Obituary

Karl Meier passed away on March 25, 2019, at the age of 94. He had joined the AeCS as a young boy at the age of fifteen. His home clubs were the MG Bern and the MG Worb. He was a member of these clubs for over seventy years.

Kari was an avid free-flight modeler. He was particularly drawn to magnet-controlled models and custom designs. In 1974, he became European champion in the F1E class. At that time, there were no entry restrictions, and nearly 80 magnet-controlled models were on the starting line. He also consistently placed among the top finishers at Swiss championships.

His passion was custom-built models.

Here, his inventive spirit paved new paths. On the slope, he positioned the magnet at the center of gravity. He transmitted the control via a control rod to the rudder, which is attached to the nose of the fuselage. With

this design, he was able to save a considerable amount of weight. He finished in the medal ranks at many competitions. But even in the high-launch category of special designs, he consistently engaged in

exciting competitions. The rules for special-design models are structured in such a way that inventive spirit can be fully unleashed. For example, Kari Meier began experiments with small canard-type models to determine which design and construction would yield the best results for such models. There was no longer enough time to put into practice the insights he gained from these models. Kari wasn’t just a tinker; he consistently volunteered his time to help out at events. He was very popular among his colleagues. You could have interesting technical discussions with him. His tips and suggestions led to excellent designs for many of his colleagues. With his passing, we lose a veteran of free flight.

Alfred Andrist