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Hi, I'm Tom Minger and I've been building and flying models ever since the third grade. From free flight to control line to R/C it has always been a passion. I started flying R/C back in the days of 67 volt dry cell batteries and vacuum tube receivers. I flew fixed wing pattern for a while then moved into scale where I competed for many years. In the mid 1980's I discovered helicopters when I bought a old Shuttle at a R/C auction. That was all it took. While I still fly planks, helicopters remain my first love. When I was learning to fly helis, I lived very close to Helicopter World. Being a heli beginner, I spent a lot of time in the store buying replacement parts. I came to know Peter Chao very well and we spent a lot of time talking helis. In the early 1990's I began doing some engineering work for Century, and when I retired from my last position as Chief Design Engineer for the US Navy, I moved into some major design efforts with Peter; that is, when he could pry me away from the flying field. For five seasons, starting in 1996, I flew the "Airshark" for the San Jose Sharks NHL hockey team. That is a 28 foot long blimp shaped like a shark. That was a challenge, especially when stepping out in front of 18000 people. My heli flying skills are adequate, but not spectacular by any stretch. Once I figured out how to be successful with a helicopter, I began getting others interested and teaching them to be successful. It remains my biggest satisfaction is to see a newbie's look the first time we get his machine airborne.