Julie Earl
Naracoorte Model Aeroclub is flying high with the help of a Naracoorte Lucindale Council Community Chest Grant to support relocation to its new site on Clezey’s Lane.
Members of the mostly male club meet each Sunday year round, to display their magnificent flying machines and enjoy each other’s company.
With wings spanning between three to five feet across, these models are zippy and agile, a challenge to master, and mesmerising to watch being put through their paces.
Most run on small two-stroke motors, some have batteries or nitro fuelled glow motors, and then there are four-stroke engines which sound surprisingly like real planes.
Despite best efforts to keep planes in the air and land them safely, there will sometimes be unscheduled landings.
Greg Buttle, of Edenhope, experienced just that, when his Boomerang bit the dust, crashing spectacularly after stalling on takeoff.
There was nothing much to salvage from the splintered wreck, but he will not be deterred from flying again.
Ryan Grey, of Harrow, owns around 30 model helicopters which are, according to all reports, much more difficult to fly than fixed wing craft.
Mr Grey has been flying for around four years, and enjoys the challenge of handling these highly responsive choppers, which can be dangerous with blades rotating at 2000 rpm.
They are capable of acrobatic manoeuvres in experienced hands, including spinning and flying upside down and backwards.
Club President Peter Stuart credited the successful relocation of the club to the generous assistance of community members including Joe Martin for cleverly moving the clubhouse shed intact, and Brooksby
Earthmovers and a local farmer for providing use of land.
Members are now installing a new kitchen to provide better facilities for their weekly barbeques and gatherings.
Way back in 1967, a group of amateur radio enthusiasts started this model aeroclub, which has survived and thrived for all these years, and is now nestled comfortably in its new home on the plains.
Members of the public are most welcome to visit, or call Peter Stuart on 0419 799 966.
