Eric Adams TEMAC #70

[eric]

I've always been interested in aviation and, like most kids my age, I would rush outside to look up at the sky when an aircraft passed overhead. My father bought me a yellow & blue plastic PT-19 control liner that was held together by a gazillion rubber bands. This allowed the model to fly to pieces on crashing rather than re-kitting itself. It was powered by a Cox .049 Babe Bee and it was my pride and joy. Unfortunately, it sounded like a swarm of demented bees and the neighbourhood curmudgeons threatened bodily harm every time I tried to fly it in the park. Having no one around to help me, I finally gave up and moved on to something else, mainly racing hydroplanes in my teens and then graduating to road and dirt bikes (we called them "scramblers" back in the day).

As far back as I can remember, my goal in life was to become a bush pilot / aircraft mechanic. After leaving high school I worked as an apprentice aircraft engineer at Oshawa Flying Club, getting my AME category "A" certificate in 1971 as well as earning a private pilot's licence with float endorsement. Being young and single, I spent my mad money on a partnership in an Aeronca Chief (a Champ with side by side seating). We flew it off of skiis in the winter and floats in the summer. A wife, mortgage, etc., etc. soon put paid to any extra money so the Chief had to go.

It didn't take long to realize that working in the aviation industry was not going to be a very secure occupation long term, so I joined York Regional Police and managed to tough it out there for 2 1/2 years. At that point, I decided to follow another boyhood dream and applied to the Scarborough Fire Department when I heard they were hiring. I was accepted and remained there for over 32 years, most of that spent as Captain on heavy rescue vehicles. The job allowed me to work part time in the aviation industry which turned out to be the best of both worlds. I worked as a mechanic at a float plane base on Lake Scugog, as a line mechanic on DC-3's, Beech 18's, Cansos, light twins and singles at Skycraft in Oshawa, as well as taking a position as Chief Engineer for Markham Airport for a few years before packing in the flying side of things. I haven't worked in the industry or flown full scale since the late 80's; the money was poor for all the responsibity entailed and I found flying full size noisy and increasingly expensive. Paying $200 for an aircraft rental so I could fly to the same seedy airports for the same lousy cups of coffee lost its appeal.

After retiring I joined TEMAC in late 2006 after encountering Andre Wedseltoft flying a model in the parkette beside my house. He invited me to the field and, one flight later, I was hooked big time. Since I became involved in this great hobby, I've received help from so many guys, I couldn't begin to list them all, but here are a few. Andre became my mentor and taught me to fly. Michael Rogozinski made me feel at ease from the very beginning and sold me my first model, an 88" Super Bucaneer old timer which basically flies itself and was the perfect trainer. Ken Coleman is constantly assisting me with any problems I may come up with. The time, advice and support that modellers give freely is truly a wonderful thing.

All facets of the hobby are of interest to me and I have a garage full of trainers, aerobats, float planes, my poor neglected Formosa pylon racer, gliders and indoor models (I love to build the old stick and tissue kits). I enjoy flying them all, but my favourite style of model has to be the old timer, as they satisfy my strange craving for the quirky and unusual. The fact that they fly so slowly and majestically just adds to their allure. I realize they're much maligned as being ugly and boring, but for me, lounging in a comfy lawn chair thermalling an oldie on a bright, blue summer afternoon with a like minded friend is the best stress reliever there is. Kicking back watching my 88" Buc, 84" Powerhouse or 80" Dallaire Speedster float by overhead with the sun shining through that lovely translucent covering, well, that's model heaven for me.

[sihinch]

Great to meet you Eric! 

Thank you for posting your bio