Hi Makers!

My name is Phil Gapp and you may have seen me in and out and if you've used the basement bathroom then you for SURE have seen my planes and some of my gear.

This summer I am training in some of my siblings and working on some new planes, and I've been in the hobby long enough that to advance further I need to teach others and get more people of all ages involved in such a rewarding and exciting activity! Plans are coming together for a weekly Monday night class that will bring us from ground school and building all the way to actual flight time and logged experience for everyone in the class - and hopefully getting a mid-size sport flyer and a trainer to be completely owned by the Hackfactory and maintained by our 'Aeronautics and Aviation Department' (proposed name for a section of the basement to be devoted to flying contraptions, rockets, UAV projects, etc).

This post is to start getting the word out and see if any current members/forum users want to be involved or have gear to lend or donate to the new department and class. Talk to people outside and see how many people we can get involved!!

My home club is in Hastings, which is about 30 mins down highway 55 from the Hackfactory, and the guys at the field who trained me are experts and happy to pass on wisdom and fun times. Check out http://www.richvalleyrc.com for more info and some images, as well as a map to the field.

Thanks for reading and please shoot me some feedback, I think this could also be a way to bring in some new members and funds - everyone from age 12 and up is welcome to attend the class.

Phil Gapp
philgapp@gmail.com
802.498.3225

9 years building and flying RC planes
12 years park flying
12 years model rocketry

PS: I've noticed a drawer with some model aviation electronics and 3 radios with some other gear, can anyone help me find the owner and see what the status of this gear is?
Also more recently a sport flyer with no wing and a broken tail showed up on a custom made PVC stand, also looking for the person who brought this in to find out if we can use it.

THANKS!!!

Always been interested in this. Great to see this going on. Summer is a busy time so I doubt I can join in right away (at least until after Bessie II).

You forgot UFO, great to add another class.

Have you done any high power rocketry?

I have my level 2, but am letting it lapse this year to save a few dollars.

We fly near North Branch.

I'm very interested in RC Airplanes, it's on my list. Nice to have somebody specializing in it at HacFac.

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the post. Are you planning to charge for your classes, or will this be a weekly meeting event at the Hack Factory for its members? Open to the public? Using Hack Factory tools? If you haven't spoken yet with Mike H. or Michael F. (President and Development Coordinator, respectively) about logistics, please contact them to discuss the who/when/fees issues.

Thanks!

I am planning to charge for the classes, but nothing is official with TC Maker / HF. Honestly here are my reasons for wanting to teach the class:

1. It is a huge passion of mine, and I have a lot to pass on and the means to teach many different types of people
2. The Hackfactory is a great place to teach anything, store different equipment, etc - and I want to bring more people into TCM
3. I am broke, and I plan on having all proceeds go to TCM, and anything that the organization would approve to give back to the Aerospace/
Aviation 'Department' (aka myself, any existing members that want to be in on this, and the public that is enrolled in the class and paying for it) would help pay for some of our own member-owned aviation gear.

If the class is $20-30 a person total (Monday nights through at least summer and fall; possibly well into winter and beyond!), and we build a plane or two that is/are owned by TCM and used by members only:

a) my dues are covered and I can continue to be a member without going bankrupt (yes I am that much on the edge financially - on unemployment)
b) more members because of such a cool area of study/play means more income for our group and more tools like this 3D printer I keep drooling about
c) I get to do what I love and maybe get a whole bunch of people in the cities excited about flying!

Thoughts, ideas, pricing fairness, etc???? I love feedback!

Thanks

I have learned a lot about it and have more than enough 'ground school' accomplished, but I dumped all my money into flying. The reason I kept up with rocketry was to break a major rule and launch scale sidewinders off of a ducted fan F16 I had (until it splintered in the ground at a show). It was pretty satisfying to watch C5-6 Estes engines push my custom missiles from the wings of an RC plane I was commanding

If you would be willing let's get in touch and see if we can have a night or two devoted to rockets - and let's not teach anyone to break model/RC rules lol

Thanks!

Hi Phil,

I've contacted Board members Mike and Micheal and one or both of them should be getting back to you as to what arrangements we can make.

Sounds like exciting stuff!