The Grafton Model Aircraft Club is hosting a weekend of thrilling radio-controlled model aircraft flying at the club’s Tancreds Lane (Clarenza via Grafton) field on October 14-15.

Some fifty pilots from all over New South Wales and South East

Queensland have indicated their participation during the weekend and the event is shaping up to be one of the largest fly ins for model planes in the Northern Rivers area for quite some time. With most pilots bringing along two or more models, the pit area will be very busy indeed.

The event is catering for all styles of model aircraft from the smallest ‘fit in a briefcase’ models to giant four metre plus wingspan machines weighing in at over forty kilograms.

For those who want to go fast, a number of ‘jet jockey’s’ have indicated their attendance to the event and some of the jets are capable of speeds over four hundred kilometres per hour. These jets are powered by scaled down jet turbine engines and run on Jet A1 fuel.

The event also coincides with the club’s tenth anniversary of flying at the Tancreds Lane field. The club has had a number of locations over the years, but this area offers probably the best flying outlook of any model field in Australia.

The wide-open spaces of the Tancreds Lane field are perfect for larger

scale models as it is basically obstacle free for three hundred metres in any direction from the centre of the runway. “This gives the club ample room to fly most of the larger models that are on the model show circuit today’ said club president, Scott Short”.

“We fly everything from small thirty-dollar models right through to large scale models costing a kidney! There is something to suit everyone’s wallet and skill level.” he added.

For spectators, the main two days will be Saturday and Sunday October 14-15 with entry for spectators being free. The only thing needed by spectators will be a chair or picnic rug, a nice wide brim hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.

The only issue will be the weather and if it happens to be raining or super windy, flying might not be taking place. That said, the club will make every effort to have models in the sky. Flying on Sunday will wind down after lunch as a number of the pilots head for long distant homes.

A BBQ will be in operation with sausage sandwiches being on offer as well as cold drinks and tea and coffee.

Daryl Woolfe