Model airplanes roar, dive, spin over Parrish

PARRISH — At 10 years old, Luke Patingale surprises his teachers at Virgil Mills Elementary School in Parrish with his knowledge of sports and his desire to be a TV sports announcer.

But when his aunt, Tara Mowery, and friend, Gary Defore, took him Sunday to see his first model airplanes roar across the sky, dive and spin during the 2010 Dick Coles Memorial Fly-In in Parrish, the announcer stuff seemed to fly out the window.

An awe-struck Luke watched pilots like 14-year-old Tommy Kitt standing on the perimeter of an 80-acre field airfield next to Virgil Mills Elementary, using a radio controller to remotely fly a model plane in the event sponsored by the Manatee County Radio Controllers.

This weekend’s events were all about fun and attracting new young members to the club, said Bill Cryer, president of the sponsor group Manatee County Radio Controllers, a club of roughly 150 model aircraft enthusiasts.

Right now, the club has only about seven members age 18 or younger — and they know there are a lot more potential pilots like Tommy out there, Cryer said.

The club’s two-day “Fly-In” included a model bomber dropping a pound of candy in the middle of the airfield, prompting the youngsters who were present Sunday to make a mad dash.

It may cost around $400 to get started on the hobby, club members said.

When most people think of model airplanes that fly, the perception usually is a craft only a small percentage in size to the real-life craft.

But the hobby is changing, and airplanes are getting larger and heavier — and some are more than 50 percent the size of the plane they are copying.

The use of gasoline engines has allowed the model planes to get larger, Cryer said, because the engines are sturdier and can support heavier materials, which allows hobbyists to fly planes closer and closer in size to the originals.

The bigger planes can be more challenging and feel more like the real thing, members said.

The plane Tommy was flying in the frisky wind was a Pilot-RC Yak 54 with an 88-inch wingspan. The plane ran on a 55 cc gasoline engine.

The B-25 Mitchell bomber that dropped a pound of candy in the middle of the field during the Fly-In was powered by electricity, Cryer said, pointing out how model aircraft also are getting “green.”

Tommy, who lives on St. Pete Beach. has become so admired at the Parrish air field that when some of the 150 members of the club build a plane, they want Tommy to fly it first, to “trim it out,” said Jim Kitt, Tommy’s dad.

Tommy only started flying two years ago, his father said. His first plane, a SIG LT 40 Kadet, cost $130 but he had to pay about $300 for the electronics to go with it.

“Tommy has six planes now, but he’s still using that first transmitter and receiver,” Jim Kitt said.

Tommy hopes to one day become a professional model aircraft pilot. Right now, he still has his amateur status.

Jim Kitt also credits a software program called RealFlight by Great Planes for helping his son learn his skills.

“I’m to the point now where I can feel the plane,” Tommy said. “There isn’t a disconnect even though I am on the ground.”

After the show was over Sunday, Luke got to meet Tommy to learn how the radio controller moves the plane’s parts.

“It’s awesome times two,” Luke said.

“We want to get more kids involved because we believe it will result in better lives for them,” said Cryer, who was one of 60 pilots flying about 100 model airplanes over the two-day event.

Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 748-0411, Ext. 6686.