Twelve-member organizing committee

The town of Zunzgen celebrated its 700th anniversary over the weekend of August 25–27 with a large village festival, “700 Joor Zunzge.” For the board of the MGOB, as a local club, it was clear from the start that we wanted to use this event to introduce ourselves and our wonderful hobby—model aircraft flying—to the general public and, above all, to young people.

But what did the members think? At the general meeting in January 2022, the idea was unanimously approved by the members. You could really sense the desire to organize something big together again and to promote our hobby. The twelve-member organizing committee very quickly agreed on a small but delightful model airplane exhibition featuring a snack bar, but the clear focus was on offering something special to the very young. The idea of building model airplanes followed by a long-distance flight competition was

was born. At the Fliegerstübli, visitors and volunteers were served hot meatloaf, fried eggs, and French fries. The hardworking staff in the kitchen skillfully and wholeheartedly took care of our guests’ culinary needs throughout the entire three days.

A small, very beautiful, and superbly organized model airplane exhibition was put together. Visitors to the exhibition were visibly surprised by the diversity of our hobby and marveled at the various models, ranging from beginner kits to high-end aircraft. The organizing committee made sure that enough tables were set up in the hall for model-building. The goal was to enable as many young people and children as possible to build small airplanes on Saturday and Sunday and then participate in a long-distance flight competition.

The top three in each category were awarded great prizes (model airplanes), and everyone who participated received a medal. No sooner had the exhibition opened than the first children and teenagers—some accompanied by their parents—found their way to us. Under the expert guidance of their parents or one of our experienced members, the young participants built their small models, some of which were painted with great imagination.

The first competition had to be held indoors due to rain, but that did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm and ambition of the participants. Soon the rain stopped, and the remaining rounds could begin from the tower that had been set up especially for the event. The longest flight was measured at 21.55 meters. The fact that the little planes delighted the parents, children, and teenagers

and brought so much fun and joy to the spectators—it also delighted every model aviator’s heart. A heartfelt thank you to all members who helped out in any way. Special thanks go to the Regional Model Flying Association (RMV) Northwest and the Swiss Model Flying Association (SMV) for their generous and active support. It was simply a fantastic, successful event. ■

*Paul Stürchler,
Photos: Jan Heiler,
Paul Stürchler*