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How times have
changed—
or have they?
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How
many of us "old-timers" remember the days when RC clubs were
principally the stomping grounds of electronic geniuses who
spent more time talking about and working on the
radio-control system than on the model airplane?
RK61, 6AK4, superregenerative, and clock parts made into escapements
were all part of the common language. If that weren't
enough, they all seemed to know each of the resistor color
codes by heart and "micro-microfarad" was clearly
understood. Plate voltage, A and B batteries, and Morse code
were known by all.
I remember those days, and I remember the
days immediately following that era when RC equipment became
commercially available. Suddenly you didn't need to be an
electronics guru to take part in this new aspect of aeromodeling.
Yes, I remember that time well. I remember
feeling as if I didn't belong in the same club or on the
same flying field with these old-timers. Many of them were
not happy with this new type of RC aeromodeler—those of us
who couldn't have cared less about the bits and pieces which
made up the RC system beyond the necessities which were
needed to make it work (plug this plug into that socket!).
Most of us were interested in model airplanes which could
now be "radio controlled" rather than radio control
for
model airplanes! Most of us had a background in CL or FF aeromodeling and were interested in building and flying
models that were free to fly without strings but were
controlled so that we didn't need to chase them—at least in
theory!
How many of you remember that first trip to the RC
club field during that era? I'll bet that many of us don't
have fond memories of those first encounters with the "RC
guys." I didn't know anything about electronics when I
started flying RC, and I can remember getting the feeling
that some of the old-timers in the club would rather I go
away because we had little in common to talk about. How
times have changed—or have they?
Today's old-timers grew up
building model airplanes. They are having the same culture
shock to "their" hobby when someone shows up with an RTF as
the early RC club members had with those of us showing up
with radios which we didn't build or know much about
technically.
Today's old-timer has had to get used to those
ARFs, but at least those required that the modeler installed
the equipment, engine, tank, etc. Those guys weren't
"building" their models, but I guess we can call them
modelers.
This new breed shows up without knowing the
difference between a pushrod and a hot rod. They are not
"modelers" to the old-timers, and unfortunately this feeling
becomes obvious on their first visit to the flying field.
Most of us who have "lived" this hobby most of our lives
will admit that the vast majority of our friends are others
who are infected with this "disease" we call aeromodeling. I
still remember my little buddy Johnnie Clements, AMA
president a long time ago, referred to it as having "hobby
pox."
How many of us old-timers will go to the field and
occasionally spend most of a day without even flying our
models? We love to spend time with "the guys." The social
time is as important as the flying time.
Look around and see
all of the gray hair. Our average age is increasing. Soon we
will run out of friends if we do not get some new blood into
the sport. That new blood is banging at the door; all we
need to do is to welcome it.
MA
Til next month ...
Dave Brown, AMA president
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