RC Flying Brings Oklahoma Family Together

If you're looking for a place to take the whole family this weekend, the Tulsa Glue Dobbers' RC airplane show is going on through Saturday.

It’s fun, free, and not the toy model airplanes you might be thinking of. Instead, the planes are several feet long and controlled by radio remote controls.

Watching them fly is fun for the whole family, and it turns out, flying them is a family affair, too.

At 14, Jaden Shumate is several decades younger than the other pilots, but his love for flying started early.

"He got me into this. I've been flying since I was four years old," Jaden said.

His father, Rodney Shumate, said, "At three and four, when he started talking real good, he could tell you all the names of what airplanes were, and, I don't know. it's just what I did with him. We have a lot of fun."

Flying is more than just a hobby for Jaden and Rodney; it's the number-one thing that has kept the father and son close, long after Jaden's parents split up.

"When I come to my Dad's every other weekend, we fly off a bit," Jaden said.

Mike Pennell is the president of the Tulsa Glue Dobbers. He said dozens of RC pilots from all over the country are in Tulsa just for the event.

"We'll have people from as far as South Dakota come. We've got gentlemen from Kansas, Springfield, Missouri," he said.

Because, there's something about watching the planes go up in the air that brings you closer to those right next to you.

Jaden said his favorite part of flying is spending time with his dad.

"Yeah, that makes me feel pretty good," Rodney laughed.

The show takes place at the Grand Wilson Field at 2817 South 177th East Avenue.

Friday evening there will be night flights, then, the show will pick back up Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It is free and open to the public.