I had been walking in the Walnut Creek Open Space for several years, and exploring the north end of the park, discovered some model planes flying one of the best soaring slopes in the SF Bay Area. I've been trying to fly every weekend since, but the wind is light in the fall and winter. It's a good way to exercise. If the wind is light, I climbed the hill. If the wind is good, I take a walk to retrieve the plane after many tries at new tricks, like flying upside down or rolls.
Foamy planes are very forgiving.
The ribbon near the nose is removed to power up the receiver and four servos. That jack is also used to recharge the batteries. The hand-held transmitter has a joystick for the right thumb for ailerons and elevator, another on the left for the rudder, and many trim switches. This is Tilden Park in the Berkeley hills. In 1998 I aquired an Oxy-Acetylene welding rig.