While many people drive cars, not many can build one in six hours.

In one afternoon, Jack Tsai (senior-biotechnology) said he can assemble a remote-controlled, small-scale car from a kit containing hundreds of screws and parts.

"It's my main hobby," Tsai said. "It might take other people a day or two to put one together."

At Penn State, Tsai is a member of the Radio Control (RC) Club for hobbyists who like remote-controlled model cars, helicopters, boats and airplanes.

This weekend, RC Club members are traveling to the Westchester Radio Aeromodelers Show in White Plains, N.Y., to learn about the latest technology in their hobby.

"There's going to be about 150 exhibits, and companies will be there showing off their latest products," RC Club president Justin Heinly (junior-mechanical engineering) said. "This convention should be a good learning experience."

With about 30 members, the RC Club started last spring after Heinly realized Penn State didn't have a similar organization.

"The club creates a community among hobbyists," Heinly said. "It's more fun when you have people running [their cars] together."

Every Friday around 9 p.m., the club meets in the Target parking lot, on North Atherton Street, to race their model cars and jump them off ramps.

Heinly said he got into remote-controlled cars after his father received one as a birthday present.

"My dad was pretty into model airplanes, and then someone got him a remote-controlled car for his birthday," Heinly said. "It's a pretty big pastime where I come from."

Tsai said his interest in small-scale cars originated with his fondness of the real thing.

"Models are great if you like to work on real cars. The real thing is just four times as big," Tsai said. "It's a really great hobby for a guy. You can work with a lot of different styles and types of cars."

Bill Den Heyer (freshman-mechanical engineering) said a couple of his high school friends introduced him to remote-controlled airplanes.

"I have five or six airplanes now," Den Heyer said. "It takes me a week or two to put one together, depending on how much I work on it each week."

Alex Moerlein (graduate-mechanical engineering) said he flew a model airplane when he was 10 years old and became involved in the RC Club after buying a small-scale monster truck in October.

"Some of the group members built a ramp for it," Moerlein said. "Jumping it off the ramp is pretty fun."

Moerlein said he looked forward to attending the convention this weekend.

"It should be a lot of fun," Moerlein said. "It'll be a chance to see some new things and have a good time."