Ben Feist TEMAC #5

[bfeist]

Hi everyone,

I've been interested in RC since I was quite young, but never had an adult sponsor (as we all know kids need) and wasn't able to really get started until my 20s (in the mid 90s). In 1998 I found the 14th avenue crew online via Al MacDonald and Rob Pike. Rob had a very early website about all the planes he had made that got me seriously hooked. Electric seemed the way to go, even back then, since I didn't know anything about engines, and didn't have a garage to run an IC engine in. Electricity just seemed more easily understandable.

I built a Great Planes Spirit with my father. It was great fun to build, but being my first plane turned out more glue than wood. My next plane was A Carl Goldberg Mirage, which the 14th avenue guys (many now TEMAC members) were very helpful in getting airborne. I flew it for over 8 years on an Astro 05 Geared cobalt motor and a 50A brushed ESC, on 7 Nicads.

When TEMAC started in 2004 it was an easy decision to join. With the leadership of Michael Rogozinsky, the 14th avenue guys were finally getting serious about an electric-only field. We're lucky that Michael made it happen when he did, because a hydro plant was soon built on the land we were squatting at our old 14th avenue flying site.

I've been a casual flyer for many years now. Learning slowly, buying when the funds are available, fixing when they're not (always fixing). I've explored the hobby broadly, but not very deeply. I fly everything. A 320kph pylon racer, a Supercub, a 13' thermal sailplane, an F5B hotliner, helicopters, quadcopters, you name it (except indoor, no interest at all in that). My current interest is in becoming a better pilot rather than having more experiences with different kinds of planes . Last season a few of us took an interest in IMAC pattern flying. I'm a long way off from being able to complete a routine, but it's a lot of fun to think about the piloting rather than the aircraft itself.

In 2012 I redesigned and relaunched the TEMAC.ca website along with this forum. I've spent my non-RC career building websites and thought it would be a great way to give back to this fantastic club. I'm very happy to see the great fun we have at the field be extended online here. We truly have a special group of people at this club and I'll continue to do my best to enable the club online.

I look forward to another great flying season in 2013. Spring hasn't been kind to us this year. Here's calling for a 10kph north wind every Saturday and Sunday this entire summer!

Top photo: Glenn Nikolaiko (TEMAC Instructor) flying his EP Concept heli at 14th ave in 2002.
2nd, 3rd photos: My Curtiss R3C-2 that I built in 2006 (definitely the most difficult build I've ever done).
4th: Flying at TEMAC in 2011 with my son.
5th: Setting up my 13 foot Sailaire sailplane in 2011.
6th: A photo I took at the 2012 TEMAC EDF mini-Funfly

[Papa]

That's neat. Can you identify the others in the Photo of Glenn?

Jack.