Hobbyist is flying high after competing in event

By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CANFIELD -- Stephen Gerish didn't bring home a trophy from his first international remote-controlled airplane competition, but he says he still feels like a winner.
"It wasn't a good finish, but we were winners just being there," he said.
Gerish, of Canfield, finished 30th out of the 38 pilots in his class at the Top Gun 2004 competition April 27-May 2 in Lakeland, Fla. About 100 pilots competed in the invitation-only event, including pilots from the United States, Argentina, Venezuela, Canada, England, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Gerish said he believes he's the first local resident ever to compete in an international remote-controlled-airplane competition. Dr. Chakri Yarlagadda of Youngstown went to Florida with Gerish to serve as his crew chief, Gerish said.
The Top Gun competition called for Gerish to fly his model Liberty Sport 5-B propeller plane through 10 maneuvers, including a loop, turns and a figure "S." The Liberty Sport model has a 95-inch wingspan and a motor that compares to a 62cc motorcycle engine, Gerish said. He added that it can fly at 75 miles per hour and weighs 40 pounds.
"It requires a whole airport to fly it. It requires a whole lot of airspace and runway to land it," he said, noting that he typically flies the plane only at events in Dayton.
How he started
Gerish said he first became interested in remote-controlled airplanes about seven years ago, when he rode his motorcycle by a Struthers park and saw two men flying their planes. He stopped and spoke to the men, who introduced him to the hobby.
"It just progressed from there. The more [airplanes] I got, the more I wanted," he said. The Liberty Sport was built by a Salem man who sold it to Gerish in 2001 for about $3,000.
Gerish added that he has always been interested in flying and the mechanical operations of airplane engines. He works as a load-limit inspector for the Ohio State Highway Patrol and teaches a steam plate operations class at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center once a week.
Gerish said he now owns 15 remote-control airplanes, including a plane with a wingspan greater than the Liberty Sport. He said he flies many of his planes in smaller "fun fly" events, and received the invitation to Top Gun after a fun fly in Dayton.
"When it first came in the mail, I couldn't believe it," Gerish said.
He added that he hopes to be invited back to Top Gun next year and to have a better finish in the event.
"I know what I have to do to get it right next time," he said.
hill@vindy.com