Zumiker Model Aircraft: Technology and Conviviality

Mr. Ever since the first stable, free-flying model aircraft, designed by the Frenchman Alphonse Pénaud, made its first successful flight in the Tuileries Garden in 1871, generations of designers of flying machines—both large and small—have drawn inspiration from this fragile structure, which is depicted in the logo of the Zumikon Model Flying Club.

It is no exaggeration to say that aviation as a whole would never have reached its current level without experimentation with models. Model aviation has stood the test of time, serves countless areas of research and development, and offers people of all ages an educational, technically challenging hobby with untold possibilities.

With this in mind, the Zumikon Model Aircraft Club was founded in 1972 by a group of enthusiastic model aircraft enthusiasts under the patronage of the Aero-Club of Switzerland. The site in Chellen, made available by a gracious landowner who was supportive of the group, was developed into one of the most beautiful flying fields in Switzerland through many hours of volunteer work and significant financial investment.

Currently, the group has a membership of about 55 members representing all social and age groups. Unfortunately, the number of active members must be kept to a minimum so that the number of flights with combustion-engine models can be kept as low as possible for environmental reasons. A set of restrictive flight regulations, voluntarily adopted by the group, is also intended to help

maintain good relations with neighbors, residents, and passersby. Due to these restrictions, many members have made a virtue of necessity, resulting in the group now being one of the leaders in the development and refinement of silent electric flight.

Remarkable successes have been achieved in this field both domestically and abroad. Another focus of the group’s activities is the scale-accurate, airworthy replication of real aircraft, ranging from vintage planes to modern jet aircraft. There are virtually no limits to perfection here, so that 1,000 hours of construction time or more are not uncommon.

Since this hobby carries the risk of becoming a solitary pursuit, the Zumik model aviators place great value on sharing experiences and enjoying a cozy get-together at their monthly gathering at the Rössli or the Frohe Aussicht—whether to celebrate a successful maiden flight, and sometimes to wash away the frustration of a crash.

The Zumikon Model Aircraft Club hopes to continue for as many years as possible, which will likely depend on the availability of its current site. Fortunately, the municipal authorities of Ebmatingen and Zumikon have shown a great deal of understanding and cooperation in this matter to date, ensuring that the best possible foundation for the future is in place. There is certainly no shortage of enthusiasm and personal commitment on the part of the board and every single member, nor of the desire to nurture the next generation of members.

From the “Zürichsee-Zeitung,” No. 203