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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Atmosphere is electric when radio-control pilots meet

Members of the Inland Empire Quiet Flyers, including pilot Barry Greene, second from left, watch Greene’s ultralight electric plane float around the gymnasium at United Covenant Methodist Church at barely more than walking speed Friday during the IEQF indoor fly-in. A few dozen radio-control pilots bring small helicopters and light planes to the gatherings to brush up on their skills and visit with friends. (Jesse Tinsley)
Members of the Inland Empire Quiet Flyers, including pilot Barry Greene, second from left, watch Greene’s ultralight electric plane float around the gymnasium at United Covenant Methodist Church at barely more than walking speed Friday during the IEQF indoor fly-in. A few dozen radio-control pilots bring small helicopters and light planes to the gatherings to brush up on their skills and visit with friends. (Jesse Tinsley)Buy a print of this photo
By Jesse Tinsley jesset@spokesman.com(509) 459-5378

When the weather gets too cold or wet, radio-control pilots head indoors.

The Inland Empire Quiet Flyers, a group of electric-only RC enthusiasts, sponsored an indoor fly-in Friday, bringing a couple of dozen people to a church gymnasium to show and test new aircraft, visit with friends and work on their piloting skills. There were whirring helicopters, almost-silent ultralight airplanes and many buzzing multirotors, so-called drones, in the air at the same time.    

New technology allows many craft to fly together. There are no more frequency conflicts when many flyers turn on radio transmitters at the same time.

“The electric world has changed so dramatically. The technology is just unreal compared to what used to be. When I learned to fly at 7 years old, back in the ’60s with my dad, electric was unheard of,” said Barry Greene. “And when we did get one, you had a stack of batteries that weighed 2 pounds and you got three minutes of flight time.”

“The batteries we have available now versus 10 or 20 years ago are night and day difference,” said Ken Lies, who had built a large plane from high-tech materials like Depron, Mylar and carbon fiber that weighed less than 3 ounces. The plane performed aerobatics at a jogger’s pace.

Daniel Waggener, 13, flew small helicopters and multirotors as his father sat in a chair nearby.

“I would go to the air shows and watch actual planes fly. And I wanted to fly something in my house.”

The IEQF, formerly the Inland Empire Soaring Society, has branched out from gliders to other aircraft, as long as they’re electric. They maintain a flying field south of Spokane for outdoor flying.

Inside Friday night, occasionally two aircraft would collide and send parts flying. It’s a risk of indoor fly-ins and why most pilots carry extra glue and propellers. “It’ll glue right back together,” Greene said after his foam plane struck a small quadcopter. “No problem.”

The group shares a love of flight and quiet aircraft. “It’s hard to describe. It’s peaceful. It’s stress-relieving,” flyer Tim Rosenberry said as he piloted one of several four-motor drones. “It’s a good hobby. And there are good people in the hobby. I think mostly what it’s about is the people.”