GPR, Beer 2013

Participants in the first edition were sure to mark the date of this gathering in their calendars and gathered at the Bière parade ground to share some wonderful moments.

More than 70 pilots from across Europe were welcomed by volunteers from the CLAM (Club Lémanique d’Aéromodélisme) at a venue befitting the event: a takeoff runway and a separate landing runway for gliders, a huge hangar to store models out of the elements, a spacious cafeteria, a massive parking lot for cars and RVs, and a military hotel (barracks have become so welcoming these days!) with no curfew or noise restrictions… a real invitation to let loose—a dream come true!

The unpredictable weather was superb on Saturday but dreary on Sunday, though that didn’t stop the gliders from skimming the clouds at very low altitudes. With about 130 gliders and 18 tow planes, there was reason to be concerned about flight frequency. Not at all: with 40 gliders in the launch funnel, the wait time was 15 to 20 minutes—so fast that you couldn’t even finish the conversations you’d started while waiting in line. A comment from a participant I read online: “The CLAM runway controllers had relegated the US Navy aircraft carrier deck crews to amateur status...” But since when do the French think the Swiss are fast? Ah, traditions are fading!

The volunteers—about thirty over the course of two days—have very specific roles in an organization like this. It’s a bit like Smurf Village: there’s Papa Smurf, the organizer, and his Smurfette (blonde, of course), the Towing Smurf, the Escort Smurf, the Hanger-On Smurf, the Barschtroumpfettes, and the Intellectual Smurf (he’s the one who says, when you’re 10 meters off the ground: “I don’t think it’s a good idea to land right now”), the Cleaner Smurf (for the restrooms), the Grumpy Smurf who always thinks it’s going to rain, the Scout Smurf, the one who had to deal with the knots in the nylon loops, and I’m sure there are plenty more...

Nothing but quality and stunning models. For my taste, there are still a few old Trapanelles missing. Otherwise, there were gliders with wingspans up to 10 meters—some equipped with retractable pylons for endless flights—and a great group of friends and pilots who just want to have a good time together.

See you at the 2014 event—we’re already looking forward to it.
Thierry Ruef/CLAM
(photos: J. Durand and Y. Regamey)