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