I have a high school classmate who had a long career as a commercial airline pilot. He flew the jumbo jets. Every class reunion, I would seek him out so he could tell me about the exhilaration of flying a plane. Today, I'm going to meet some different kinds of pilots who also cherish the joy of flying.

I’m in a field in rural Summit Twp., just a few miles south of Erie. I've arrived at a get-together of the Thermal-G R/C Club Eagles. These guys come together at least once a month to fly their remote control aircraft. There's no place they would rather be right now than here watching their plane take off into the blue sky.

"And getting new friendships on top of it,” Tony Roussos said. “Shared experiences. A nice way to blow off steam from work and just relax.”

Roussos is the president of the club. He started building model airplanes at the age of eight.

"I always had a love of planes,” he said. “I think that's one of the impetuses of getting into a club like this, is [that] you like airplanes. You like the idea of flight."

The Thermal-G R/C Club has been around for 50 years. It had 148 members at its peak, about 25 years ago. Now there are 32 members.

They don't understand why more people are not wanting to get involved.

There's the peaceful feeling of being outdoors and watching the plane you are controlling glide across the sky. There's the joy of being with others doing the same thing.

There's a sense of pride and accomplishment, especially if you built that plane yourself.

"Yeah, it feels that good,” he said. “To see something you created with your own two hands that, when you finally take off on the field and it flies. It's a great feeling."

It's wonderful to be around people who are so passionate about their hobby. How passionate are these guys? Well, the flying sessions do not end when winter weather comes.

"We're nuts,” he said with a laugh. “Passionate people are nuts.  People say it all the time.”

Well, I'm convinced. Maybe it is time for me to experience the thrill of flying a remote control aircraft.

I hooked up with club members who had no problem with me controlling their aircraft.

Since I am a rookie, they would stand beside me with a dual controller just in case I do something that might lead to a crash.

I am soon flying a remote control aircraft!  The club members are right, it's a great feeling to be in this field on a cool September night watching the plane glide under a blue sky with the setting sun in the background.

Tonight, there is no other place I would rather be.

New members are always invited to join the club. Beginners are offered lessons and, just like me, can fly a plane with an experienced member using dual controls.

Contact the club's Facebook page to get information on how to join.

Contact information is also available at www.modelairaraft.org.