Ah, the lure of the RC auction. Friends send emails about one coming up in our neck of the woods or we’re intrigued by those mentioned in the back of MA in the contest calendar. Attending one is a throwback to our younger years when we were kids in a candy store.
There, everything we could possibly want was ours for the taking. All kinds of goodness, in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes, were up for grabs. It’s a similar experience at an airplane auction, where we get to feast our eyes on a variety of things that make us drool with excitement—plus, the bonus of getting it all for next to nothing (well, in most cases).
To borrow a theme from the well-known Chicken Soup for the Soul book series that is filled with encouraging, feel-good stories for all of life’s journeys, it’s the same with RC auctions. They’re good for us, forcing us to take a closer look at life and, of course, model aircraft, all around us.
Here are a few reasons to love an RC auction:
Airplane Auctions are Mini Reunions
Before the serious business of back-and-forth hand signals (wait, was that a nose scratch or an offer on a Gee Bee?), the room is typically a giant swirl of handshakes, hugs, and “long time, no sees.”
I attended one a few months ago, put on by the Concord Skyhawks in New Hampshire, and enjoyed catching up with people I haven’t seen in months. There were stories of births, hospitalizations, new pets, how good the auction’s sausage lunch was, and of course, updates on how that broken spar is coming along. Isn’t it nice how RC auctions are yet another way the hobby brings people together?
It’s a Reality Check
Attending an RC auction is not a problem, per se; it’s just that it could become a potential problem or even an addiction. “Problem,” of course, is subjective. We know our limits, yet often like to test them at auctions. Sometimes we have a really hard time saying, “no,” favoring it for “Ah, what’s another $10, er, $25?”
Like the candy store, our eyes are sometimes bigger than our stomachs (in this case, it’s our eyes versus our wallets). We are so caught up in the glory of the auction that it’s tough to reel ourselves back to realities such as “another 12-foot wingspan might not be ideal for our small house” or explaining to non-flying friends why $475 for a 40-size 3-D airplane truly is the deal of the century.
Still, it’s a fun “problem” to have and certainly better than other addictions in the world such as social media games involving farm animals.
It Can Propel Us
There’s nothing like an airplane auction to wake us from our “all I fly are World War I airplanes” slumber. Surrounded by the expansive variety that includes everything from flying pizza boxes to jets can really open our eyes.
The excitement levels run high, but the prices don’t and a newfound confidence begins that urges us to purchase a helicopter when we’ve only been involved in Slope Soaring our entire lives. But that’s okay. Auctions are the perfect push some of us need to put on our adventurous hats and explore a new kind of flight.
We Learn About People
A funny thing often happens at RC auctions. You know that person at your field with the quiet demeanor who barely talks above a whisper? Suddenly, he or she becomes as fired up as an “RC Auction Gone Wild” extra.
Something about an auction can turn Mr. Conservative into Mr. Competitive. He or she may talk low and fly slow, but at an auction, the wild beast comes out. Know this: that person will run your bid up faster than you can say “sold” and will walk away victorious every time. If you want to see a different side of your flying friends, head out to the nearest RC auction!
Appreciate Your Vehicle
Let’s face it. We kinda, sorta knew going into it that borrowing our spouse’s smaller car wouldn’t be ideal, although we promised our loved ones and even ourselves that we’d only be coming back with one airplane—or two. Maybe a heli.
Anyway, it’s always a good thing we keep our trunk space “available” and have larger cars in mind, because odds are we always end up with more than a handful of what makes us smile.
Kind of like the kid in the candy store.
Have any RC auction stories of your own? Send me an email and share your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you.
