On Burbank Drive across from Burbank Soccer Complex, treesenclose a field where the Red Stick Radio Controlled Flying Club’smodel airplanes take flight.
On any given day, a person driving by can spot radio-controlledairplanes of many different sizes and colors peaking from above thetrees as they fly around the entire perimeter of the field, doingtricks and stunts at the owner’s command.
The club, about 100 members strong, is dedicated to building andflying radio-controlled airplanes, said Carroll Harris.
Harris was at the field Friday afternoon with several othermembers of the club, discussing the roots of his hobby.
“I’ve been playing with radio control for 20 years, and controlline models for 50 years,” he said.
Harris said control line models are attached to a string andspun in a circle to take flight.
The club leases the land used as the flying field, which isowned by a real estate developer, said Scott Kellogg, a member ofthe club.
Kellogg, unlike Harris, just recently has taken up the hobbyafter a long hiatus. Kellogg said he was interested in modelairplanes when he was in high school, and returned to it just fouryears ago.
The field has an overhang with tables the members use whenbuilding their airplanes. A few yards away are designated spots formembers to fly their planes.
“We’re always happy to have visitors stop by and to helpbeginners learn to fly,” Kellogg said. “Some get interested andeventually join; that’s what it’s all about.”
Kellogg said the biggest plane they allow at the field is aboutone-third the size of an actual airplane, with a 100-inch wingspanand a 10-horsepower engine.
The plane weighs about 30 lbs, he said.
Kellogg said building and flying radio-controlled modelairplanes is a common hobby.
“Most people who get into it stick with it awhile,” he said.
Harris said radio-controlled airplanes have evolved and now areaffordable, making it more popular.
Merv Howells, secretary and treasurer of the club, saiddifferent groups — from young children to retired people –participate.
Howells, wearing a straw hat and adding the finishing touches tohis plane, was there to test it for the first time. The plane wascomplete with a Chucky from Rugrats doll in the driver’s seat. Themen poked fun at how long it took him to finish this particularplane.
Kellogg said there is a stereotype that only retired peoplebuild and fly model airplanes. Although most of the men thereFriday were older, he said many young people, even Universitystudents, go to the field and fly.
Kellogg said some members build their own airplanes, but mostpeople now buy them almost completely assembled.
“[Making planes from scratch] can be an eternity of time,” saidMarc Jones, a member of the club for more than a year.
There are members of the club at the field every day if weatherpermits, Kellogg said.
Kellogg said some people come out at dawn, and Jones said somestay out until the sun sets.
“Beginners come in the morning because the air is still,”Kellogg said.
As for learning to fly, Kellogg said the basics of taking off,flying and landing are pretty easy, but it takes a while to learncertain tricks.
“It’s easy to fly, but it’s hard to fly well,” Kellogg said.
Kellogg said there are some who enjoy building but do not flytoo much, and some who like to buy airplanes and fly them untilthey break.
Kellogg said there is an introductory pilot program that allowsbeginners to fly without joining for up to 30 days.
If one does decide to join the Red Stick RC Flying Club, thereare annual dues of $100.
The club is having its annual Fun Fly this Saturday, open to thepublic and all types of radio-controlled aircraft with food anddrinks.
The club meets the last Wednesday of every month at the JonesCreek Regional Branch library on Jones Creek Road, Kelloggsaid.
More information about the Fun Fly and the Red Stick RC FlyingClub can be found at www.redstickrc.org.