Greg Lucas says he has a “masochistic...

Greg Lucas says he has a “masochistic hobby.”

“You spend months building something, and eventually it’s going to . . . crash and break into bits and pieces,” said Lucas, 36, of Altadena, who became a model-plane enthusiast three years ago.

Lucas and a group of other fanciers of remote control flying are inviting the public to watch or even try their hand at it today at an annual Spring “Fly-In” near Duarte. The Sierra Madre Radio Control Modelers club is sponsoring the event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To create an airstrip, the club spreads carpet across the dirt bottom of a flood control basin owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Usually, the club restricts access to the flying field, but today everyone will be welcome on the grounds, where Lucas and other serious fliers will guide their elaborate, hand-built models through the air.

For amateurs who want to learn how to work the radio controls, several trainers will be available.

The entrance to the airstrip is at the corner of Duarte Road and Highland Avenue, next to the City of Hope National Medical Center. Spectators are asked to pay $1 and pilots who want to fly their models, $5.