Model Aircraft Festival: 75 Years of the Hinwil Model Aircraft Club

by Markus Germann
; Graphics/Photos: Aerokurt

First things first: the 75th-anniversary celebration of the Hinwil Model Aircraft Club on July 1–2, 2006, was a resounding success. In glorious summer weather, the president of the celebrating club—Gerd Vollenweider—warmly welcomed over 70 model pilots from Switzerland and abroad, the invited guests, and all visitors enthusiastic about model flying.

The president of the Swiss Model Aviation Federation, Yves Burkhard, and the president of the Northeastern Swiss Model Aviation Federation, Emil Giezendanner, highlighted the great significance of the event and conveyed the congratulations of their respective umbrella organizations to the Hinwil Model Flying Club. The representative of the Hinwil municipal government was welcomed to the festival grounds by the club president, and the mayor

It is noteworthy that two friendly model aircraft clubs from Germany—MFD Heimerdingen and the Modellflugverein Schopfheim e.V.—did not shy away from the long journey to Hinwil and arrived with several club members.

and that there was virtually no property damage. All demonstration flights—from high-speed jet aircraft and glider aerobatics to the show flights of our juniors’ ultralight models—were performed without incident. The packed program was rounded out by demonstrations from the manned aviation club. The well-known aerobatic pilot and flight instructor Peter Gafner, himself an active member of the Hinwil Model Flying Club, put on an excellent aerobatic display with his Pitts against the deep-blue sky, and the long-time former president of the celebrating club, Felix Walser, landed his vintage glider, the “Slingsby T 21,” with pinpoint accuracy on the grass runway at Bossikernfeld. Sustained applause from the enthusiastic spectators accompanied the glider as it slowly taxied to a safe stop.

Thanks to the proximity to the aircraft park, interested spectators were able to view the model aircraft on display up close. A wide variety of models—

A wide variety of attractions were on display both on the ground and in the air.

The festival committee, under the expert leadership of Florian Venosta, proved once again that it was fully up to the task. A fantastic air show was presented to all aviation enthusiasts. Finally, the countless volunteers deserve special mention. Without them, an event of this magnitude simply could not take place. A heartfelt thank you goes to the neighboring landowners and farmers, who demonstrated their solidarity with the Hinwil Model Flying Club through their active support. See you again at the Hinwil Model Flying Club.