“Flying is a freedom for me. With a space large enough, and permission from the land owner, I can practically make any place a playground in the sky. I started flying four and a half years ago. I built my first airplane and maidened it in a field next to my neighborhood pond. I soon advanced to a local football field and flew that plane’s wings off for the next year. I still have that plane and it both humbles me and makes me laugh when I put it side be side with other, much newer builds in my fleet. Throughout my experience in RC aviation I have encountered some of the kindest and brightest people I’ve ever met. My first radio, for example, was given to me for free by a local model shop owner. That radio lasted me 3 years and left about a hundred dollars in my pocket that I could use to buy the next plane. At Flite Fest the hugely friendly community is clearest to me. I rarely see but the best of people at those events, and each year is better than the last. I also feel as though I’ve grown as a person because of the hobby. For context, I started the hobby at 13 years old. I learned very early on that almost anything I did to a plane would affect its flight. I had to be smart about what I did and how I did it. This gave me an incredible opportunity to use and develop my problem solving skills. I also learned more than once the value of research before buying a product, and the true value of money. A huge part of what I learned however, was facing challenges. As many have experienced, sometimes I just want to stomp on a plane and be done with it because it causes me so much trouble. I was taught by this hobby the value of perseverance and persistence. While a plane might not work great the first time, the next few test flights can be changed slightly for better results. As I’ve grown older, I realized I can apply these things to my life and relationships. It has lead to me being a better student, better friend, better athlete, and overall a better person. If I had to sum up my RC aviation experience, I would say that it has been a fantastic joyride of elation, challenge, and community.”