Tampa based remote-control airplane club going strong since 2009

Inside Tampa's remote-control airplane club

FOX 13 Photojournalist Barry Wong Highlights members of Tampa Indoor Flyers, a group of aerial enthusiasts that meet to practice fancy flights with remote-controlled airplanes.

TAMPA, Fla. - Every Wednesday morning, the Tampa Indoor Flyers, a group of aerial enthusiasts, meet to practice fancy flights with remote-controlled airplanes.

"Every time you come out, you can do something different. You can learn to do something else with a plane," Ed Brown said.

The long-time member has been involved with model aviation for 68 years. The club was founded in 2009 for one simple reason.

Ed Brown flying his remote-controlled airplane.

"We're just a bunch of old people that got tired of being beaten up by the sun and the wind and the heat, and we found a place with a controlled environment," Donnie Hardaway said.

The controlled environment is the All People’s Park gymnasium. Each week, a handful of members of different experience levels practice with a variety of aircraft, from foam planes to helicopters and drones.

"It's an enjoyable thing because you can test yourself to your limit," co-founder Joe Piccolo said.

All the pilots encourage potential new members to try, but caution that no matter what, crashing is inevitable.

"You pick up the pieces, you glue them back together, and you go again," Brown said. "If it's worth learning, if it's worth doing, stick to it until you're successful."

That sense of overcoming obstacles and accomplishing new challenges is what keeps the current members coming back every week.

A remote-controlled airplane being flown by members of the Tampa Indoor Flyers.

"It's just a feeling of accomplishment and a challenge to make these little pieces of foam do what you want to do," Hardaway said.

Brown added, "I've equated this to my field of dreams, come in, and it's still comfortable to fly. That's the first thing. It's comfortable, and then you have other people you can learn from it."

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