File: 08lilley.lt1.doc
[Headline: Don’t let it rain on your parade]
It’s been said that “getting there is half the adventure.” RC modelers know firsthand that this is a true statement if ever there was one.
We come from overseas to attend stateside airshows or vice versa, drive long hours to check out an RC auction, or know nearly every camper-friendly Walmart parking lot within a 100-mile radius of our favorite event. We also know that flying isn’t only about what happens in the air, but is often about the adventures that come out of thin air, adding to the entire experience.
In the end, how we deal with the unexpected experiences means the difference between walking around the flightline grumpy and miserable, or making the most of it and having the time of our lives.
Here’s a look at some of the ways modelers have coped with some unfortunate flight-hindering phenomena, both on the way to an event or while at one.
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head
Of course, we all want blue skies and a barely moving windsock to grace our every flight, but sometimes, we just can’t have it all, can we? We plan for an event for months, register well in advance, pack up the camper, and maybe even buy a new airplane along the way, only to hear mumblings along the flightline of impending storms.
Ignoring the ramblings of words like “torrential” and “high winds” makes us feel a little better, but we all know it’s inevitable. I mean, that sky isn’t looking like bluebirds of happiness are going to start darting about the clouds any time soon.
And so, it drizzles. It pours. It soaks our AMA-emblazoned shirts to the core, and makes us thankful we remembered tarps. Unfortunate as it is, most RC pilots make the most of it. Thank goodness!
Mishaps on the Road
It’s almost heartbreaking when we set out to an event, 100% confident that everything is in place, only to have a big setback. From extra wheel chocks to chocolaty snacks, we’re super prepared. Life is good as we coast down the highway to our favorite flying event.
Except … wait … is that nauseating smell of burning rubber coming from (gasp) our car? You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me. Some of us may inject another choice word or two here, but this is a friendly publication, so we won’t go there. You know who you are though.
Without a doubt, a flat tire on the way to a much-anticipated event ranks up there with perhaps one of the most frustrating things that can happen. Suddenly, all of the feel-good vibes about having extra potato chips and a new bottle of CA mean nothing.
While driving to the Mid-Hudson Radio Control Society Rhinebeck Jamboree in September 2013, the unmistakable wobbly, flat-tire sound and accompanying burning smells kicked in roughly 80 miles from the event. However, we made the most of it. Rather than see it as a sign that we should go right back home with our pumpkin spice coffee and D.VII in tow, we set out to fix it.
After getting over the slight embarrassment of being “one of those poor people” pulled over on the side of the road, we jacked up the camper, found ourselves a spare—not without adventure part two, but that’s a story for another time—and ended up enjoying one of our favorite events of the year with plenty of time to spare (pun intended). We still ended up with the perfect camping spot, a place along the flightline, and our nerves still intact. Plus, it was a great story to tell!
It’s happened to other pilots too. Dino DiGiorgio, president of Meister Scale and Aero Accessories, was heading to the Riverside Aero Modelers Society Warbird Event in East Bend, North Carolina, when he experienced a similar misfortune. “It’s not often when you have a blow-out on two tires and only have one spare,” he said. “Luckily we found a place that had a tire off the exit.”
Frustrations Along the Flightline
At the field, sometimes it’s the little things that really get our goat. We discover we left the bolts for our wing at home. Our teeny, tiny screw for the flying wires drops straight into the opening of an anthill. No one mowed the field this week.
Things like this make it easy to feel as though we’re about to turn into one of those angry cartoon characters where smoke spirals from the ears. Cue up the accompanying train whistle or high-pitched teakettle sounds. But again, making the most of it is essential. It may feel we’ll never get to test those new retracts out, but rest assured, it’ll happen.
Making the most of unexpected adventures, both at RC events and in life, always helps. Yes, they can be frustrating, but there’s no point in worrying, especially when there are more important things to think about, such as perfecting those touch-and-gos and all the laughs we’ll be sure to find along the way.[dingbat]
