More Flying Machines

As we have said many times here at the Hive we are all about fun. So today I want to share with you another toy from my collection. Just like everything, this one has a story to go with it. When I retired from motorcycling a couple of years ago I took the proceeds from my last motorcycle sale and used some of it to buy a remote-controlled helicopter. I had researched these things some time ago on the internet, and thought it would be something that I could practice in our tiny back yard. The particular model that I settled on is from a company named Ikarus and is called the Eco 8. When it came it arrived in a box about the size of two large shoe boxes put together, if you can imagine. This is relevant when you look at the assembled machine:



It is not an exaggeration to say that this thing came in about 1000 pieces. Just to make it fun, the instructions were translated (very poorly) from German, and left me at times scratching my head. There were no curse words muttered during the assembly of this machine :-) I should've taken some progress photos, but to be honest, I thought a couple of weekends of rigrous yet satisfying building and I would have a brand new flying machine. Two years later, assembly is complete.

I haven't made my inaugural flight yet, as I just put the finishing touches on last night. I also rigged it up with some extra safety features to minimize damages when this thing finally takes to the skies.



Look for a future post to see how flying goes. After all of that time invested I'll have to admit I'm a little nervous. But I didn't build it to set it on a shelf, so we'll take 'er up and see what happens. Cheerio!!

Boys and Their Toys

There is an old cliche that goes something like "the difference between men and boys is the cost of their toys". While this may be cliche, I admit that in my case it is true. I remember a conversation with a good (and wise) friend of mine when we were in college. We were just struggling to get by, and the topic of fun things came up. I can't remember specifically what we were talking about, but my friend (you know who you are, Tony) said something to the effect "That's why we get these high-paying gigs... so we can buy our toys". I have taken those words to heart.

You have already seen posts at The Hive on my biggest toy, The Great Red Shark, that rests in our garage. And while The Shark is by far the most impressive, all of my toys are similar in one respect: they deliver the fun. I'm a sucker for fun things, toys and gadgets, and when it comes to these things, Janie and Madeline always deliver. Every year around Christmas and birthday, Janie and Madeline come up with something fun.

And this year was no different. Even better, I got and "advance" on my birthday present and got my latest fun gadget that you see here.



Big Deal, you may say, a toy aeroplane? Well there are two neat things about this little guy. 1. It is fully remote control, and 2. I can fly it in our tiny backyard!! It is totally fun! One thing I should mention here. I abhor flying as a mode of transportation, you might even say that I fear it. I simply do not travel by air. BUT, I am utterly fascinated with flying machines, just ask Janie and Madeline. Every year I get neat little gliders, helicopters, and model aeroplanes. I've even got a model remote control helicopter that has been under construction for quite some time (look for future post). So while I am fascinated with flight, I don't choose to partake in it myself, and all of these fun littly guys fill my enjoyment of flying machines, even if they are toys.

Here are some photos from my inaugural flight. As you can see, it was pretty sketchy, but I was hooked on the fun right off the bat.

Not exactly a 3-point landing


Somewhat in control:


Got the landing right this time: