Eddie Jara

[eddiecj]

 Just over 4 years ago, my wife and I made the move from Toronto to stouffville, as we settled in and began exploring the countryside around Stouffville, we would pass TEMAC while out driving, and every time there were
Planes buzzing around. My wife would say each time we passed "hey look Eddie, look at those planes,why don't you try that!" my response was, verbatim....." Yeah sure, I have thousands to crash into the ground and lots of hair to loose anyway" we both laughed and continued on our drive.

Fast forward 2.5yrs,while driving by myself, again there are those planes! I decided to stop, it was TEMAC I learned as I drove in on that  Saturday morning, to the sight of all these super cool EDF jets screaming around. I introduced myself, and I think it was Simon whom I spoke with first, now, short of making some really cool paper airplanes which I would throw and poke other kids eyes as a child, I had no idea whatsoever about RC planes and what makes them tick. Simon was patient and helpful in the face of this tart before him, wandering around asking questions of every member, I was so curious and may have stuck around too long pestering with questions because soon thereafter as I would approach another guy, he'd hurriedly grab his plane and trot to the field.

In the days after I thought I would dig into this a little, I found pinnacle hobby, again, I didn't want to sound like a complete idiot asking a million questions, so I was honest and explained that I had never operated a radio controlled anything but wanted to learn how to fly planes. I made sure to emphasize that I didn't want a micro plane to take out and occasionally fly in my back yard for a laugh or two, "I wanted to play with the big boys one day" lol, were my exact words to Ron. He promptly suggested I learn on a sim first, get a decent radio, and learn as much as possible on a SIM before joining a club and flying for the first time, the way it should be right! Yes, but that's not what I did.Yes I did use that sim till I overheated my computer one night, spent months on that sim through winter. It was the coolest thing ever! and very quickly I was watching tutorials on youtube and had recorded clips within the sim of me doing knife edges,prop hangs,stall turns,with my fav YAK 54.

I didn't want to just know what stick inputs did what, I wanted to know why the plane did that when I did this with the sticks, funny, I was doing crazy knife edges on my Yak in PHOENIX RC weeks before I bought my first plane, the mighty Apprentice! Lol where a knife edge was not possible I learned a little later only 20ft off deck. Anyway, shortly after,I grew bored of my sim, I wanted to try my hand at the real thing, so I made my way back to pinnacle and asked them to suggest a first plane, the Apprentice no doubt was the first choice, I was shocked at how big it was! Really! this is my first plane? (Little did I know how well the sim time served me) I assembled it on my kitchen table as my wife watched. A few min later,the plane was done, and I put it on my kitchen floor and walked around it with the biggest smile ever, heart racing, like I had just purchased a Ferrari!

I taxied that apprentice daily,back and forth, in my basement, while the stormy weather passed, (several days of bad weather just as I bought plane) all the while gobbling up everything I could find online regarding radio and Lipo care and management. The weather passed, and I looked for a suitable desolate place to fly my first flight, I taught myself much by then, and I guess pride prevented me from going to a club, I wanted to show myself that I didn't waste weeks worth of sim time and reading like a possessed man, only to ask in a wimpy tone "please sir help me fly my plane" lol so I drove around looking for a place that was suitable with lots of space, and no one around, I figured those spaces were abundant here in the farmlands but I was wrong. I waited for yet another week looking for a spot, and eventually caved and went to TEMAC, I learned about training night still a week away, and joining MAAC and club fees, I was a little deflated, I couldn't get my plane in the sky that day.

I would set out every chance I had, plane in car, looking for a spot, and of all places, in Downsview park, In the heart of the city, while visiting my in laws, I saw a group of cars, at the end of a small road, all with their hoods up, I knew why all their hoods were up and I don't even have to explain to anyone here why lol. There they were, others flying, (far end of park well away from airfield of course) so I mentioned that I'll be flying my plane for the first time and if they'd let me have my maiden with them it'd be great, they were great, asked me about my experience (sim only) and asked if I wanted to buddy box. I said thank you but I think I'll be ok, checked out control surfaces,range test, screws tightened, went though my first checklist I put together based on my initial build, I was nervous, so I paused and went through takeoff in my mind and tried to imagine what to expect based on my sim experience. Kinda like a zen moment lol (I wasn't gonna take off being as nervous as a moose in a phone booth)

They watched me have my zen moment, not saying a word, I taxied one last time to make sure my plane would go straight, and hit full throttle into the wind! A little elevator and my Apprentice rose,and rose, MAN WHAT A FEELING THAT WAS!!! It was a little windy so I was fighting the wind a bit ,and porpoising up and down a bit at a decent altitude though, giving myself room for mistakes, once I levelled out, I was calm as a Hindu cow. The guys then asked me to do certain things, bank, yaw, climb, descend, helping me familiarize myself, building my confidence, great bunch of guys they were, after 5 min, I was eager to do my first loop, and did it, although a little late off throttle and stressed wings to near breaking (lesson learned), landing wasn't so perfect though, they asked me if I was confident enough to land it myself , I was, they told me exactly how to approach, where to target, how high to be where, all was good but I was too fast and overshot grassy area into bushes and broke my gear, bummer! the guys fixed it in a min or two and I was ready for round two! BUT failed to check my steering trim and my second takeoff was horrendous, but it was up! landing again on that tallish grass was a nose over but hey, I flew by myself, no buddy box, so I think a loop on my maiden was not to shabby! I was proud of myself.

In the months after, would fly every chance I had, couldn't get enough, made a bad decision and flew on a way to windy day once, broke wing in two, lesson learned, all said, having logged near just over 1000min in air with my plane now, including that first miss hap on landing, and the broken wing, the occasional hard landing which breaks the paper thin cowling, the Apprentice lives and is happy, (god I just know that having said that, I'm gonna go out tomorrow and crater my plane) works that way too often. For anyone reading this who is a beginner, don't follow my lead, I was eager, but mind you, super cautious...ultimately though regardless how confident you feel, how much you read, join a club for your first maiden, I am learning every day, and still fly too much yank & crank, but I teach myself little by little, I ask questions and carefully watch what instructors do, and absorb what they say, now I am looking to my next plane, I would like a sail plane, but being me, the way I am, I'll pester sail plane flyers to no end first lol. That's my story folks, hope it didn't sound like a Timmy's commercial lol.

[Papa]

So Eddie, now that you've found TEMAC when are you going to Join the club?


Jack Higgins

[eddiecj]

Thanks for the invite Mr.Higgins, but upon being invited to fly at another club, I did decide to join there, something about Seaton valley grabbed me, I love the remote locale, and the Johnny on the spot goes a long way too lol,that's not to say that I enjoy very much learning from, and contributing to TEMAC's forum, as it is outstanding in its content and member base contributions, I am very well versed in multi rotors, and have extended an invite to help any member wishing to explore that that side of RC craft on this forum. Thank you for the invite, and I do look forward to dropping by now and then to say hi,and shake hands.

Thank you!

Eddie jara