Many people enjoy gardening or golf in their spare time, but the
70 members of the Flying Wavemasters have a hobby a bit grander in
scale.
Hollister – Many people enjoy gardening or golf in their spare time, but the 70 members of the Flying Wavemasters have a hobby a bit grander in scale.
Every Saturday, the Wavemasters meet to shoot the breeze, enjoy a barbecue, and do what they love most: Show off their killer model aircrafts.
“Most of us flew line-controlled planes as kids,” said Pat Lobes, a local resident and club member. “Now that we’re a bit older, flying radio-controlled planes really takes us back.”
The Wavemasters, named for the many members who fly model sea planes off the water, were chartered through the Academy of Model Aeronautics over 40 years ago in San Jose. As the community grew, the club moved from town to town in search of a plot of land big enough to fly their planes over. And 18 years ago, that search brought them to Hollister. Today, the club’s members commute from as far away as Redwood City to share in one another’s airplane obsession.
“I don’t mind the drive,” said John Delevoryas, a retired professor and pianist from San Jose. “I get to spend time with a lot of great fellas, and they’re all really passionate about their hobby. It’s worth it.”
The Wavemasters meet at their airfield, which sits just off Highway 25 and Shore Road and features a 400-foot runway with special markings, so that planes from the nearby Hollister Airport don’t confuse it for a real one. Club dues pay for the rented land and upkeep of the runway.
Many of the Wavemasters build their own planes, some with a wingspan of 10 feet, costing anywhere from $350 for a basic model, to thousands of dollars for more advanced models.
“It’s a real art,” said Lobes. “Flying the plane is a physical challenge. You design your own plane, and you have to use mechanics and engineering and even a little electronic work. You’re using your whole mind.”
Hundreds of clubs like the Wavemasters exist throughout the United States, and many members travel back and forth across the country to compete in tournaments with their planes.
“People take these tournaments really seriously,” said Lobes. “Sometimes you’ll see six or eight thousand dollar planes crash there. It’s really something.”
Many Wavemasters are concerned, however, that their club may soon be looking for a new home. Their airfield neighbors the proposed sight for El Rancho San Benito, and club members are concerned that the development may interfere with their flight.
“Right now it’s perfect. You can fly your plane as far as your eye can see,” said Lobes. “But we’re worried the development might encroach on our flying area, or that the noise from our planes will bother people living their.”
The Wavemasters have yet to approach DMB, the company responsible for the proposed development, with their concerns, choosing instead to wait and see how events progress.
In the meantime, the Wavemasters are using their hobby as an educational tool for the county’s youth. Lobes has started a program for the fourth grade students at Tres Pinos School, allowing them to visit the airfield and try their hand at piloting some basic model planes.
“It’s a real education for them,” he said. “It lets them apply the science they’re learning in school…. It keeps them out of trouble, and it’s a healthy interest they can explore with their parents.”
While the Wavemasters are enthusiastic about their hobby, they admit that it’s not for everyone.
“You have to be very patient,” said Delevoryas. “And you have to accept that you won’t be successful all the time. But when you work at it for awhile, and you finally see something you built fly, you get a real sense of achievement.”
The Wavemasters are always looking for new members. For more information and contact numbers, visit the club Web site at www.redshift.com/~sjw/
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
