Geof and Austin under the shelter                                                        The boys with their Kaos, Venture 60, and a new P-51

July 31, 2010,  by Dave Anderson

Geof and his son Austin are another father/son team that prefers to fly with CCRCS.  At the field on most any weekend, you'll find the two just as engrossed in their flying as any other fliers, and likely, you'll get some good conversation from either one of them!  During this interview, I had to squeeze in my questions and solicit comments as they were chatting with three other fliers!  They fly quite an assortment of aircraft too - Geof says he's built at least 50 different models over the years he's been in the sport!

His first project so many years ago was a Sig Kadet Mark II like the one on the left, purchased from Old Timer's Hobby (some CCRCS members may remember the old store).  In those days, his talents weren't so fully developed, and he remembers issues with building the wing.  He says: "I built the wing on corkboard so I could pin it down, but the cork board was bowed!

He admits his worst building project was a Jemco P-39 kit, probably similar to the one here on the right.  But it was covered as a Reno racer - go figure!  He says it flew decent, but instructions were minimal and the wood was too terrible.

Building other models through the years, he remembers his best project was a Kyosho Chipmunk, but says there just wasn't enough elevator built into the model.  It wasn't long before it met "terra firma," as he says! 

Geof first started flying model planes back in 1983, but that wasn't his first introduction to the hobby.  He remembers visiting his uncle's house when he was as young as 4 or 5 years old.  His uncle apparently liked the U-control planes, but he never saw the models move!  Pity too, as he recalls, "There was a B-24 and a Piper Tri-Pacer!"  The planes stuck in his head though, and he vowed right then "Someday I'm gonna fly those!"  And he did - but he was an adult by then, 21 years old when he flew the Sig Kadet with a radio.

In talking with Geof, it's interesting to hear of his experiences in model flight.  He told me about a day he was flying up at the Daybreak Park area, and found himself and his model right in the path of a full-size Decathelon that was flying INVERTED just 150' off the ground!  He says all he could do was dive the model straight to a landing and to get out of the way.  He was pretty shook up!

His worst experience was when losing a bolt on the bottom of a strut on a quarter-scale Monocoupe, like the one here on the right.  He remembers "That wing folded up and jettisoned right off the aircraft!"  But he's not be deterred from more building, finishing a couple of third-scale Spacewalkers along with one-eighth scale Hydros!  Yes - I said hydroplane boats!  Some of his handiwork can still be seen on www.rcunlimiteds.org.  There you'll find the 2000 Miss Madison, 1967 Miss Bardahl, the 1989 Winston Eagle, a Miss Budweiser, 1994 Smokin Joe's II and others - look for the "Our Boats" link to check them out.  Those boats push up to 25,000 RPMS and will reach 60 MPH! 

Geof first flew at CCRCS with an introduction from member Ralph Suter, and flew at the old EMAC field for awhile as well.  Geof himself has introduced a few people to the club himself, including his son Austin.  He likes flying Cubs now, and admits he really enjoys flying at CCRCS for the friendship and people.

Austin is a young teenager at present, and has been flying with our club for the last couple of years.  Austin is a very approachable young man who will entertain you with his insight and experiences.  It's easy to tell he really loves the sport, but insists he flies here because "my dad does!"  He soloed at the field after training by club member Ed Strunk - now there's an interesting combination of personalities!  But Geof and Austin have been friends with Ed for many years. 

Austin still has his first plane by the way, a Goldberg Piper Cub dressed out in Army fatigues!  Once he lost the cub in a tree, and when he recovered it, found he had forgotten to tighten up an elevator horn clip.  (We've all been there Austin!)

Apparently Austin like the bigger models.  He says when he first saw the quarter-scale and third-scale airplanes, he KNEW he had to fly!  He really gets excited about forty-two percent Katanas and Extras he's seen.  A new thirty-percent Yak outfitted with a DA 50 is currently on his wish list, but he says "when I get a job, my first plane will be a third-scale cub!"  But flying is certainly an obsession with Austin. . . working on his airplanes at home is one of his favorite things to do.  He was setting the valves on a four-cycle motor when he just four or five, and is always in the shop helping his dad!   (I guess that's pretty good in this electronic age of video games and social media fixations!  His dad tells me he's got the WII, the Xbox 360, the Xbox, and some older ones, but doesn't spend a lot of time on them!  He'd much rather work on the planes!) 

He tells me his worst experience has been a typical experience for many of us - flying a trainer, the "ground came up and took a bite out of the nose."  Cheeky, Austin!  In reality, it destroyed the aircraft!

His favorite CCRCS event has been the warbird fly-ins, and so he hopes to make his next project a PT-19 with an 89" wingspan.  With an experienced builder like Geof to guide him along, there is no doubt he'll do fine with it.  Good luck with that Austin!  We'll all be watching to see that bird fly!

It's wonderful to have father/son teams flying with CCRCS, and this pair makes a very interesting compliment with the other wonderful people we have with CCRCS.  Be sure to say hello next time you see them!