Try some indoor flying next Saturday

Please note: a previous version of this post stated that the Morehouse Fly-In was scheduled for January 23. The event was postponed due to weather and will now be held on Saturday, January 30.  

This time of year always brings very short days. After the end of daylight savings time it becomes almost impossible for anyone with a 9-5 job to get outside after work and fly radio control before the sun goes down. Weekends are usually the only option. Even then, winter weather often does not cooperate. For the past month it has usually been too windy, rainy, cold, or snowy to head down to the airport and put a plane in the air.

For all these reasons, the Dexter Barnstormers RC club has been flying indoors at the Disciples Center gym at First Christian Church over the past few weeks. It has been a lot of fun, and we have even seen few people come out from clubs in the neighboring towns. Monday was the most recent gathering. We have a collection of biplanes, low-wing monoplanes, helicopters, quadcopters, and a couple of tiny aerobatic planes. The talent level ranges from absolute beginners to pilots putting on impressive 3-D displays.

Indoor flying is a little different than flying outside. Unless someone flies a little too close to the heater vent, there is no wind to contend with. The planes are all electric and many fly incredibly slowly. This low speed can be very beginner friendly. A Night Vapor indoors was how I first learned to fly RC. On the downside, the space limitations can quickly become a factor when not paying attention. More than one plane has met its end (at least temporarily) thunking into walls that seemed to jump out of nowhere. We have even had one or two end up in the basketball net.

Fortunately, crashes are usually fixed quickly and the extremely light weight of of the planes ensures no damage to persons or property. That said, the friendly ribbing provided by the peanut gallery of fellow pilots is more than enough to keep everyone humble.

For any southeast Missourian interested in seeing indoor flying firsthand, next Saturday, January 30, 2016, the Sikeston RC Club will be hosting a Fly-In at the Morehouse Elementary School Gym. If you got a new drone for Christmas this would be a good opportunity to learn from some more experienced pilots. Even if you do not have anything to come fly, just come see what the fun is all about. The flying starts at 10 a.m.