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Home > Archive > Mar 22, 2007

‘Remote Possibilities’
By Ande Welling
Staff Writer
In the world of remote control, the sky’s the limit – literally. Soaring above miniature cars, boats, ATVs and trucks, the Remote Possibilities R/C (radio control) Club in St. George specializes in model crafts that fly. Planes, helicopters, jets, and floatplanes are at home in the big blue, their pilots building and flying them with an undeterred passion.
The club took flight in 1986 and has been going strong ever since, with membership fluctuating between 90 to 150 people. The group is chartered by the Academy of Model Aeronautics, a nonprofit organization that provides chartered members with contest sanctions, fly-site support (both in getting and keeping sites) and insurance. Each member of Remote Possibilities must have current AMA insurance in order to fly. AMA is the largest sport aviation organization, whose mission is to educate and develop the world of model aviation as both a sport and a recreational activity.
“R/C flying could be hazardous. These planes weigh anywhere from 5 pounds to 32 pounds,” club member and former secretary Raymond Peterson said. “Safety is our prime concern, safety of the pilots and safety of the spectators.”
The crafts are outfitted with electric, gas, or jet engines sized anywhere from 20 cc to 200 cc. Each model comes equipped with an onboard receiver that receives signals from a handheld transmitter – hence the remote control. The transmitter has two joysticks; the left one controls the throttle and the rudder while the right elevates the plane up and down and turns it left and right.
“A lot of the planes we fly are replicas that someone designed or flew, only they are scaled down versions,” Peterson said.
Experienced pilots make flying look effortless. Remote Possibilities pilots can be found at the old St. George Airport every fair weather day of the week, their aircrafts gliding through the sky like choreographed puppets performing a weightless dance. The apparent ease and control conveys a simplicity that is only an illusion; reality is much different. Frustration is common among beginning pilots, but those who persevere are rewarded with the euphoria of sky dancing.
“Our club has a trainer plane with a buddy box,” Peterson said. “This way, the trained pilot has control of the plane and trains the new pilot. If the new pilot loses control of the plane, then the trained pilot takes over.”
The trainer plane is similar to a driver’s ed. car in that it has two sets of controls – one for the beginner and one for the teacher. With a push of a button the experienced pilot regains control of the plane before disaster occurs. In addition to the trainer plane, the club also utilizes computerized flight simulators. The simulator provides realistic flying scenarios, giving experienced and potential pilots the chance to “fly” the different types of planes and helicopters without crashing. Remote Possibilities offers flying lessons to anyone – members and non-members alike.
Eliminating crashes supports the club’s safety goal and is financially beneficial. With the price of planes ranging from $300 for a basic trainer to $12,000 for a jet, remote control flying can be a costly endeavor; learning to fly minus the crashing makes the sport possible. Aircraft size, maintenance, repairs, and fuel all contribute to the costs of the sport. Many pilots buy kits and build their own planes, helicopters, or jets. Advances have been made throughout the years and whereas planes used to take a month or two to build, now an Almost Ready to fly kit can be purchased and put together in two or three days.
“If someone wants to join, for whatever reason – to get help or otherwise, they can,” Peterson said.
The club is nonexclusive, and anyone can join as long as they pay the annual $25 fee, attend a monthly meeting, and carry current AMA insurance. The club meets at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at the Cherokee Springs R.V. Park clubhouse in Washington City to conduct business. Lately, business has included the status of their current fly-site – the old St. George Airport. If and when construction for the new airport begins, the pilots will have to find a new place to fly. Sand Hollow is a potential future site.
Remote Possibilities sponsors many events throughout the year including a jet fly-in. Pilots are invited from all over, including California, Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming, to come fly their jet-fueled crafts. Jets are among the more expensive models, requiring jet fuel and a special pilot certification. In addition to the jet rally, the club also hosts a President’s Day Fly-in, IMAC (precision flying), a Fun Fly, and a Float Fly. The Float Fly is held at Sand Cove, and pilots spend a few days camping, flying their floater planes on the lake, eating food, and enjoying the company.
Peterson enjoys the club because “it’s a place of camaraderie, to fly and to learn things about the sport. And the planes are so beautiful to watch.”

For more information about Remote Possibilities R/C Club, check out their Web site at www.remotepossibilitiesrcclub.com or contact Brent Robison, 435-652-8076.

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