“An appeals court throws out the FCC’s ‘net neutrality’ rules on Internet traffic. The ruling could raise Internet service fees and stifle innovation, some say.” Read more..
Other ‘news’: I finally decided to do something about my long term interest in radio-controlled (“R/C”) airplanes. I’ve always been interested in flying, and one of the things I loved about computers – early on – was that various ‘flight simulators’ (games, really) allowed me to ‘fly’ fighter jets (iF-16, Jane’s, falcon 4.0), and ‘dogfight’ Zeros over the Pacific (Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator).
For years, I watched fellas fly these RC planes, and always thought it looked pretty.. well, fun.
So I did some research, and decided that the best plane for me to learn to fly RC would be a Hobbyzone Champ; a ‘RTF’ plane (ready-to-fly). Everything you need, in one box. So .. I got one. (They run about $100.) It proved a good choice.
I am pleased to say that, after about an hour’s piloting time, I can actually keep it in the air longer than I spend walking over to where it’s crashed (I did prove the Rule: a beginner’s first flight lasts somewhere between 4, and 6, seconds…) and can take off and land (but have yet to successfully do a ‘touch and go’). It is fun; and it’s challenging.
Here’s a video someone made about their first experience with a Champ. And I don’t at all believe it was his first flight ever, as I still cannot fly that well!
These aircraft are made from styrofoam, and are very, very light (my Champ is a little over an ounce) and reasonably resilient. When I was a kid.. models that could fly were either balsa wood and tissue paper (aka ‘beyond fragile’) or plastic and gas-powered (anyone remember the plane-on-a-string ‘go ’rounds’?).. things have come a long way!
Are there any R/C pilots out there in my audience? If so, any tips for me?
Today’s quote: “Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” ~ Ashley Smith
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I am a Retired computer & network technician. I used to think the machines were pretty cool. Now I don’t.
They’re anything but.
I regularly posted how-to’s and tricks & tips and general computing advice here starting in 2007. (Use the Search tool to find answers. But be aware, many are rather dated.) Sometimes I answered (your) specific questions in an article if I believed the answer was generally helpful to “everyone”. All the writing you see was my own, typos and all. There always is/was an implied “IMHO” in what you see here.
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I am a Retired computer & network technician. I used to think the machines were pretty cool. Now I don’t.
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