Well, its been a while. I have nothing to report except pinches of assembly here and dashes of real flight time there. I need to get myself a simulator. My plan is to get the Real Flight G5 so I can log in some simulator hours. From what I hear, practicing on a simulator is THE best way to learn.
Flight time: 25 mins, some time in the middle of March
So? Things have been moving along nicely. I am up in Moorpark training, networking and playing practically every weekend. One weekend, I was actually too sick to do much of anything so I took a nap while the boys played. It’s been pretty crowded lately too! The more, the merrier! Just a few weeks ago, Rainmaker told me there was a gal from No. Ho. (That’s North Hollywood to all us beach folk.) She works for the film industry as part of a camera crew and had never experienced RC flying. Apparently, the Australians she had met on a trip a year or so ago decided to take her up on her offer of entertaining them should they ever decide to visit the states. She had no idea they’d be lodging with her! Heh! It was a pleasant surprise to her because they wound up being two of the most interesting house guests ever! She accompanied them to Airstar, where they planned to test fly a helicopter. (They were in the market and wound up taking two.) The boys all talked her into it and she was hooked. Just. Like. Me. And she’s good! Yay! And she’s local! Yay! Anyway…
Flight time: 20 mins
A few weekends ago, Rainmaker, Josef and I went flying and Jack, Virge, Mike and Chris showed up. It was one big happy family! Everyone knows a little something about something or has some advice which I thankfully accept and take to heart. As we’re playing/practicing, Josef hollers out that Jessica is on her way. Awesome. Most times, people say, “I’ll be back.” – and then you never see ‘em again, but Jessica was totally hooked.
Flight time: 15 mins
Flight time: 25 mins, some time in the middle of March
So? Things have been moving along nicely. I am up in Moorpark training, networking and playing practically every weekend. One weekend, I was actually too sick to do much of anything so I took a nap while the boys played. It’s been pretty crowded lately too! The more, the merrier! Just a few weeks ago, Rainmaker told me there was a gal from No. Ho. (That’s North Hollywood to all us beach folk.) She works for the film industry as part of a camera crew and had never experienced RC flying. Apparently, the Australians she had met on a trip a year or so ago decided to take her up on her offer of entertaining them should they ever decide to visit the states. She had no idea they’d be lodging with her! Heh! It was a pleasant surprise to her because they wound up being two of the most interesting house guests ever! She accompanied them to Airstar, where they planned to test fly a helicopter. (They were in the market and wound up taking two.) The boys all talked her into it and she was hooked. Just. Like. Me. And she’s good! Yay! And she’s local! Yay! Anyway…
Flight time: 20 mins
A few weekends ago, Rainmaker, Josef and I went flying and Jack, Virge, Mike and Chris showed up. It was one big happy family! Everyone knows a little something about something or has some advice which I thankfully accept and take to heart. As we’re playing/practicing, Josef hollers out that Jessica is on her way. Awesome. Most times, people say, “I’ll be back.” – and then you never see ‘em again, but Jessica was totally hooked.
Flight time: 15 mins
Last weekend, I took my babies with me. My daughter, the Mayan Princess, flies regularly with me. My son had yet to try it. He prefers paintballing, skateboarding and his X-box. (Live.) I managed to guilt him into going with me this time around. He promised he would and I cashed in my chip. I bet he’s glad he did too! He got to take a ride on an R22. Ohmigod! We were flying and eating in the field with the earwigs, ticks and ladybugs. Oh my. Ladybugs, earwigs and ticks, oh my! Josef hollers out, “That’s Mike! Mike is coming! Move out everyone!” And here comes this helicopter, with people in it!
Flight time: 25 mins
Mike has over 10K flight hours logged in as an airline pilot. He had taken the Brazilian out for a ride from Camarillo airport. Everardo the Brazilian and Frank the Italian were in town to build their own and ship it down to South America. (They took four! Damn!) Anyway, so Mike lands and he and Everardo get out. We run over after the blades stop spinning to ooh and ahhh. Oh, she was a beauty. The guys chit chat while I stare. Rainmaker talks to the pilot, turns to me and yells, “Hey, you wanna ride?!” What. Uh…
Now, I didn’t think we’d crash. And I wasn’t afraid of being up in the air. But, all I could think about was that time I went on that fucking ferris wheel at California Adventure park. Oh sure! It looks all safe and fun but once they lock you in that cage, forget it! I HATE ferris wheels. Always have. And being locked in a container suspended in midair really freaks me out. So, I thought, naturally, being in a two-seater helicopter flying over the hills would make me pee in my pants. I sent my son a text. He was lunching in the van with his sisters. He came up the hill lickety split. I gave him my ride and promised myself next time I wouldn’t be such a girl. Maybe he’ll come out to Moorpark with me more often. Yay!
Mike has over 10K flight hours logged in as an airline pilot. He had taken the Brazilian out for a ride from Camarillo airport. Everardo the Brazilian and Frank the Italian were in town to build their own and ship it down to South America. (They took four! Damn!) Anyway, so Mike lands and he and Everardo get out. We run over after the blades stop spinning to ooh and ahhh. Oh, she was a beauty. The guys chit chat while I stare. Rainmaker talks to the pilot, turns to me and yells, “Hey, you wanna ride?!” What. Uh…
Now, I didn’t think we’d crash. And I wasn’t afraid of being up in the air. But, all I could think about was that time I went on that fucking ferris wheel at California Adventure park. Oh sure! It looks all safe and fun but once they lock you in that cage, forget it! I HATE ferris wheels. Always have. And being locked in a container suspended in midair really freaks me out. So, I thought, naturally, being in a two-seater helicopter flying over the hills would make me pee in my pants. I sent my son a text. He was lunching in the van with his sisters. He came up the hill lickety split. I gave him my ride and promised myself next time I wouldn’t be such a girl. Maybe he’ll come out to Moorpark with me more often. Yay!
Terminology:
R22
Collective
Pitch
Mode 1
Mode 2
Futaba
Exponential
Flight time:
1 hour since last I wrote. (Pathetic. How weak is that? Don’t answer that.)
Oh! I almost forgot! Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before…I was minding my own business when all of a sudden someone yells “Run! Killer bees! Run!” Imagine someone shouting that with an Austrian accent. Out of the blue, okay? I thought it was a joke. So I look around and see this cloud coming towards me. I swear, if I had had on a headcam it would’ve looked like I was in Cloverfield. Ohmigod. The bees were coming. We were in the middle of a swarm and all we could do was run down the hill, through some bushes to our cars. I had my little 9-year-old girl running for her little life while I slipped onto my ass and wound up sliding down in front of her which worked out because if she had fallen I would have kept her from rolling. It was scary. It was beyond scary. But hey…? I thought the African bees had been domesticated. I thought they had bred with our docile little American bees and become less a threat to us. What do I know? I ran and didn’t look back.
And let's not forget the new sport that's sweeping the nation! Quidditch for Muggles. That's right. Me, Rainmaker and the kids pulled into an In N' Out burger in Moorpark and saw that their van had taken a poop on them. The team mom had on a cape. It was a sight! I wanted a picture but everyone in our car said "No!" Obviously, not HP fans. I said, more to myself than anyone in particular, "If they'd brought their brooms they wouldn't be in this situation at all..."
More real chronicles to come... Life is an adventure. Be sure to get out and get you some!
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