What did you fly today?

[Shirty]

Just a quick little story from my club today. We had a family turn up with their terminally ill dad, who only has a few weeks to live. He just wanted to see some planes fly. So everyone at the field today stopped what they were doing, and we put on a little airshow just for this family. He can't stand so we set him up on a chair next to the flightline, and I commentated the flights for him and his family, whilst my clubmates flew everything from cubs to jets, just for them. Funnily enough, he loved the cubs best lol. Anyway, was nice to make a small difference for this family, and they loved it. His son sent me a thank you email and said his dad still hasn't got the smile off his face. Was awesome to see all my clubmates step up and help out, and basically give the field over to this family for a hour. Just another reason I love this hobby so much. :)

[TiredIronGRB]

Just a quick little story from my club today. We had a family turn up with their terminally ill dad, who only has a few weeks to live. He just wanted to see some planes fly. So everyone at the field today stopped what they were doing, and we put on a little airshow just for this family. He can't stand so we set him up on a chair next to the flightline, and I commentated the flights for him and his family, whilst my clubmates flew everything from cubs to jets, just for them. Funnily enough, he loved the cubs best lol. Anyway, was nice to make a small difference for this family, and they loved it. His son sent me a thank you email and said his dad still hasn't got the smile off his face. Was awesome to see all my clubmates step up and help out, and basically give the field over to this family for a hour. Just another reason I love this hobby so much. :)

I love this, this is how all clubs should be :)

[F106DeltaDart]

Incredible story Shirty, totally agree that more clubs should follow your example. Fantastic effort for the club to help out this man and his family!

[Oxotnik]

Great story, Shirty. Thanks for sharing!!

I have a similar human-condition story from yesterday. I'd bought a 17" ProBoat Recoil the day before. My wife and I are visiting her parents in a small East Texas town. The weather broke enough for us to go the city park. My wife and I, and the boat and a UMX brushless P-51, went to the park. A grandpa and his 6-year-old grandson were at the park, feeding the ducks. When I pulled out my boat, little Landen came running over and asked if he could drive my boat. The boat is virtually indestructible in open water, so I let him. While Landen and I were boating, the grandfather was telling my wife that Landen's mother had been killed in car wreck not long ago and that the grandparents while keeping Landen while his Dad worked to make ends meet. Very sad, but Grandpa was obviously a very loving grandfather. Once Landen got the hang of the boat, he piloted the boat pretty well- throttle management was awful but he turned it well and never ran into the shore or any brush along the shoreline. He was smiling ear-to-ear as we ran 5 batteries through the boat. When, I pulled out my UMX Mustang, Landen also offered to fly it for me. Unfortunately, I had to decline that kind offer. Landen really loved the "loopty loops, twisty turns, and back flips." After doing a double snap roll, Landen made me do a triple, forcing me actually use some elevator to keep the nose up. LOL
When Landen's grandpa called for them to head home and told Landen to tell me thank you, Little Landen ran over and gave me a huge bear hug. I jotted down some info for child-proof boats like mine for Grandpa, and he plans to get Landen an RC boat of his own. It was such a treat to have brightened the child's day.

[RCjetdude]

Excellent stories guys. Very heart warming to hear. Thanks for sharing.

[Shirty]

Awesome oxo. Good on you mate.

[Aros]

That's wonderful Shirty, thank you for sharing.

[jackcutrone]

Stories like Shirty's and Ox's are inspiring -

Jack

[Grossman56]

Good on you Shirty, man if we all could have the opportunity to put a smile on a strangers face just by doing what we love, wouldn't we be better people. I agree with Jack, very inspirational, thanks for that:Cool::Cool::Cool:

Grossman56

[PappaBear]

A great story Shirty, thank you for sharing it with us. Just goes to prove you never actually know when an ordinary day at the field turns into something special.

Martin.

