PORT TREVORTON -- Standing at the edge of the runway, Ron London guides his model helicopter through the air. Like a jazz guitarist, he improvises on the spot, guiding the chopper into a variety of flips, spins and barrel rolls.
His friend, Bill Allenbaugh, stands a few feet back, admiring the show.
"Oh man," says Allenbaugh, a less-experienced model helicopter flier. "The outside blade (on the helicopter) spins at the speed of sound. So if they hit you, they'll kill you. Chop you in half. It's not a kid's toy."
He makes it look easy, but according to London, flying a model helicopter requires a steady hand and mind.
"I've been flying (model) planes for 23 years, these for two," he said, gesturing at the gas-powered helicopter sitting on the ground. "(Helicopters) are much more difficult."
If you flub the controls on a plane, it'll continue to glide for a while before you lose control, he said, but "with a helicopter, you let go of the sticks, you've got to guide this all the way. It's non-stop work to fly a helicopter."
Popping open the cockpit, London pointed to the chopper's four internal computers, each of them controlling a different part of the helicopter.
But that's where the fun of flying a helicopter comes from, he said, "the challenge."
London and Allenbaugh drove down from Dubois Sunday morning to take part in the Susquehanna Valley Modelers model airplane fly-in at the club field off Winding Road.
Club president David Bailey said the group has been holding fly-ins going on 30 years now. About a dozen people turned out for Sunday's fly-in, but Bailey said membership has been down as of late.
"This year it's slacked off quite a bit," he said. "I don't know if it's the economy or what ... It's easier to get into model flying now than it ever was."
While he was flying, the linkage on the wing of one of Bailey's planes came loose and he momentarily lost control. Fortunately, he was able to pull it out of a spin and land it safely.
"I usually don't crash," he said as he crouched over the plane later, tightening the linkage. "So (my collection) grows over the years. I have around 10."
n E-mail comments to rscott@dailyitem.com.
News
Related Photos
-
Michael Bavero/The Daily Item
-
-
-
Discussion
Hobby challenges body and mind
Hobby provides a coordination challenge for pilots
- News
-
-
Memorial Day Observances
Here is a listing of Memorial Day events this weekend in the Central Susquehanna Valley.
-
Jerry Sandusky charity to shut down and transfer programs
PHILADELPHIA — The charity for troubled youths started by Jerry Sandusky more than three decades ago — and through which the retired Penn State assistant football coach met the boys he is charged with sexually abusing — said today it is seeking court approval to shut down and transfer its programs to a Texas-based youth ministry that serves abused and neglected children.
-
10 Things to Know Today
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today (times EDT):
-
Privately-operated Dragon capsule arrives at space station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space station astronauts have captured the Dragon. The privately bankrolled Dragon capsule arrived at the International Space Station today, making history as the first commercial delivery truck in orbit
-
Man pleads guilty in 2006 Penn State student death
STATE COLLEGE — A man whose murder conviction was previously thrown out in the fatal beating of a Penn State student six years ago has pleaded guilty in the killing under a deal with prosecutors.
-
Streaker at Phillies-Cardinals game last night lost a bet
ST. LOUIS — The streaker who ran naked onto the field during a Cardinals game says he did so because he lost a bet.
-
Jokester cop tased intern at station
NORTHUMBERLAND — A Northumberland police detective claims in a lawsuit filed Wednesday he was wrongly blamed after an officer shot an intern with a Taser gun while fooling around at the police station in December.
-
Midd-West taxpayers face increase of $109
MIDDLEBURG — The Midd-West School District on Thursday night announced an average property tax increase of $109 to help offset its $1.8 million budget deficit for the 2012-13 school year.
Midd-West will also close two elementary schools, consolidate two middle schools, cut programs and furlough seven teachers and 23 other staff members. -
LARA: Charred bridge sound
LEWISBURG — The fire-damaged railroad bridge crossing the Susquehanna River at Lewisburg is structurally sound following the March fire that discolored steel and charred roughly 400 ties, the Lewisburg Area Recreation Authority said at its meeting Thursday.
-
Stat of the Day: $2.6 million
Stat of the Day: $2.6 million.
That's what President Barack Obama has spent on advertising in Iowa, which may be a battleground state in November's election against presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
-
Northampton County jury sentences man to death in officer killing
EASTON — Jurors in eastern Pennsylvania have sentenced a man to death for fatally shooting a police officer last summer.
-
'To Do': Ambulance Anniversary
DANVILLE - The Danville Ambulance Service will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a free pig roast open to the public starting at noon May 25 at the service on A Street.
- More News Headlines
-
