The Magnificent Men (and one woman) and their Magnificent Flying Machines!

with George Le Gresley

Are you looking for a new hobby?

Every Monday and Wednesday afternoon at the Syl Apps Community Centre, you’ll find a group of people flying their remote-control airplanes, helicopters and elastic band propelled gliders.

There are no hazardous fumes in the arena, as all the engines are battery powered and the only injuries are to the flying machines, who might make contact with the mesh above the glass They are all here primarily to keep their remote control fingers limber and in practice for when they can get back outside as the weather gets nice.

Paul Riedlinger, a member of the Brant Flyers and the Southern Ontario Glider Group (S.O.G.G.I.), says taking advantage of the time indoors allows people to practice with their sophisticated flight controls, and test and tweak their aircrafts. When the weather is good, they’ll head out to a field west of the Brantford airport, where they have permission to launch their aircrafts. Outside you’ll find the glider hobbyists, who use the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces, so it does not require an engine.

Ann Takatch of Hamilton, the sole lady in the group, has had a longstanding interest in astronomy. Her group assembled on a field to view the night sky that was used for model airplane flights. She has been flying model machines for 30 years and was practicing flying her small helicopter when I caught up with her. She and a cohort were having a conversation like two aircraft engineers, speaking the lingo – referencing gyroscopes and rotor speeds!

The Brant Flyers and Southern Ontario Glider Group will welcome anyone, especially the younger generation, to join them this spring to learn more about the hobby, try out their own machines and draw from any expertise they might bring in. Check out their websites www.soggi.ca or wwwbrantflyers ca

The Brant Flyers and Southern Ontario Glider Groups are affiliated with the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada and are chartered members of that body.