balsa in 1957 with Ambroid cement and covering with wet silk and nitrate dope....in a 12 x 12 work shop in my parents cellar.....NOT a smart idea.
Time passed and I located in California. In 1980 I co created SEAM, the first AMA sanctioned special interest group for electric powered aircraft. I began flying SAM competition and got to meet many of the original designers of the models I was flying. The model I am holding in my profile photo is the second prototype Lesiure Electronics Playboy Cabin. I built it and flew it for 8 years. The shot was taken in Novato CA in 1981. I am anxious to have some fun chopping foam board.

 

[FastCrash45]

I have begun the process of rejoining the R/C flying fraternity after a 36 year absence. It is amazing how things have changed. I began building my fathers original design rubber powered models........gluing balsa in 1957 with Ambroid cement and covering with wet silk and nitrate dope....in a 12 x 12 work shop in my parents cellar.....NOT a smart idea.
Time passed and I located in California. In 1980 I co created SEAM, the first AMA sanctioned special interest group for electric powered aircraft. I began flying SAM competition and got to meet many of the original designers of the models I was flying. The model I am holding in my profile photo is the second prototype Lesiure Electronics Playboy Cabin. I built it and flew it for 8 years. The shot was taken in Novato CA in 1981. I am anxious to have some fun chopping foam board.

Welcome to the forum. That Leisure sure looks like a smooth flyer. Well built too! May your flights be long and your landings always soft!!

 

[Merv]

Welcome to the forums and welcome to the area. Check out the Tristate flyer group on FTgroups.com. You’ve got a nice club and flying site in Burlington, which I hope you join.

 

[cochise99]

Welcome to the forums and welcome to the area. Check out the Tristate flyer group on FTgroups.com. You’ve got a nice club and flying site in Burlington, which I hope you join.

Thank you Merv. I found the flying site and attended one of their meetings. A great bunch of guys, very friendly and eager to offer tips and help.

 

[cochise99]

Welcome to the forum. That Leisure sure looks like a smooth flyer. Well built too! May your flights be long and your landings always soft!!

Thank you FastCrash45..........I flew that plane in SAM Electric competition for 8 years............27 first place plaques and countless second and third. As far as I was concerned it out climbed and out glided it's pylon version............it was a thermal magnet.

 

[Jimun]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like it won't take you long to get back in, just updating with the technology that is out today.

 

[mayan]

Welcome to the forum, would love to see some of the planes that you have been flying in the past.

 

[cochise99]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like it won't take you long to get back in, just updating with the technology that is out today.

Thank you Jimun, I have watched nearly every Flight Test video I could find. Josh is a real pro with his videos. I have 6 boxes of Dollar Tree foam from another project that was gifted to me. Looks like I'll be slicing some foam soon.

 

[buzzbomb]

Welcome to the Forum Family @cochise99! This is where we generally encourage the new pilot and tell them they really want to start with a trainer. My personal favorite is the Tiny Trainer. Keep in mind, you've only got 27 first place plaques... Um. About that trainer? Maybe you can skip it.

Welcome again. I am looking forward to your first build. Please share pics and vid. We love pics and vid!

 

[cochise99]

Mayan, here are some photos back in the 1980's. The red Spitfire is a scale MK XIVe civilian owned called GFIRE that I scratch built to fly in the scale Warbird Pylon races in Phoenix AZ. I took second place in scale with it. The other photos are me and my son ( he is currently 43 years old) at a SAM contest in San Diego CA. The electric Playboy is in front and a .049 pylon version is being shaded by the 8' wing of the Texaco type model whose name escapes me at the moment.

 

[cochise99]

Welcome to the Forum Family @cochise99! This is where we generally encourage the new pilot and tell them they really want to start with a trainer. My personal favorite is the Tiny Trainer. Keep in mind, you've only got 27 first place plaques... Um. About that trainer? Maybe you can skip it.

Welcome again. I am looking forward to your first build. Please share pics and vid. We love pics and vid!

Thank you Buzzbomb. Back in the 1980's I was fortunate enough to be able to travel at my leisure. There were several SAM contests each month and I loved building and flying the converted Free Flight models so much.....I was possessed and had to attend as many as possible.
I was also fortunate to have several pros in my SAM club (SAM 49) willing to teach me how to fly climb and glide duration events and what model to build to be competitive in each of the 7+ "classes" flown at most events..
The Tiny Trainer was the first set of plans I downloaded. The days of my youth, 36+ years ago, are quite different from the old man of today in distance sight and hand eye coordination, that plane will suit me just fine. Of course I downloaded all the "Old Time" planes as well.