Not you average radio controlled model airplane and helicopter club
We’re passionate
about radio controlled flight and we’ve put together an awesome RC club located in Essex Junction, VT. Our member community contributes their time and energies to making a great experience for our pilots and our spectators. Our grassy field is well maintained by the members and is provided to us by a gracious local farmer. On any given weeknight or weekend you’re bound to find someone at the field taking their latest rig into the sky. And in some cases back safely to the landing strip.
Highly skilled members with a passion for flying
Our members are an amazing group of pilots and mechanics. Radio controlled flying requires precision hand-eye coordination which comes with hours of training and practice. In addition, radio controlled planes and helicopters have many moving parts and require a lot of attention. It takes dedication to produce a quality aircraft that is tuned to perfection but the rewards are plentiful. Each aircraft has its own personality which reflects its builders taste and style. It’s truly amazing to see all of the different planes and helicopters we have in our arsenal.
We’re always excited to see new members join our ranks. We’ve been growing steadily over the past few years and we now have members ranging across all age groups. We do our best to provide leadership, advice, and training to all of our members. We actively participate in our online forums where you can get the answers to almost any issue you are facing. We also meet once a month in person to exchange stories and discuss upcoming RC events.
Experience the exhilaration and excitement without the risk
Everything has an in
herent risk and flying is of course pretty high on that list. We understand it can be intimidating to spend time and money on a new aircraft only to see its maiden flight end in disaster. We encourage all of our new members to take advantage of our buddy flight capabilities. You are paired up with an experienced trainer that will assist you in getting your aircraft flight worthy. You will also have the ability to fly for the first times without all of the risk of taking off, staying airborne, and returning safely to the ground. We do this using a special cord that connects two controllers, one for the trainer, and one for you. When your trainer has reached a safe altitude you will be given control to produce your first maneuvers. If at any time you are at risk of impacting the earth your trainer will disable your controls and attempt to correct the aircraft and put it back at a safe altitude for you to continue your training. While many of our pilots are experts there will always be a risk of crashing, it comes with the hobby. If you are interested in taking your first flight please get in contact with us and we will try to pair you up with one of our many experience trainers.
Your first aircraft is an important milestone
Getting your first airplane is a a big deal. There’s a lot to know before going out and getting a plane. We recommend talking to an experienced pilot before purchasing any equipment. This will ensure that your first experiences are a good one. Typically we like to see a new pilot in a relatively inexpensive electric plane. These are great because they are very forgiving and even if you do have a less than perfect landing the framework can typically be repaired. Your first plane will take a lot of abuse as you learn to hone your in-flight reflexes. Usually a new pilot will be able to get enough experience with their first plane to be able to take off, do maneuvers, and then safely land. You will also get really good at repairing broken landing gear, propellers, and sometimes even the body of the aircraft itself. Luckily most of the mechanical parts will survive a controlled crash landing so you might want to pick up a 2nd body kit to transplant into once your first one is beyond repair.
Practice, practice, and more practice
A
s with all things it takes time to get really good at flying. Fortunately we have a lot of great resources on this site which can help you. A great first start would be to get registered on ourforums so you can read our guides and ask questions along the way. You can also make connections with our members who donate their time to training new pilots. Throughout the site you can also find links to instructional videos, blogs, and external websites which can be vital to honing your piloting skills.
From bomb drops to fun fly’s
Every month of the spring, summer, and fall we host a number of events for pilots to participate in. We have flight competitions to see who’s the best of the best. We also host fun fly’s which typically offer a full day of flying, food, and RC war stories. You can also find information to other local or national events on our calendar, check the forums to see who’s planning to attend.
Fun for the whole family
Naturally flying is enjoyable hobby for our pilots, but often they will bring their families along to spectate or participate. We also allow spectators of all ages to come down to the field or attend our events. There is no charge so it can be a great way of spending some time outdoors with the family. You can usually find our members flying on weeknights and weekends on warm spring, summer and fall days. When the wind picks up we tend to pack it in so please be aware that a warm day does not always make for a flying day. In addition, you can always check our calendar for our fun fly days. Be sure to bring plenty of sunblock, water, outdoor chairs, and sunglasses for those sunny days as we have no natural sun protection at the field. A few members do bring pop up tents but please do not count on them being present.
Flying is enjoyable for people of all ages
Radio controlled hobbies are fun for all ages and can bring life long enjoyment. Beyond the hobby you meet a lot of great people and get to spend a lot of time outside. If you’re interested in the hobby please be sure to check out our forums and make it down to the field to see it first hand. From there one of us can help you get you into your first plane and arrange a club membership.