SleepyC
150cc
A New Team PAU Pilot has arrived: Meet Colton Lubbe, by Ken Crane
Life has a funny way of throwing us curves, and wonderful surprises often arise from unexpected places. I’d like to tell a brief story about a young man from our flying field, Colton Lubbe. Colton was just a young boy who wanted to learn how to fly airplanes and his mother made sure to get him to the Otis flying field near their home on Cape Cod to begin his journey. Of course all of us members at Otis wanted to help new flyers and everyone likes to see youth interested in this hobby that has given us all so much. I, along with others at the field began to mentor Colton when he was only 11 years old in 2009. Over the years, he and his brother Austin have continued with their interest in flying and Colton has shown an amazing natural ability to learn how to fly. Now, just five short years later, he is an accomplished 16 year old RC pilot, flying giant scale planes for precision as well as 3D. His dedication to the hobby has been steady and inspired. He has shown a keen interest and ability for building as well as flying and simply wanted to learn it all like a thirst that could never be quenched. As my father used to say, “It’s easy to help those that help themselves.” Indeed, the student has surpassed the master.
I myself started flying PAU after seeing them at Joe Nall in 2013. I ordered and built an Edge 540 and soon after that an Extra 300. When my good friend Carl Vogel (better known as rcakropilot on line), suffering from terminal cancer (that’s a whole other story), came to me to help him with some new planes to check off his final bucket list items, like building and flying a 120cc bird, I strongly recommended PAU and he ordered himself a new Edge 540 and a DA120. I also offered to help him build it. After all of the parts came in, we started building and Colton expressed an interest in helping along the way. Well, Carl touched another heart and he and Colton formed a close bond. No one would have guessed how quickly Carl’s illness would consume him, and no one could have guessed that after his brand new PAU 540 was ready to fly, he simply couldn’t do it. The final surprise was his desire that Colton should have his new plane! While Colton was working his way up and had been flying an 85cc extra, he had limited resources and flew only used planes that may have had as much glue as wood. Having this gift, a brand new professionally built plane, bestowed upon him was overwhelming and very much appreciated.
Before Carl’s passing, like the scene from Jack Nicolson’s movie, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, where he breaks all of the patients out for a day of fresh air, Colton and his mother Michelle, helped me in a team effort to get Carl to the field for his last time, and while he didn’t get to fly his PAU 540, he got to see Colton fly it. It was spectacular! The smile on Carl’s face and the joy of being at the flying field one last time was simply overwhelming. We all had tears of joy in our eyes that day. Now, having such an incredible airplane has again advanced Colton’s abilities this flying season and he is proud to join PAU as a team pilot. Keep an eye out for him and be sure to say hello. Who knows, maybe Carl is helping him on the sticks.
Colton and Ken
Colton Lubbe
Ken, Carl, Colton and Mom...
Congrats Colton.. and what a great story!!
Welcome to Team PAU, Herve and everyone involved are straight up good people!
Life has a funny way of throwing us curves, and wonderful surprises often arise from unexpected places. I’d like to tell a brief story about a young man from our flying field, Colton Lubbe. Colton was just a young boy who wanted to learn how to fly airplanes and his mother made sure to get him to the Otis flying field near their home on Cape Cod to begin his journey. Of course all of us members at Otis wanted to help new flyers and everyone likes to see youth interested in this hobby that has given us all so much. I, along with others at the field began to mentor Colton when he was only 11 years old in 2009. Over the years, he and his brother Austin have continued with their interest in flying and Colton has shown an amazing natural ability to learn how to fly. Now, just five short years later, he is an accomplished 16 year old RC pilot, flying giant scale planes for precision as well as 3D. His dedication to the hobby has been steady and inspired. He has shown a keen interest and ability for building as well as flying and simply wanted to learn it all like a thirst that could never be quenched. As my father used to say, “It’s easy to help those that help themselves.” Indeed, the student has surpassed the master.
I myself started flying PAU after seeing them at Joe Nall in 2013. I ordered and built an Edge 540 and soon after that an Extra 300. When my good friend Carl Vogel (better known as rcakropilot on line), suffering from terminal cancer (that’s a whole other story), came to me to help him with some new planes to check off his final bucket list items, like building and flying a 120cc bird, I strongly recommended PAU and he ordered himself a new Edge 540 and a DA120. I also offered to help him build it. After all of the parts came in, we started building and Colton expressed an interest in helping along the way. Well, Carl touched another heart and he and Colton formed a close bond. No one would have guessed how quickly Carl’s illness would consume him, and no one could have guessed that after his brand new PAU 540 was ready to fly, he simply couldn’t do it. The final surprise was his desire that Colton should have his new plane! While Colton was working his way up and had been flying an 85cc extra, he had limited resources and flew only used planes that may have had as much glue as wood. Having this gift, a brand new professionally built plane, bestowed upon him was overwhelming and very much appreciated.
Before Carl’s passing, like the scene from Jack Nicolson’s movie, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, where he breaks all of the patients out for a day of fresh air, Colton and his mother Michelle, helped me in a team effort to get Carl to the field for his last time, and while he didn’t get to fly his PAU 540, he got to see Colton fly it. It was spectacular! The smile on Carl’s face and the joy of being at the flying field one last time was simply overwhelming. We all had tears of joy in our eyes that day. Now, having such an incredible airplane has again advanced Colton’s abilities this flying season and he is proud to join PAU as a team pilot. Keep an eye out for him and be sure to say hello. Who knows, maybe Carl is helping him on the sticks.
Colton and Ken
Colton Lubbe
Ken, Carl, Colton and Mom...
Congrats Colton.. and what a great story!!
Welcome to Team PAU, Herve and everyone involved are straight up good people!
