Politics

Club politics or rather, brand loyalty.

In the late 80's I chose a Futaba radio, and as the FCC does, they reorganized the band allocation and I had to buy a "gold seal stickered radio" and I ended up buying Futaba because that is what I knew. It was not a computer menu driven radio, it had basic controls, two sticks, trim sliders and that's it. I loved that radio because I learned so much about flying with it. Very basic but that put the focus on flying and less in the configuration of the radio. I was flying alone or with another hang-gliding friend so there was no brand comparing, we all used basic radios, and we could not care about what you used as long as you used it to go up or fly in lift. I quit hang-gliding; it was terribly difficult for me to keep going to funerals of friends who pushed their flying skills. I knew about a dozen friends that died hang gliding over the years and after the last two close friends died, my kids and family begged me to stop. I had to stop everything flying, including RC soaring, it just reminded me of flying and that was too bittersweet. 

I started flying hang gliders again and had a close call which scared me badly. Many of the people I knew who died were better pilots than I was however, everyone in the club would say nearly the same thing, "he died what he loved doing" which I think was complete bullshit. I think I would like to die of old age and natural causes...

Anyway, I quit again and this time for good.

Many years have passed, and I have accepted the fact that I am not going to run off the peaks of big mountains or push off into strong lift at the edge of a howling windy precipice. It's hard for me to go near a cliff edge like the Grand Canyon or such, I have a fear of height now, funny huh, I'll try to explain. So many times, I have run off a mountain or flew off a cliff with my wing (hang glider) I am used to pushing past the edge of it and watching the terrain get smaller, farther away, my wing carrying me aloft. Now, when I get near the edge as a pedistrian, no wing, I have that feeling of falling because I'm used to pushing past as hard as I can but now, I do not have a wing or the insurance of flying, I'll just fall and die. That part of my brain gets activated, "hey, no wing, be careful, you will die" so I see precipices now as death, not fun. Or something like that.

But now, with my return to flying RC, all those decades of study, of centering in lift, of ridge soaring of flying my own RC sailplanes activates that excitement of soaring again, without the death part.

So, if you look in the About Me section, you will see some other interests, one of them is computers. I've been making blogs since the mid 90's, that's pretty early. I enjoy the gaggle, talking online with others of like mind and sometimes of un-like opinions. I enjoy diversity but that must be from a position of respect. If you are prejudiced and hide it and are respectful of others, fine, I'm not the mind police, it's your job to keep yourself in check, not my gig to tell others how to think. I like forums, you can learn a lot. I have the opinion of if you aren't asking questions about something, you must know it and should be sharing that. 

I prefer to be the student and listen, even if I am in the know. If I keep my mind open, like a parachute, I just might learn something. I choose mentors and listen to them. I am observant and understand that there are people that are not going to be open minded about things. The know what they know, and they choose to know only that.

It's like POLITICS, they have the opinion that their way is best and that if you aren't doing it their way, it's the hiway for you.

So I often take the hiway, it's much better to not engage.

Recently, I had to choose a radio to return to soaring. I didn't choose a Futaba. I choose a Jeti. I am trying to introduce myself online as well as hanging out at the club, so I posted about it at our local club forum. Immediately the radio politics posts came about with warnings. I had researched my choices very well and I have no less than three mentors in the club that I can easily ask questions of. Two of them I've known for most of my life, the other I meet recently, and all are champions. I asked them about Jeti and they all said the same thing, nice radio. 

They don't even use them.

In my time as a cross country pilot, there were several wings to choose from and all were about the same performance with different sizes and variations of functions. The configuration was nearly the same, no top wires, elliptical tips, a variable geometry (wing tightening system) and sailcloth borrowed from the world class racing sailmaking industry. My point is that the best pilots were of two types of politics, one, nothing but the wing they flew was acceptable and it was the best and two, all the top wings were excellent, they just chose the one that supported them the best. 

It's all about what you like. If (insert your favorite radio) supported me with all their equpment and I represented them, in exchange for their support, I'm not going to suggest a different company. I've learned to not bite the hand that feeds me. But I've also learned that no one is clearly the best until it is. At my level, I just need to choose a system and I'm going to learn programmable radios via the Jeti system users and factory support.

I'm buying the radio because it is aesthetically pleasing, has all the functions ergonomically placed and well, someone in the club uses one and I admire their whole kit and the way they flew F3L, which is the point why I'm getting into the club, simple soaring from a hi-start, contesting.

I've researched Futaba first, didn't really jive with the community support (as a beginner, even though I am not I am) and I'm tired of the same old thing, I want to learn to branch out. I flew Wills Wing gliders, ordered them over and over. I flew other wings and really enjoyed them but I knew Wills Wing. Looking back, I wish I would have bought different gliders, but I didn't. I did well with what I knew, and they were good wings. 

I'm looking at my entry into the club through those lenses. I'm seeing the best pilots assist new pilots not telling them. I don't know, this is all new to me.

Time to buy my radio, I'm doing it now, soon as I am done typing this.