i have many planes of several types, but the 1 with which i have more fun is the least expensive, and i can fly in places nearby. as close as the park at the back of my home ( i have flown it at my son's street too, where are no trees or obstacles). it is a short walk. the plane is the umx radian from horizon hobby, and is 30 inches wingspan and weighs 43 grams. i keep it assembled so there is no need to do anything else. and it is equiped with the latest advances in electronics. like gyros to stabilize it so it can fly in some wind, like larger planes.
the cost: back in the 70's, a 4 channels radio was $300; now i have the 6 ch orange for $50 ( no servos) and is computarized, so can program many things. even if you add lipo battery ($15) and shipping ($30), it still a bargain. ( i could use nicads, but am using a lipo that needs a charger. i got mine for $70, and use it for charging all my other planes too). and is 2.4, that there is no interference so you can fly even if others are flying too and don't have to worry about checking frequencies or that some1 shoots you down. then add the plane: i got the radian for $100 including shipping and some spares. it comes with a battery and charger and is ready to fly. it is all that you need to fly. then i got some batteries for extra flights, for $1.50 each. i can charge them at least 50 times and get 5 minutes of motor run, but as i use the motor just for climbing and that takes 30 seconds, i get 8 flights per charge. do the maths: for $1.50 i get 50 charges and 8 flights per charge=$1.50/400 flights=.375 cents per flight. that's right: about 1 cent per 3 flights.
so it depends what kind of planes you want to fly, but you can get something like this and, as i said, i am having more fun with it than with anything else.
this it the radian: http://www.e-fliterc.com/Products/De...#quickFeatures

the wisdom of purring
since i remember, i had a cat nearby. and he managed to make me happy, just by purring. he seemed to be telling me in his wisdom: we have all that we need to be happy, isn't it?
so, to me, hearing a cat purring reminds me that the things in life that really matter are at the reach of our hand.
the basics that we need to be happy.

for modelers, there are other sounds that make us happy. like the whirl of an electric motor. or the whisper of a prop of an electric plane like the radian. or for others the sound of an engine. that is all that we need to be happy. whatever.

as long as we don't forget what really matters in life, and that frequently we do.

so, enjoy the sound of happiness, whichever you like best.

i went to johnson city tn with Stu Weckerly from detroit several times to fly indoor free flight and had the time of our lives. once on our way back on sunday we stopped for lunch at a small town. the houses were kept in good shape, all clean, people friendly. near the restaurant there was a park where there was people having a picnic. benches on the grass, colorful umbrelas, kids playing with balls, baloons, a pond with swans, and the band playing on. just like in the old movies. we had to stay there for a few minutes to soak into that atmosphere of happiness, that we carried with us for a long time.
from time to time i like to open the treasure chest of my memories and bring back that experience. memories are made of this...