Ticino Page: R8 Model Aircraft Region

The young group based in Ambri has been successfully practicing model aircraft flying for several years. Members have the opportunity to engage in powered flight, thanks to access to a paved runway. This is made possible by an agreement with the military authorities, who have shown understanding for our activities by allowing the Ambri group to use a military runway. In addition to powered flight, some members also engage in gliding.

The Ascona group was founded in the late 1960s as an offshoot of the Locarno group. Its founder was Pierre Colombo, a physical education teacher and seasoned model aircraft enthusiast. Today, Marco Röthlisberger serves as president of the group, which originally focused on gliding. At their airfield in Losone, many young people are also involved in powered flight. The group’s activities are varied; among them, the organization of the “Ascona Cup”—an RCS competition that has become an integral part of the event calendar—is particularly noteworthy.

The young Mendrisio club, founded in late 1978, engages in gliding and powered flight. At their airfield in Stabio, they practice powered flight, and on Mount Generoso, they engage in slope soaring with gliders. The Mendrisio group also has several notable activities throughout the year: the RCS competition on Mount Generoso and the F3A competition in Stabio.
For RC flying, a “dual-control” system has been introduced, ready for use on a motorized model or a glider to teach young people how to fly a model.

The Ticino Model Helicopter Group was founded in 1980 to bring together helicopter enthusiasts from Ticino with the aim of organizing themselves and participating in various competitions and events. It is worth noting the skill of the pilots, which is confirmed by their results in various national and international competitions. The GET, which also engages in gliding, aims to provide the necessary foundation for anyone interested in getting started with helicopters. Among its special activities, we highlight an annual gathering and the “Star Ranger Cup” competition, held in collaboration with the Mendrisio group.

The Locarno club, which now has about forty members, was founded in the 1930s. Its activities focused on free flight and controlled flight. When the first radios became available, RC glider and powered flight began to develop.
The club is known for its annual event, the “Mini-Show.” The flying fields are Lodrino and Losone; the former is used by those who fly motorized models, while glider pilots head to Losone.

With the founding of the Lugano group, another small group of model aircraft enthusiasts came into being—there were very few of them at the time. Giuseppe Zaugg was the president; later, he served as the representative for Region 8. Zaugg was deeply committed to model aircraft flying.
Today in Lugano, RC flying is popular, particularly seaplane flying. Annual competitions are organized and take place in front of the Lido di Lugano. A European Seaplane Flying Cup is scheduled for this year.

The Molinazzo group was founded in the early 1960s and now has a little over forty members. At the airfields in Lodrino and San Vittore, members engage in gliding, powered flight, and powered flight with scale models. The Molinazzo group was one of the first to build and fly “giant” models, such as enlarged versions of the Mustang or the Baron. The group’s activities are varied; in addition to the competitions in which they participate, they organize regional events, such as the regional F3B competition. Molinazzo is the only group participating in the “Modellflug-Ski-Cup” in Arosa.