Breaking into the RC industry
I remember the moment I went from being an RC hobbyist to working in the RC industry. Some RC pilots want to keep their hobby a hobby, but for some of us, our dream is to do what we love for a living. The tricky part is figuring out how to make that happen.
I have been on the Internet since the early days, and when I started flying RC, posting on forums seemed like a natural thing to do. This eventually led to my first job in RC. My entry into the industry was the Web, but there are so many other ways to do it.
I was at the Southeastern Electric Flight Festival (SEFF) this year, taking photos with my friend Bildo, a user from RCGroups. He said, “Man, you’re living the dream!” That got me thinking about the different paths one could take to actually work in the hobby.
That leads to this month’s article. I was on the main flight line at Joe Nall this year thinking about how to approach this topic when the editor-in-chief of Model Aviation, Jay Smith, walked up and started talking to me. He was the perfect person to interview about how to break into the industry.
JG: How were you introduced to RC?
JS: My father got me started in the hobby at a young age. Some of my earliest memories are of the noisy engine break-in stand in the backyard. My mother was not a fan of the engine break-in process!
I was racing cars and boats and flying airplanes when I was six. One of the guys we raced cars with was Frankie Pupello. He was the equipment manager for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I had the opportunity to meet several players like Lee Roy Selmon and Ron Woodard and got to go to practice games. Occasionally the players would stop out and run the cars with us in the parking lot of a mall in Tampa, Florida.
The flying field we used early on became the high school that I later attended. When we lost that field, we joined a club that flew at a field about 45 minutes away, so we didn’t make it out quite as often.
My father worked in a hobby shop called Micro World and later opened one of his own with a business partner. It’s called Phil’s Hobby Shop in Pinellas Park, Florida, and is still open.
I grew up in a hobby shop, so to speak, and later worked there. It gave me an appreciation of the hobby business. One of the most exciting things was getting to see all the cool new products when they arrived.
My time involved in the hobby business allowed me to meet a lot of great people, some of whom still participate in modeling today.
Today’s hobby shop owner faces a lot of challenges. I appreciate hobby shops and the convenience of being able to get products and supplies on the spot. When I travel, I try to make a point to stop in local hobby shops and buy something.
JG: What was the aspect of flight that first interested you and got you hooked on RC?
JS: I have always been fascinated by flight. In the early days I did it because that’s what I grew up with. Electric flight is what really brought me back into the hobby about ten years ago.
I hadn't flown an airplane since I was 16 and had the urge to get back into it. I saw an episode of the Radio Control Show with Chris Chianelli. The whole episode was about electric flight. The next day I went to the hobby shop and bought a copy of Backyard Flyer and read it cover to cover that evening.
Chris had reviewed the GWS Tiger Moth in that issue and I knew I had to have one. The next day I ordered one from the hobby shop along with a flight pack for my radio. More than 50 airplanes and helicopters later, here I am!
I was fortunate to meet Chris at the iHobby show and share with him how he helped get me back into the hobby. Sadly he passed away just a few months later.
JG: Was there anyone in the hobby who inspired you?
JS: My father, mainly. We flew RC and CL airplanes, raced RC cars and boats, flew rockets, and raced slot cars. At the time I considered myself lucky to be able to participate in all of these different areas.
I appreciate it even more now. I have talked to a lot of people in the hobby who couldn't afford it when they were young and had to wait. Thanks, Dad!
JG: How has your RC experience evolved throughout the years?
JS: When you are involved in the hobby for a living, the experience is definitely different. Seeing an event through the camera lens is not quite the same as just attending for fun.
If I am covering an event, it is my responsibility to convey to the readers, to the best of my ability, an overview in about 1,500 words and a dozen or so pictures. Every picture requires a caption, such as the name of the person(s) pictured and details about the aircraft.
I rarely fly at events I cover because I am immersed in getting everything I need to complete an article that will satisfy the readers.
Overall, I also find that I fly less now than before I was involved in the industry.
JG: What is currently your favorite part of the hobby?
JS: My favorite part of the hobby is being part of the hobby industry's extended family. I get to see my "family" at trade shows and flying events throughout the year. Our industry really isn't that big, and I have forged some great relationships with people.
I also enjoy interacting and talking modeling with anyone. Because my photo is in the magazine every month, people recognize me at just about any event and talk to me about the magazine or the AMA.
JG: How did you transition into writing about RC? Did you write in other aspects of your life?
JS: I wrote a lot in high school. I wrote songs, poems, and short stories. After high school and college, I joined the Army and was an MP (Military Police). I had to write a lot of reports in the Army!
I have always had a passion for the hobby. I think that when you write about something you are passionate about, it's not really a job—it's fun.
JG: You were a reviewer with us at RCGroups prior to being the editor of Model Aviation. When you write a review of an airplane, how long does it take? What steps are added to the process?
JS: When you review an aircraft, it takes about twice as long compared to just building one for leisure. I make notes of the build, which will help me later when writing the article.
I take several photos along the way and take pictures of the first flight, just in case something happens. In my time at Model Aviation, we have only lost one on the first flight.
Before I began doing reviews for RCGroups, I was involved with some beta testing of RC products and PC games. Putting those experiences into words definitely helped me when writing product reviews.
JG: How did you make the jump from RCGroups to Model Aviation?
JS: I really enjoy attending events and trade shows and was using most of my time off from my job to attend them. I decided that I wanted to work in the hobby full time. I talked to several people about it and was cautioned about making my hobby my job.
Undeterred, I applied for the assistant editor position. My experience working in hobby shops, as well as writing for RCGroups and beta testing, helped.
I was also knowledgeable about electric aircraft and that was something they were looking for. Of course, I also agreed to move from Florida to Indiana, which still seems to surprise some people.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
