| It's unbelievable how quickly we can lose sight of the | | | | limbo passes in which a ribbon is stretched between |
| face-splitting fun in our favourite model airplane hobby! | | | | two poles that are fifty feet apart and five feet high. |
| You're either trying too hard or too confused by all the | | | | Fun fliers compete in several of these tasks; all are |
| choices. And what do you do next? Sailplanes? | | | | timed. Missions include tasks like learning to taxi |
| Warbirds? Combat? Control-line? Racing? Perhaps | | | | accurately on the runway, to climb in altitude and glide, |
| you should re-discover what this great model airplane | | | | to fly for exactly three minutes, to perform a spot |
| hobby is all about and try some fun flying.Whether you | | | | landing, or to complete a bomb drop.The National |
| need friendly advice, tips on flying your model airplane | | | | Competition Fun Fly Association (NCFFA), is the |
| or have questions about different model airplanes or | | | | approved Special Interest Group for fun flying by the |
| equipment, Fun Flying groups feature fellow enthusiasts | | | | Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). The group |
| who are willing to help the novice. They are not | | | | features standard tasks and model airplane missions, |
| concerned with the size, shape, or scale of your model | | | | as well as a general layout of fun flying.In keeping with |
| airplane. Instead, they focus on the joy of flying, on | | | | the spirit of fun, however, the association suggests that |
| learning new techniques, and on how to reap the most | | | | groups create safe, new tasks and missions for fun fly |
| benefit from each model airplane.Typically, fun fly | | | | events. New tasks and missions keep the fun growing |
| groups gather to compete in a series of missions or | | | | for old-timers and offer more choices for newcomers. |
| tasks. The idea is that through practicing new | | | | People have done things like landing with a dead |
| maneuvers, the novice will become a master. Tasks | | | | engine, or playing musical airplanes, (last one down |
| are divided into two categories: unlimited and fun fly. | | | | when the music stops is out).So what might one of |
| The unlimited category places no limit on the design or | | | | these fun fly events look like? Picture a model airplane |
| equipment of your model airplane, apart from meeting | | | | warbird, sailplane, and combat model plane all racing |
| the Academy of Model Aeronautics' (AMA) safety | | | | one another. Next, a taped-together foam plane |
| code for radio-controlled fliers.Tasks in this category | | | | performs aerobatics, followed by a scratch built balsa |
| are timed from the point of intentional movement to | | | | model airplane, fresh paint glistening in the sun. The |
| the end of the maneuver and point that the wheels | | | | greatest advantage of these events is the learning |
| touch the ground. The fun fly category may place | | | | factor: where else can you be exposed to so many |
| limits, like minimum wing loading or radio features, or | | | | different planes and styles of flying?Your next step? |
| may remain unlimited. These tasks are usually mission | | | | Take what you've learned here and get back to some |
| oriented, but can be timed as well. Participants enter a | | | | fun. Remember, all RC model airplanes are created |
| category in either the masters class, (top level), or the | | | | equal in the eyes of fun.Bruce Bird makes it easy for |
| sportsman class, (entry level).The tasks involve | | | | the beginner to quickly get a grasp of the broad range |
| aerobatic precision with such stunts as loops, rolls, | | | | of exciting activities that make up airplane modeling. |
| touchdown and take-off with your model airplane, and | | | | |