Bob Cote, 78 of Chicopee, works on one of his many model plans as he gets ready for the flying season with the Hampshire County Radio Control club in Hadley. Cote, who 6 months ago was not sure he was going to make it through a bout with cancer said, “Since I got better I got a new lease on life, and I am busy every day.” Cote, who was a car mechanic for most his life, loves to fix things. Most his planes are made from scratch, which means he didn’t use a kit, and said about one plane he made, “It flies so good, I think it’s connected to my brain.” STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS

Bob Cote, 78 of Chicopee, works on one of his many model plans as he gets ready for the flying season with the Hampshire County Radio Control Club in Hadley. Cote, who 6 months ago was not sure he was going to make it through a bout with cancer, said, “Since I got better I got a new lease on life and I am busy every day.” Cote, a car mechanic for most his life, loves to fix things. Most of his planes are made from scratch, which means he didn’t use a kit. One plane he made “flies so good I think it’s connected to my brain.” STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS