In The Air
Time flies like an arrow.
One of the great joys of editing this publication are the personal relationships I have established with the many people who contribute to the success of each issue. Of the many discussions which occur over the course of the month, one of the ones I enjoy the most is with Norimichi Kawakami, the author of Mita 3 Production Notes, the tenth part of which appears in this issue. I find I often remark to him that ‘time flies’ between our conversations, which typically occur about the middle of the month. Incidental to the most recent conversation, Kawakami referenced an ancient Japanese proverb:
The essence of the proverb, when translated into English, is that ‘time flies like an arrow’. I love that metaphor. I instantly see in my mind’s eye the arrow cast into flight by the long, graceful bow of a kyūdōka (弓道家). But as a metaphor, I think it might mean more than just the notion of an arrow whizzing by — which times does, of course. It might also impart the notion of the arrow in flight both when viewed from the archer’s position and the position of the target. In either case, the arrow might seem almost motionless. The long, graceful arc of an arrow is distilled down to a quick dip or curve. While less aesthetically pleasing, perhaps, it’s actually better in communicating what’s actually going on as the arrow courses from the bow’s string to the bullseye.
And so it is as the calendar turns from one year to the next. It’s a great time both to look back — toward the archer, if you will—to see how things turned out, and to look forward — toward the target — to see how we would like things to turn out in the year ahead.
For my part, I’m happy to look back on 2021 and say that 12 issues of the New RC Soaring Digest came out and were enjoyed by readers around the globe — in 94 countries the last time we counted. As I have said previously, while I am supremely unqualified for the work, I have learned a lot on the job. To that end, I’m not so modest to not say I think each issue has been a little better than the one before it. That would make this the best one yet. And next month’s even better.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without a gaggle of very talented and dedicated contributors. So 12 successful issues is our accomplishment, not my accomplishment. So let me simply say ‘well done!’ to all of us.
Looking forward to 2022 the goal, of course, is to produce another 12 issues of RCSD, with the additional goal of making each one a little better than the one that proceeds it. My intention is to continue to refine the processes by which the journal is produced so that more content can be delivered in more formats with the same effort. A further goal is to make sure that no matter how diverse the audience, that everybody will find at least one article which really grabs their attention and provides some inspiration for a new project or activity.
Speaking of audience, without putting too fine a point on it, we have a very narrowly defined demographic. That’s not the result of anything specific in the environment — it’s just the way it is and the seemingly the way it has always been. That said, I don’t believe it’s the way it has to be. So one of my personal goals for 2022 is to consciously reach out, with your help, to audiences with which we are not currently in touch. We all have an interest in our community being as large and diverse a mosaic as can reasonably be achieved.
Finally, there’s the goal of making RCSD financially sustainable over the long term. We continue to court the Friends of RCSD to provide long-term, stable financial support in exchange for a platform which helps high quality brands articulate their narrative, and to do so in a way which does not impinge on a pristine reading experience. We also continue to develop the RCSD Shop, which is committed to great, unique products at a reasonable price while supporting the ongoing operation of RCSD. If you’re in a position to help with either and/or both, by all means let us know!
So as we look both backwards and forwards at this temporal crossroads, I both thank you for your support over the past year and thank you, in advance, for your enthusiasm, contributions and readership in the year ahead.
I have a feeling that 2022 is going to be a really great year.
Patricia Gannon (née Conroy)
I hope RCSD readers will forgive me if I take a bit of this platform to share some personal thoughts. Time going by as quickly as it does is truly both a blessing and a curse.
While the family dynamic of our hobby is most often ‘father and son’, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the vital role my mother played in my lifelong interest in RC. It’s true, Dad was the parent who most often accompanied me to the flying field. However, it was my mother who never — not once — complained about us heading out after dinner for a practice session after wolfing down the dinner she had lovingly prepared and afterwards cleared away after we had bolted. Our Mum was very proudly stay-at-home at least until the last of her three kids — that is, me — were all in secondary school. She deserves much credit, along with my father, with churning out fairly decent offspring while keeping a perfect, happy household.
But most importantly, Mum provided the gift of absolutely granite solid support for whatever her kids chose to do. She always encouraged us to be our best, even though she innately believed we were already the best of whatever we undertook in our lives. She was there both for the good times and, vitally, also there to console the inconsolable when my latest RC creation came home in matchstick-sized pieces. She would let me cry it out and then kindly but firmly not accept “I quit!” In Mum’s book, there was no such thing. Her belief in her kids taught us to believe in ourselves, and that priceless gift is the one I take with me for the rest of my life.
Mum passed away quietly and comfortably on December 12th, 2021 in Delta, British Columbia at the age of 88. I imagine by now she is with my Dad as they undertake their next adventure, together, in the great beyond. If you would like to honour her in my sorrow of her leaving us, all I ask is that you take a moment to honour your own mother’s contribution to your hobby undertakings and, of course, the rest of your life.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Mum. I hope I made you proud. I miss you terribly and I’ll love you always.
Cover photo: This month’s outstanding cover photo is by Kevin Newton who captured Ewan Maxwell launching a Pitbull above the clouds at East Lomond in Scotland on December 18, 2021. Kevin commented: “What a surreal day. Thanks to Peter Gunning for motivating me to set the alarm [for that] morning.”
Here’s where you can find the first article in the January, 2022 issue. Or go to the table of contents for all the other great articles. A PDF version of this edition of In The Air, or the entire issue, is available upon request.
