NOS HONORARY MEMBERS GATHER

Of the seven honorary members of the NOS, one has moved abroad. Meeting not only at the annual gatherings but also occasionally outside the official agenda was a goal that the six colleagues recently achieved. They met at the home of NOS honorary member and glider restorer Willy Fahrni in Wald. To us laypeople, these old, historic gliders appear to be “works of art from our ancestors.” And that’s exactly what they are. But the restorer looks inside the aircraft and often has to take drastic measures. The issues range from actual design flaws to repairs carried out improperly. The damage caused by improper storage—for example, in barns or damp buildings—is particularly severe. Mice also seem to love these old wooden and canvas structures. It’s not unthinkable today that materials familiar from model aircraft—in addition to various types of wood, metal, and glue—are used in repair and overhaul work. Especially when replacing decayed, complex wooden molds, Willy Fahrni creates molds from plastics and uses them to replace fuselage and wing sections. Overhauling metal parts is particularly labor-intensive. They must be cleaned and repainted using special methods—simple sandblasting is not permitted. In some cases, fittings and mechanical components must be remade individually. Willy explained all of this to us using impressive images on his computer. Using a wing currently under restoration as an example, he showed us the intricate work involved—from refurbishing the delicate wooden structure to all the techniques for covering it with cotton fabric and applying tension varnish. Willy succeeded in conveying his great enthusiasm and vast experience to us. He was all the more successful in doing so because those present themselves spend a large part of their free time—albeit with model aircraft building—on similar pursuits. Willy Fahrni was once an outstanding model aircraft pilot. Together with his brother, he built and successfully flew large plywood gliders and, later, modern free-flight gliders. As a member of the NOS board, he organized a European Championship for magnetic gliders (F1E) at Melchsee-Frutt. It was perfectly organized. For many years, he also served as chairman (now president) of MG Wetzikon (now Hinwil). The paving of the dirt road, which he oversaw, was likely unique at the time. Throughout all these activities, he never neglected his passion for gliding.

After our little baskets were filled to the brim with lots of exciting information, we met up in the Tösstal to satisfy our hunger and thirst.

Good morning