Summer Sweat Fun Fly Bash
|
Around 50 spectators were on hand to watch flyers take their remote control planes through their paces and compete in a variety of contests.
Jessica Smith, who, along with husband Chris, owns ARF Hobbies here in McMinnville says the remote-controlled toys are a great way to have fun and enjoy the outdoors.
“Just being able to get out and fly and have a good time,” Smith said.
Smith says getting into the hobby is not as expensive as one might think, since the remote control aircraft come in a wide variety of sizes and complexity.
“On a small-scale level, you’re looking at anywhere from $300 to about $600,” Smith said, noting from there the sky is the limit, literally. “To get into your larger scale you can easily put $8,000 to $10,000 in one.”
Remote-control helicopters require a similar investment, ranging from $800 to $8,000.
Expert pilot and ARF employee Lucas Foutch, 18, says he has been flying since he was 10 years old. His reason for getting into the hobby is a simple one.
“It’s fun,” he said.
The young flyer says, for him, remote control flying is probably more fun than flying a full-size airplane.
“There’s more aerobatics you can do,” Foutch said. “They’re easier and it looks better.”
Foutch flies all types of remote-control aircraft, including his large one-third scale Sui-Koi model airplane and his prized carbon fiber JR Vigor CS helicopter. The young pilot can perform some amazing maneuvers, including flying his helicopter upside-down and making his large-scale prop plane actually hover in midair, a maneuver Foutch says is one of the hardest to perform.
Foutch says there is a great feeling of community among remote-control enthusiasts.
“They have all kinds of different competitions,” Foutch said. “You get to go places and meet a lot of different people. You get a lot of people who make their own custom stuff. It’s something to see.