Profiles of the Board Members: Martin Schneebeli Builds Connections and Communicates

Martin Schneebeli was 13 years old when he discovered model aircraft flying through a neighbor who was into the hobby. Soon he, too, had his own model, an Amigo. “One minute of flying, one week of repairs—that was the norm in the early 1970s,” he laughs. As a young adult, model flying took a back seat. “Women, cars, and motorcycles”—that was roughly the order of his interests at the time. In his early 30s, he joined the Affoltern Model Aircraft Club and helped shape the club’s activities on the board from 2000 to 2016—serving as president for twelve years.

When Martin Schneebeli stepped down from the board of MG Affoltern in 2016, the Northeast Switzerland Regional Association (NOS) approached him and asked if he would like to join the SMV board. The association was looking for a representative for the Northeast Switzerland region. He accepted the new role and became an at-large member and regional representative. A little over a year ago, the Communications Department needed to be filled. Even as an at-large member, Schneebeli had already taken on communication-related tasks, and since no one else was willing to run for the position, he accepted. He continues to manage finances for the NOS and was involved in the organizing committee of the Hausen Air Show for over 20 years, until 2021.

Keeping association members as well-informed as possible and making a difference overall—that is what motivates Martin Schneebeli in his work for the board. He is certain that the association’s work will continue to pay off in the future—for example, when it comes to advocating at the political level to keep restrictions on model aircraft pilots to a minimum. Although Switzerland is a small country, regional challenges vary. Clubs in Central Switzerland face different challenges than those in the Zurich region. A recent example is drone corridors, such as those that could be created for cargo drones flying from hospital to hospital. “If such a corridor runs over a model airfield, that creates difficulties for us. We’re hearing about these kinds of demands; the drone industry is on the move,” says Schneebeli.

Martin Schneebeli’s responsibilities clearly illustrate the full scope of what communication entails. He writes news articles, maintains the website, prepares promotional materials, revises existing regulations, and updates documents. The latter can sometimes be time-consuming. Especially when he has to obtain documents and relies on the support of individual experts within the association, who do not always respond immediately.

Martin Schneebeli doesn’t often deal with press inquiries. Rather, he serves as a liaison within the association. As the communications officer, it’s important to him that members know who to turn to. To that end, he supports the leaders of other departments and the organizing committees of various events. Speaking of which: At larger events, the Model Flying Association has a booth. The opportunity to interact directly with association staff is widely taken advantage of, even by non-members, as Schneebeli was surprised to discover.

As easy as face-to-face interaction is for him, social media is all the more foreign to him. “I’m not very active there,” says Schneebeli, who himself is only on LinkedIn. “We’re aware that younger people tend to be more into that. I could imagine that managing the social media channels would be more fun for someone younger. If anyone comes forward who’d like to take that on—I’d be more than happy to let them.” Nevertheless, he wants to overcome his discomfort with this type of communication and plans to attend a workshop on the topic. He has also resolved to raise awareness of the model flying association’s online store. “Hardly anyone knows about it,” says Schneebeli.

Despite his many commitments, Schneebeli also gets to fly himself. Over the years, he has acquired about 20 models of all types and designs. He is particularly fond of glider models. He owns them in various sizes for use in different environments. When asked about his favorite model, he says, “The Trojan T-28. It flies in any wind and any weather. But basically, the newest one is always my favorite,” he laughs. Until the newly ordered Kobuz glider arrives to be built on his workbench, Schneebeli has time to fix things. It’s something he enjoys. “I try to fix everything in and around the house myself,” he says. He prefers to spend the rest of his free time tending to his garden and with his family.

Martin Schneebeli has acquired a broad range of knowledge and versatile skills through his career. After completing his apprenticeship as a landscape gardener, he worked in various professions. He particularly fondly recalls his time as the head of waste management at Zurich Airport. Because he had access to almost everywhere, he gained a unique insight into the inner workings of the airport. For just under two years, Schneebeli has been working part-time as a truck driver. Before that, he managed a maintenance department for twelve years and was responsible for building maintenance and the overall upkeep of municipal properties. Even today, he remains involved to a limited extent in the final exams for aspiring building superintendents, which he enjoys. The ability to communicate is also essential in this profession. After all, the building superintendent—or, as it’s now called, the facility manager—serves as the link between building owners, tenants, and maintenance contractors. That’s the most interesting part, he says. ■

Interview by Andrea Bolliger

Report in French <<https://www.modellflug.ch/FR/home>> <https://www.modellflug.ch/FR/home>