The winter has always
been the time of year
when R/C magazines
(there used to be some
on news stands,
honest) when editors would write a
congenial, fluffy, feel good piece telling us
all how wonderful the past year was and
what we have to look forward to in the
future.
If that’s what you’re looking for, this is the
wrong place to be. Because today, we’re
going to examine why 2020 sucked.
Twenty twenty sucked harder than a Pratt
& Whitney TF30-P-100 at full military
power. It sucked for just about everyone
too-—not just RC’ers.
WHAT SUCKED FOR R/C
From the land of a million and one foam
airplanes, without a doubt, the
Wuhan/China virus—yes, that’s where it
came from, disrupted life all over the
world. Aside from the economic carnage
and death it has caused, the incessant
daily mention of the virus in news articles
and other forms of media stoking fear is
damn near worse than the virus.
The virus killed virtually all major and
local R/C related events in 2020 resulting
in many leaving the hobby. Predictably,
R/C and event supporting business’ have
suffered a severe financial knee capping.
Moreover, R/C fans were patently
screwed out of just having a good time
with a summer that wasn’t.
Next up is the ongoing bureaucratic slap
fest between the FAA, the Academy of
Model Aeronautics and companies that
want to commercialize drone use.
Without going into coma inducing detail,
what’s at stake here is the basic liberty of
RC pilots to fly at their fields like they’ve
been doing safely for over 60 years.
Some people think we may lose our
hobby.
Let’s hope they’re wrong.
Balsa wood. Balsa, plywood, and airplane
hardwood prices have skyrocketed this
past year. A quick check of my invoices
show a 33% increase in prices over the
past four years which is high, but a
whopping 20.7% of the 33% price
increase has occurred this past year!
R/C Aircraft Insight From Low Altitude
With a .90 sized
CAP 231 in
progress, I
have 100 bucks
invested in
wood ($30 for
shipping) not
including what I have on hand to finish it.
That’s expensive when you consider I
could build two or three airplanes with
$60 of wood a few years ago.
In keeping with price increases, rhodium
used in engine glow plugs has jumped
from $2,400 an ounce to a staggering
$14,000 an ounce! Another stellar reason
why 2020 sucked.
In keeping with the spirit of 2020, the R/C
club I’m a member of lost both flying fields
earlier this year. Flying at the same
locations for more than 40 years, a paper
hanging, bureaucratic hag decided the
“flora and fauna” in the area was more
important.
Despite the club maintaining the gated
property in pristine condition, appeals
were a colossal waste of time. However,
the contemptible state government pencil
pushers wished us all “good luck”.
We removed our steel gate and the once
flat, mowed runway and surrounding land
is now a fine test area for Nitto Trail
Grappler M/T truck tires. No doubt the
birds and flowers are now blissfully happy.
But hey, I’m currently a paid member of
two clubs! One with a runway, one
without.
Another long standing club located about
30 miles away suffered the bureaucratic
boot with state lands and lost their site
too.
And finally, my favorite Japanese soba
noodle restaurant fell casualty to the virus
madness and was run out of business.
Now THAT REALLY pissed me off!
ONWARD TO 2021
Truly, I can’t imagine a year being any
worse for R/C than 2020. But no matter
what the new year brings, those who are
hooked on R/C will carry on and continue
to build and fly—I certainly intend to and
so will many others.
In today’s trying times, those involved in
R/C have discovered a compelling hobby
that relieves stress, boredom, depression,
and presents cogent, solvable challenges
every day. R/C transcends a dystopian,
Orwellian world laden with face diapers
and people fearfully hiding in their
basement.
Screw the basement. Screw the fear
mongers. I’m going flying.
Update! Fortunately, my favorite soba
noodle joint has now reopened and
serving their usual fine food. They are
true survivors.
tslidehaven.com
Top of Page
Find The Best Deals In
R/C
Engines
Why Twenty Twenty Sucked
John W. Blossick
Tail Slide Haven
johnb@tslidehaven.com
November 2020
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most
oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral
busybodies...but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so
with the approval of their own conscience.” C.S. Lewis