It could be that we will be moving house some time later this year. With this in mind we have been reviewing those things that we might keep, and those to be discarded. I have already given away a bucket full of plumbing bits, leftovers from projects that "might come in handy one day". Also bits of wood that "seem a shame to just throw away".
Included in the list for evaluation are old hobbies. I have had an interest in avation since I was a kid, that, after a stint at gliding, changed into an interest in radio controlled aircraft. Eventually life gave me the financial resources needed to indulge this hobby, and my preference for electric power came to the fore once lithium-polymer batteries gave the power/weight ratio needed. So a couple of days ago I took out some of my mothballed r/c kit.
To my great surprise, the batteries are still good, and the "best" (that is, with all the bits in place) model I have responded correctly to the controller. So I carefully checked it all out and took the 'plane out to the field next door.
I should have reminded myself of one of the most basic rules of flying: the higher up an aeroplane is, the less likely it is to hit something, since most things it might hit either are, or have one end in, the ground. So I was still getting used to the controls when the first landing happened, that was more in the form of a cartwheel, and that took the wings off.
Liberal application of glue and tape and the model is airworthy again, and the second, third and fourth flights were more successful. Will I take up the hobby again? I'm keeping my options open. I have no interest in bigger, or faster, but aerobatics is of interest, as is the skill needed to keep a glider in the air.
We shall see.
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