Model airplane enthusiasts share passion for flying

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 3:00 AM |

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Fourteen-year-old Will Douglas flies one of his radio controlled planes at Dan Nicholas Park using the handheld control. Douglas is the president of the Rowan Aero Modelers Society. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, Salisbury Post

Will Douglas, 14 flies a radio controlled plane at Dan Nicholas Park. Douglas is the president of the Rowan Aero Modelers Society. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, Salisbury Post

Will Douglas talks with his father, Howard, about the Stryker Model plane at Dan Nicholas Park. Douglas is the president of the Rowan Aero Modelers Society. The plane is battery powered. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, Salisbury Post

By Sara Gregory

Salisbury Post

At 14, Will Douglas can't drive yet. Instead, he flies airplanes almost every day.

The remote-controlled kind, of course.

Douglas is president of the Rowan Aeromodeller Society and has been flying planes for a little more than two years.

The group started in the 1960s and practices on a field just past Dan Nicholas Park.

"We like to teach people how to fly," Douglas says.

The group of about 15 plane enthusiasts meets the first Monday of every month to fly planes together.

Douglas, who will be a freshman at Carson High School in the fall, became interested in flying after his dad brought him to the field to watch the group one day.

Now, he wants to learn how to fly real planes when he turns 16, and has dreams of joining the Air Force.

"It's fun, and it's a way to blow off some steam," he says.

Douglas has a small electric plane he flies most days. Some of the planes, which are flown by remote control, are as small as your palm, while others are about 6 feet wide.

When the group meets to fly, they watch the tricks others can do with the planes.

The best part is "when you're flying and you can do some tricks and when you land safely, everyone just starts clapping for you," Douglas says, adding that he and his dad like to fly their planes upside down.

Those interested in learning more about the group can reach Douglas at 704-279-2238 or at flyinfutbol@earthlink.net.

Contact Sara Gregory at 704-797-4257 or sgregory@salisburypost.com.

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