At the “Fliegerli Craft Table,” you’re in for a treat!

Experience has shown that “paper airplane crafting” is very popular with both parents and children. This was proven once again during the Balloon Days held May 8–12 in Gossau, SG.

Markus Keller developed the paper airplanes and the concept on his own initiative. The instructions—

The rush at the craft tables is proof enough that the idea and concept are an excellent way to promote model aviation. The little planes are made of Depron, have a wingspan of 340 mm, and feature a balsa wood fuselage bearing the inscription “Aero Club Ostschweiz.” The entire plane weighs just 12 g. At the start, we couldn’t estimate the amount of craft materials or the number of volunteers that would be needed. The beautiful weather and the many hot-air balloons certainly helped draw countless visitors to our event.

Three craft tables were set up for assembling the airplanes. Three volunteers were

hot glue guns in constant use. The grateful parents and their children, with their eyes shining, were the reward for our efforts.

We don’t yet know how many children and teens we’ve infected with the “flying bug.” The future will tell.

Helping isn’t just about investing time—you also get something in return. It’s different from many airfields; no one complains—joyful and eager children and parents are our guests. Here, you don’t have to show up with the biggest and most expensive plane

to get attention. Here, I’m someone who matters, and I hear “thank you so much” time and again—and meet parents who think it’s wonderful that we invest time and money to give the children our attention.

After all, it’s already written in a book that most of us have at home: It is more blessed to give than to receive. You can experience that at the craft table—think about it. Invest your time in others, too, and you’ll have a wonderful experience. ■

Report: Arnold Jakob