Flying High with Model Planes

Burt Dumond assembles his plane onsite.

David Skillings' TW-5 Navy VT-16 on the tarmac

Ray Labonte's sleek jet.

Seth Dixon with just one of his planes.

It was a beautiful, clear morning with light wind, and one by one, members of the Sky Streakers R/C club arrived . . . eager, focused, and ready to fly.

Remote control aircraft. This is a hobby that allows for craftsmanship and skill on many levels, and can range in cost from under a hundred to thousands of dollars, attracting all ages.

The youngest "pilot" we encountered was 11-year-old Seth Dixon who builds his own planes with help from his dad. They had at least three planes built from scratch (no kits for these two) using plans they found online. And they were beauties . . . gliding, rising, and swooping under Seth's deft control.

Burt Dumond and Ray Labonte from Ray & Robin's Hobby Center were onsite. Burt, who usually goes for model helicopters, came out today with his first model plane; Ray was there with his super sleek (and super fast) sport jet; and David Skillings took flight with his TW-5 Navy VT-16.

Clubs like the Sky Streakers offer camaraderie, experience, and buddy-box remote control training (recommended for your first flight). If you're interested, look for a club in your area.

And the next time you hear the buzz of a plane, look up(!), it could be a quarter size model of the real thing.