By Benjamin Oliver, River Ridge High School Intern
Pick a hobby. You could play a sport, program a computer, or even operating a remote control vehicle. Teens don’t often consider remote control (RC) toys and models as a legitimate hobby. Maybe it’s because they think it’s childish or perhaps it’s because they have never actually been to a hobby store.
Want to give it a try? Enter a hobby shop and you will find boats, cars, trucks, helicopters, planes and much more. Its normal to feel overwhelmed and confused on how to start. There is no doubt that you will find at least one of the aspects of the hobby interesting and people in the stores are there to help you make the right decision on where to start.
People fall in love with model airplanes and helicopters because of the passion for flight. Luckily, there are two organizations in Thurston County that revolve around flight – Puget Sound Silent Flyers (PSSF) and the Thurston County Miniature Aircraft Association (TCMAA). Both are great clubs that have great people involved in them.
I got the chance to talk to the president of PSSF, Dave Robinson. Dave is very passionate about the hobby. Since the age of 11, he has spent most of his life dedicated to flying and building. He built planes with his father and even with the success rate very slim back in the day, he still fell in love with the hobby.
“Currently there are planes and helicopters that just about fly themselves, making learning easy and affordable,” reports Robinson. The hobby keeps getting easier to get started in, thanks to the advancements in technology. You can even practice flying while sitting at your home computer using a simulator. It will never replace the real experience of being outside and flying but it makes it a whole lot easier to know what not to do without having to fix your plane every time you crash.
Another influential person in this hobbies community is Thom Martin. He’s the owner of Remote Control Hobbies located in Olympia and serves as the President of TCMAA. “The change to electric power from glow and gas has helped make getting into the hobby easier and less expensive,” says Martin.
“At the TCMAA field we only charge a family for the price of a single membership,” adds Martin when explaining how parents can engage the entire family. He also noted that the hobby has decreased in cost over the decade and that if you don’t feel like buying your own plane or you’re not sure you will enjoy it, try the flying lessons offered at the TCMAA field. They’ll help you get flying in quickly and for free.
I myself have been involved in the hobby for as long as I can remember and I couldn’t imagine what I would be doing right now if I hadn’t gotten involved. It has helped me find my passion in life and it has a relaxing quality that I haven’t found in any other hobby. Because of this I hope that many more young people like myself will become part of this ever expanding hobby.
