“I have been in the model aviation hobby for the past 5 1/2 years. Prior to that, I had been out of R/C for 15+ years. I had previously been into R/C ground vehicles. I had one point in time when I was in high school, in the late 80’s early 90’s that I dabbled with building a balsa glider. I managed to build the wing (I had no help at all or anyone around who knew anything of model aviation), but sadly that wing got damaged in a house remodel, and I never got back to doing that anymore. Fast forward to a few years ago when I was browsing the internet looking at R/C stuff for a Christmas gift for myself. I stumbled across a Latrax Alias video, and it really intrigued me. So I got one. And I was hooked. I soon discovered Charpu videos, and I knew I wanted to do that. I bought a Storm 250 racer from Helipal.com. I flew that LOS for several months (saving for a set of goggles), but ended up losing it on a mountain (I lost track of it’s orientation, and by the time I got it back, the battery was dead, and fell from the sky). So, I decided that I would try and build my own, but this time made sure to have a GPS so it could return home. I build a 450mm quad using a DJI Flamewheel clone, and the DJI NAZA M Lite flight controller, Turnigy 980kv motors, and old SimonK ESC’s. Loved that thing, and flew it nearly every day. I eventually added an FPV camera to it, and later used this very same build to learn to fly acro (have you ever tried to fly a DJI Naza FC in Manual mode??? yeah… that’s “fun”). After finally getting the hang of flying acro FPV using this quad, I decided to build a FPV racer using the Charpu X frame, and the obsession has grown. This hobby has become my escape. It has gotten me back outside, enjoying the world around me, and seeing things in so many new ways. I have made so many new friends through this hobby, some only online, some online, and then in person. We just enjoy getting together to hang out and pursue this fun hobby. I really can’t imagine not being able to do this. It would take me back to a dark place, I fear. I really hope that doesn’t happen.”