PASCO COUNTY — Down a dirt road in Pasco County there is a place where people of all ages come to fly.
“I’ve been flying for about 40 years now," said Danny Rivera.
Rivera is piloting A World War II-era P-51 Mustang.
“Very maneuverable airplane," he said. "Everything counts. Wind conditions, speed, balance, trust to weight ratio. All of it counts.”
The West Pasco Model Pilots Association started almost 20 years ago. John Flood is the club’s president.
“Our youngest member is around 19. And the oldest member is me. And everything in between," said Flood.
The club is glad to help beginners learn to fly. They use a buddy box system so the veteran pilots can work with the rookies. Not every landing is smooth. And the cost of repairs or replacements can add up.
“I lost a few. I lost an F-16 fighter jet. I was flying it early in the morning. The sun got in my eyes, it blended in and she went down pretty hard. So we do crash," said Rivera.
The club says you can get a good starter plane for about $200 plus accessories. James Carville and his dad Dick have flown Control Line planes for more than four decades. They are attached to cables making for an acrobatic dance in the air.
“It’s been awesome over the year. He stuck with it," said Carville.
The club hopes they can get more young people to take over the controls. They say when it comes to enjoying this hobby, it really can feel like the real thing.
“They are only toys when they are sitting on the ground, once they are in the air everything is real," said Rivera.
