Written by RN (c. 2003); Transcribed, reformatted and edited by JS (05/2010)

I attended the last Nats held in Chicago just before the war. That did it, seeing those early Radio Control efforts; I was hooked. After serving in the Air Force, it became my ambition to fly an RC model. The requirement of a Ham license was a big obstacle, but code practice in the early mornings produced the required 16 wpm.

My first attempt with a homebuilt Berkeley kit RC unit (RK61 tube) and a model of McElwee’s ROBOT was a flyaway. Two weeks later, it was found in a cemetery. Fine-tuning the transmitter to the dipole antenna allowed it to become a first place winner in a Cedar Rapids, Iowa contest. After 32 years as a school administrator, I retired in 1981 to Florida to do some serious building and flying. However, my experience seemed best suited to being a newsletter editor. I got caught up in writing newsletters for two clubs in Florida, the Polk Counting Soaring Eagles and the Florida Soaring Society.

My interest in electrics grew out of the soaring experience. I built my first airplane in 1984, a Waco CG4A – Troop Glider 7-cell motor, on and off switch, etc. It still flies today. It also produced my proudest moment. On September 19, 1985, the very first AMA-sanctioned electric contest in Florida was held at Lakeland. It was pleasure to have been the Contest Director. The contest drew six entries.

Now, with time to build, which wasn’t possible while doing newsletters, I can explore my latest interest, micro-flyers and park flyers. -Robert Nelson District V Representative for the Electric Rules Committee.

Ps. It was my honor to fly with Walt Good in many of the FSS contests. He knew of my budding interest in electrics and gave me a t-shirt from the international electric contest held in St. Louis.

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