[Shirty]

Thanks fellas. We get a lot of people visit out field as it's the state centre for aero modelling. Buses with people from retirement homes, disabled people etc. it's pretty common at our place, especially on the weekends. As we are in a big national park, there is a visitors centre, train and kids rides, (you can hear the train whistle in some of my vids), a small zoo with Aussie wildlife, a museum, some shops with souvenirs etc, and we are next to the off-road rc buggy club (50 meters), the state shooting centre, archery centre, walking tracks and so on - so it brings a lot of people out our way. It's great to show these people the hobby we all love, I really enjoy it. Especially the little disabled or sick kids with cancer etc. The looks on the kids faces makes it totally worth it. I personally find it very rewarding, and since I'm the clubs pr manager, I usually organise these things, and for the most part, everyone at my club gets behind it. It's good to give back, even if it's just a tiny thing like flying our planes. :-)

[Aros]

That is really great Shirty. There's no small acts of kindness if you think of it like The Butterfly Effect. So it's a wonderful thing.

As for me, my flight wasn't so wonderful. The flight itself was fine but when I set up to land, here comes someone in their golf cart rolling up towards me on the runway. DOH!! So I went around and knowing LVC was imminent, I tried to land the opposite way but that wasn't going to work either so I came back around for my normal landing sequence and they were yapping up a storm, I was completely distracted so she came in ultra hot and bounced her like a newbie's first day. Looked worse from my vantage point than it really was. The venue I was flying at had some employees milling about and he was telling me I couldn't fly because of the work they were doing to get the venue ready for the Summer concerts.

I tried the school first but of course it's an all day baseball extravaganza. Boy how I long for some of the wide open places I see a lot of folks fly at. TI, when can I move in? :)

[Shirty]

Nice flying though mate. You sure do pick some spots with plenty of obstacles to hit lol. Bags the bottom bunk at TI's...

[Aros]

Nice flying though mate. You sure do pick some spots with plenty of obstacles to hit lol. Bags the bottom bunk at TI's...

Thanks...That's the problem my friend, the Great Pacific Northwest is nothing BUT obstacles! :Angry::Scared::Sweating::Crying2:

[Oxotnik]

I had great day at the field today. The winds were low and a lot of folks showed up to fly. I flew my Freewing F-86 twice, FlightLine P-38 twice, Freewing FW-190A thrice, and Durafly Das Ugly Stik 4 times. Below are the two videos that I took today. The flying was very uninspiring, I'll admit.

For the last few flights, the F-86 has been dropping out the motor for just a second as I'm coming out of a turn. I don't loose control, but the motor audibly blips off. If it wasn't for the audible loss of motor, I'd never know that it was happening. It usually occurs 3 or 4 times a flight. So, on this flight, I was flying pretty easily, trying to figure out what is going on. There were two or three drop-outs, but the video doesn't pick them up (and I don't say anything... but, I wish that I would have). The first F-86 landing was a greaser, but this one was a bit hard (of course, because the camera was running... :Angry: )

This video is pilot POV in my P-38. Again, the flying wasn't that inspiring. I was being a little careful, because one of my props was unbalanced. And of course, the landing was a bit hard, too. I didn't bounce it, but it wasn't a gentle touchdown either.

[Aros]

The first F-86 landing was a greaser, but this one was a bit hard (of course, because the camera was running... :Angry: )

As you know the very best greasers we have are when the video camera isn't recording! LOL LOL

[jackcutrone]

As you know the very best greasers we have are when the video camera isn't recording! LOL LOL

Amen to that brother.

[Oxotnik]

As you know the very best greasers we have are when the video camera isn't recording! LOL LOL

LOL Just like the big fish that got away. LOL

[F106DeltaDart]

Flew 9 flights on my AH-6 Little Bird today. Had the FMS P-51B out at the field but I forgot to bring the battery tray, figures.. Did get some cool in flight shots of the Little Bird though.

[RCjetdude]

I actually flew it yesterday :Yawn: but got the maiden in on my A-10. Love the Little Bird DD. :Cool:

https://youtu.be/5LCuiDsrE4w