Adult life is complicated Archives - Everything I know about life I learned from model aeroplanes

February 6, 2022February 6, 2022

The sensational Aerocopter

The sensational Aerocopter claimed to be a flying toy, rather than any sort of model. Kind of like a drone from the days of black and white TV.

Arguably neither an aeroplane nor a helicopter, lift was allegedly provided by a novel oscillating/rotating wing arrangement. The operating concept involved a small child running along, towing the Aerocopter with a length of fishing line. It would then take off and “soar to 300 feet”. Presumably the child was supposed to remain on the ground.

If it really was “sensational”, those sensations were mostly frustration, disappointment and boredom. So in terms of preparation for adult life, it was a genuinely educational toy.

October 28, 2021January 10, 2022

Adult life is complicated part 1: Life was a lot simpler as a child

We all discover at some point that adult life is complicated, and then it keeps getting more complicated, forever. Model aeroplanes hinted at the complexity of adult life even before I first heard Big Yellow Taxi. And if only I’d realised at the time, they had been showing me how much simpler my life was. But unfortunately this lesson only becomes clear in hindsight, once we run smack into the complications.

November 2, 2020January 10, 2022

Cousin Robert and the Starfighter

“Cousin Robert and the Starfighter” has nothing to do with Robert Calvert – or any other member of Hawkwind. Nothing so complicated, because life was simpler when I was a child. And it was about ten years too early.

Before I actually got into building Airfix kits myself, my older cousin Robert built one for me. An Airfix Lockheed F-104G Starfighter, or to be precise, a CF-104G in RCAF markings.

At the time, I didn’t appreciate this valuable lesson, which illustrated how simple and straightforward my life was. Then again, I was only 6 years old and hadn’t done much work on personal growth. So I just marvelled at the appearance of this miniature futuristic aeroplane. Which still looks quite futuristic today – retrofuturistic, perhaps.