Periodically our club gets asked if we could please put on a demonstration for a group. Part of the hobby involves teaching others about RC planes and the varying things about the hobby that captures our interest. It’s how we attempt to spread the RC bug to others in the hopes that our club, and our hobby, will continue on.

Last weekend we were asked to participate in a fall festival.

This had promise of being fun, and the guys love an excuse to fly, so we agreed.

The weather held out and we had a beautiful area in which to fly. The grass was mowed down and rolled to make a runway for us.

The pilots who came out packed their cars to the top with various planes. We even had a turbine out there (though the area wasn’t conducive to landing the turbine so it never flew).

The pilots did an excellent job of putting on a show. Here Nick, the 3D pilot on the right, is hovering while Jay literally flies circles around him with his Stryker.

The kids always love getting involved in flying the airplanes so the guys usually throw up one of the SIG Seniors and allow the kids to ‘fly’ it. It seems that all of the kids always want to fly the fancier and brighter planes, but it doesn’t seem to matter what the plane looks like once they actually have their hands on the radio.

We had a beautiful day and some really good spectators. It’s always easier to fly when you feel like people are actually paying attention to what you’re doing.

This place held a raffle and had people write their number on a wiffle ball. We then loaded the wiffle balls into the Rascal (with some really great help, too). The drop box was easily able to hold all of the wiffle balls that had been sold (with proceeds going to the local food bank).

The goal was for Jay to drop the load of wiffle balls over a target. The winner would be determined by whoever’s ball landed closest to the target.

The crowd really seemed to enjoy this part of the event.

It was a good day, but a long one. I was very glad when it was over so that I could go home and relax. The bad part was that I didn’t even do anything! I really am trying to practice, when I can, so that maybe next year I can participate in events like this.