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Model aviators take over Laughlin airfield on weekends, holidays

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Tedd Glenn pushes his throttle forward and his aircraft begins to roll slowly down the runway. It shudders slightly as it gains speed, but quickly smoothes out as the wings begin to pull it slowly skyward. A quick, light tap back on the elevator control and his nose is pointed at the clouds, climbing rapidly as the ground below gets smaller.

As the plane ascends above the Laughlin airfield, Glenn eases it into a gradual left turn until suddenly his world is thrown into reverse. Left is right; right is left. But he doesn't panic. He has trained for this countless times. It's all part of flying this particular aircraft.

It's all part of being a radio-control pilot.

Ted Glenn is a member of the Del Rio Dirt Flyers, a small band of model aviation hobbyists who sometimes fly their planes on the Laughlin airfield when normal flying operations have stopped.

"We usually fly on weekends when the winds are less than ten mph and the weather is good," he said. Anyone is allowed, and encouraged, to come out and watch the group fly, Glenn added.

Glenn, a former F-4 and F-15 pilot, is now the lead T-1 simulator instructor here. He has been flying radio-controlled aircraft for about five years, and said the exhilaration of flight, aerobatics, smooth landings and always being able to take my plane home in one piece are some of the things that he loves about the hobby.

"Flying for me is the real deal," he said. "Just flying upside down is a thrill because everything is backwards and you have to adjust your thinking."

The world of model aviation has seen advances that have made the hobby accessible and affordable for just about anyone, from foam gliders with electric motors to wood and fiberglass jet monsters with working turbines and screaming afterburners.

The Del Rio Dirt Fliers fly a wide range of model aircraft as diverse as the Air Force's inventory itself.

1st Lt. Nick Burik, a T-6 instructor pilot with the 85th Flying Training Squadron here, is an award-winning R/C pilot who took third place in the Academy of Model Aeronautics National competition in Muncie, Indiana last summer.

His gas-powered Extra 300, with its almost 10-foot wingspan, is hardly distinguishable from a life-size version of the famous aerobatic plane as it chops through the sky at around 120 miles per hour.

The lieutenant said he started flying radio-controlled planes before he started flying life-size ones, and that it actually helped him during his pilot training.

"Since I flew R/C before full scale, I think the transition was easier," he said. "I already knew what made an airplane fly; now I get to see it from the inside."

Lieutenant Burik said the two different types of flying actually have very few differences.

"The physics are all the same," he explained. "The biggest difference with RC versus full scale is that we have no instruments. Everything is seat of the pants and visual."

Flying of that type demands a certain degree of skill. What may look like a small group of people just playing with toy airplanes from a distance is actually a highly trained, very rule-oriented collection of hobbyists. The term "toy" is shunned, never to be used when describing the tools of their trade.

"These things can kill a person easily" said Glenn. He explained that most of the aircraft they fly weigh in at a minimum of 20 pounds and fly at around 75 mph.

"If that hit you square in the chest, you'd be a goner," he said.

Safety is a number-one concern when flying the planes, Glenn said. There is a firmly established flight line, and all flying must be done well away from spectators. Only the pilot and his assistant are allowed near an aircraft while it's running.

Glenn advised against potential R/C pilots buying planes or helicopters and flying them in or around base housing.

He explained the radio signal from the transmitters included with these aircraft will crash any other aircraft operating within range of another on the same frequency. When a receiver on an aircraft picks up two transmitters at the same time the receiver shuts down, resulting in the possibility of crashing an expensive aircraft.

Both Lieutenant Burik and Glenn said anyone who is interested in flying R/C aircraft should step lightly into the hobby.

"Get a simulator and find a local club with a good instructor," Lieutenant Burik advised. "The sim is invaluable for stick time and developing the hand and eye coordination of what does what.

"Also, the crashes are free," he continued. "An instructor is also a must have. Even with sim time, [actually flying] is not quite the same."

Glenn echoed the necessity of a simulator, and said once a prospective R/C pilot is ready to take to the actual skies, the training is not over.

There are several trainer aircraft on the market that are Almost Ready to Fly and combos in that they have the radio, engine, and everything you need to start flying, he said.

"Find an experienced flyer to help in construction and more importantly get you on "Buddy Box" with him so he can help you get flying," Glenn explained. "The buddy box is great because it ties the experienced instructor to the student box with a buddy cord. That way the student can fly and if he gets into trouble the instructor can immediately take over to prevent disaster.

"I started this way and, knock on wood, still have my trainer today with over 100 flights on it," he added.

The Del Rio Dirt Flyers are scheduled to be the opening act of the 2008 Thunder over the Amistad air show May 10 here.

While not everyone at Laughlin will earn their wings and become a U.S. Air Force pilot, anyone with the dedication and desire can take the time to learn to fly on a slightly smaller scale.