A friend wrote me about a week ago that Dave Robelen was in the hospital in serious condition. Here is a link to a thread on RCU with some details. And here is a brief summary of the posts by a member over there.

Many of you micro flyers probably know of or have read something written by Dave Robelen or built a model from plans he designed. He rights the bi-monthly coloum in the AMA's mag for micro flyers and for Air Age mags,Backyard Flyer and Model Airplane News.
Dave is currently in intesive care at the Farmville Regional Hospital in Farmville,Va. He had surgury on an artery in his neck that caused some nerve damage that controls his tounge. He has not been able to eat and has a feeding tube in his stomach. He has lost a lot of weight and for those of you that have met Dave know he didn't have any extra. He is in good spirits and has shown some improvement.

I am sorry to tell everyone that Dave passed away Sat night. His funeral will be held Wed 4/11/07 in Richmond,Va. He was a great guy and a lot of help to modelers everywhere.

I have corresponded with Dave quite a bit over the years. A couple of years ago he had bypass surgury and recovered reasonably well. But he had been more frail since then. Dave has helped me so much over the years it's hard to even begin to acknowledge how much or in which areas. Mostly I think I can say he was extremely helpful to anyone who asked him questions. For several years he was the moderator of the Air Age forums, which started out with a forum for the RCMicroflight publication and later expanded to non-micro areas. Dave was always helpful to anyone who needed it.

Dave's passing is a sad sad event for micro modelers everywhere.

Gordon

A sad day indeed. He was a modern classic, if that makes any sense. I always enjoyed his designs and innovations. Dave reminds me a lot of Larry Kruse, another of my heros. He will truly be missed. Anytime I had a question, I could count on a prompt reply.


Gordon, thank you for the post.

I have read many of his storys and reports. He will be truly missed. He had very well thought out designs that were a delight to build and fly. Wow, he really will be missed.

I'm at a loss for words to express how sad this news is for me. Dave has been a hero and an inspiration to me since his first construction article was published in 1966. I never got the chance to meet him in person but I was fortunate to get to know him through the emails we exchanged during the past five years. Dave was one of the true masters and a micro R/C pioneer.

Ralph Bradley

I remember when I first started out with electric RC and found the Air Age forums, he was always very helpful, and I remember the respect I had for him and his advice. I bet there are a dozen of his designs I have loved but never got around to building, I wish I had now This is a sad day for RC indeed, and I wish his family the very best at this time, I hope they know how much he will be remembered, even by the many strangers on the internet who he has helped. I think my next aircraft will be one of his small sport designs, to be built and flown in his memory.

Jonathan Huseman

My wife and I are very sad to hear this news. I got to know Dave while working closely with him on organizing the past few NIRAC events. Dave was a master modeler, and an all around nice guy. He made many great contributions to model aviation. He will be truly missed!

Joe & Cindy Malinchak

I am saddened to hear of Dave's passing. The sport has lost one of it's finest. He is missed and will be missed.

Len

Never met him but always enjoyed his articles. A very sad loss indeed, he will be missed.

David Hogue

This is really sad!!!! I probably have at least a half dozen of Dave's plans. He was such an artist and enthusiatic modeler. Dave will be sorely missed!!!!!!!!

Sad but true, Dave is the ONLY person in my life I felt compelled to email just to tell him (for no particular reason)how much I appreciated his designs and contributions to the hobby. Now I'm glad I did...
once I finally met him, I knew he had no interest in praise or recognition- he just liked to build and fly planes and help those who shared his passion.
I hope his estate considers getting some of his planes to the AMA for enshrinement/display

Very sad to hear. His humility and enthusiasm shone through every word he wrote, every plane he designed and flew and perfected. And WOW what a pilot! A video of him flying his P-Nut simply took my breath away. I watched it over and over, mesmerized. I'm sorry now I never thanked him for his P-Nut plan, which I fell in love with, and built a couple of versions. His designs were so beautiful....love in every line.

Thanks Dave...We'll all miss you.

-Robert

truly be missed.

What a sad day!!!! Dave has been to a number of our annual Electric Flyins (Loudoun County Aeromodelers Northern VA) the past 6 years and was always a great guy to talk to. Always had a pile of the smallest RC planes in the back of his car and flew them all. Great guy to talk to.

He will be missed!!!

Bummer!!

Brian Allen

Veni Vidi Volavi

I came I saw I flew

A very very sad event...my father had some similar issues after a stroke in 2004 and did not last long, either.

Dave helped form the shape of our micro electric hobby as we know it today, not to mention some larger electric work as well.

He will be missed.

Truly sad news. I fondly remember flying figure 8s a foot off the deck with Dave's Tidewater Hobbie's Pronto back in the 70s. The real kick was being reunited with his wonderful designs when I discovered micro planes. His depth in the hobby is matched by few. I just finished reading his Perky Grande build in the latest Model Aviation. We're all richer for having known him.