I got my first radio controlled model airplane when I was about 12 or so. It was a Dumas Evolution II. It was a very interesting model, in that it was designed to be flown in three different ways. First, it was a six foot wingspan glider/airplane. As it was only supposed to have a .09 engine, once it was at altitude and the fuel ran out, it was a glider. Second, the last twelve inches or so of each wingtip were removeable. This supposedly turned it into a 'sport' plane. Third it had a plug in nose block so that you actually use it as a strict glider.

After this fine experience, I went on to build many other airplanes (if the plane has a HTML link, it has a picture). The short list of planes that I built for myself includes:

• Sig Kadet
• Sig Colt
• Hobby Lobby Thing
• Balsa USA Swizzle Stick 40
• Goldberg Electra
• Leisure Amptique (in the original blue and a later rebuild in red)
• Goldberg Jr. Falcon
• Name Inc. 1/2 A Vulcan
• Byron Pipe Dream
• RCM (from plans) Cricket
• Model Airplane News (from plans) Flying Aces Stick
• Model Aviation (from plans) Sting Ray
• Top Flight Holy Smoke
• Great Planes ElectroStreak
• Hobbico Sturdy Birdy

Just to name a few. I built many other airplanes for others, but I've lost my photo album that contains most of the evidence. :-(

Thru the years, I've also had an emphatuation with radio controlled airboats. These are small (typically) flat bottom boats with normal R/C throttled engines running air propellors. I only have a few pictures...

• The imfamous Orange Thing
• Dumas Big Swamp Buggy

I had another airboat (at least) between these. It used the same OS Max .40 engine that is currently on the Big Swamp Buggy, but had a styrofoam kick board (such as little children use at the YMCA pool) as the base. It never did very well, as the torque from the engine at high speeds would sling the rear of the boat around (ie, it'd end out doing donuts on the water).

This is my current bookmarks list of places that have something to do with model airplanes, cars, boats, etc. I try to keep these links up to date, but please report any broken links to me.

• There are several sites on the web that are dedictated to Remote Control (or Radio Control if you prefer) model airplanes (building, flying, crashing, etc.). One of the leading sites is that of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, the premere advocate for the industry. Their site includes a wonderful section, National Newsletters, a treasure trove of interesting information.
• Hobby Lobby has a web presence.
• Tower Hobbies supports a R/C Web page for clubs and individuals.
• Ace R/C has a web page
• Orlando Furioso maintains a page on Ballons and Airships that has quite a few reference books, etc.
• AVEOX, Inc. sells a line of brushless DC motors and controllers for R/C aircraft.
• Iskandar's Home Page
• Stillwater Hobbies is one of the few local hobby shops that carries radio control models.

My interest in aviation goes back a long way. When I was about 7 or so, I sent off for information about building a Bensen Gyrocopter. It was a wonderful dream. For about $2000 at the time, I could have been flying around. Yeah, right. Like my parents would go for that!

Time passed, I grew up, got married, had kids, and the dream never really vanished. Late in roughly 1992 or so, I bought plans for a GyroBee. It is an ultra-light descendant (n-times removed) from the old Bensen gyrocopter that I fell in love with so many years ago. and I still nurse the idea that one day, when "my ship comes in", I'll dust these off and build it. Who knows...

In any case, I have passed ground school for single engine land aircraft, gliders, and gyrocopters. The FAA tests were not too difficult. Finding the cash for lessons so that I can get my pilot's license...that's difficult.

• Information about the Experimental Aircraft Association and its chapters.
• Information about the Soaring Society of America Server and its associated clubs.
• Gyro-copters (and the Popular Rotorcraft Association) are of particular interest. I would especially love to build a GyroBee, or possibly one of it's derivatives.
• The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is both a place and a trip in time. It is a grass field airport that specializes in pre-WWI aircraft. WAY cool.
• Landings.com has a number of interesting things, from N number search (look towards the bottom of the page for "DataBase" and then for "Basic Search"). to a list of Aviation servers is maintained by me in cooperation with all the aviation server administrators. to a list of aviation related archives. Additionally, they maintain a list of aviation information, including FAR's, Airworthiness Alerts, Service Difficulty Reports, Airmen Test Questions, a list of aviation image archive sites and links to weather information servers, satellite images, weather charts for all continents.
• The Avion Online Newspaper is an interesting attempt at online photo journalism.