Lake Urner is calling

But now it’s “do or die”: The man from Zurich is heading to Uri. Not to teach them a lesson, but to possibly learn one himself. As is well known, Lake Uri has its pitfalls. It’s a fact: the Uri Föhn is one of the most brutal, gusty winds in the world. But I also know that Peter Hofer knows this lake like the back of his hand. This morning is supposed to be windless, so conditions are ideal for seaplane flying. So I pack everything I need into the station wagon and go over the checklist: my wife, my SLR camera, a waterproof point-and-shoot camera, a voice recorder as a memory aid, and—last but not least—my standard seaplane fleet, consisting of the comfortable and tried-and-true Piper from Jamara (1.72 m) and the lively ZoomZoom from Hacker.

The meeting place is the Bolzbach near Isleten. On nice Sunday mornings, a few seaplane enthusiasts gather there for some casual and enjoyable seaplane flying, followed by a coffee break. By the way, everyone is warmly invited to stop by—with or without a model seaplane—and take in the magnificent panorama of this beautiful region in the heart of traditional Switzerland.

When I arrived at the Bolzbach, Peter Hofer and Gérard Kesselring gave me a very warm welcome. Peter apologized that, due to the weather, not more colleagues were here. The light drizzle had turned into a light rain. Optimistic as we are, we nevertheless get our models ready for flight in a small wooden shelter. And lo and behold: a small patch of blue sky is already visible. It’s clearing up rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, the models are in the air. Peter Hofer demonstrates his various models: the speedy little

The Seawind from Simprop, the more laid-back Seabee from Robbe, and the LibRay—a small Styrofoam bomber from Jamara that flies absolutely superbly—all nicely compact, with a wingspan of about 1 meter. The highlight is Aeronaut’s twin-engine Catalina with a 1.8-meter wingspan. Ruedi Zgraggen from Flüelen also joins our little group with his Seabee. We spend two delightful hours flying until the sky darkens again and rain sets in. Gérard is the last to fly a few more laps in his twin-engine Grumman Albatros, then we pack up, because I still want to see Peter Hofer’s workshop and his specialty store.

Peter Hofer is now showing me his kingdom filled with all these flying gems. Wow! I have to hold myself back so my already stretched-to-the-limit model-aircraft budget doesn’t burst at the seams. The workshop is located in the “Korkhalle,” as the locals so nicely put it—a large trade center next to the railroad tracks in Altdorf. Here, Peter Hofer can also use all kinds of machinery from other companies that’s available in the adjoining rooms. In return, he helps out here and there when the need arises. We continue on to his small but very nice specialty shop in Altdorf, which is located in the train station building. Here, Peter shows me what he has to offer and turns out to be not only an expert on seaplanes but also a connoisseur of anything that flies through the air and lands on skids, wheels, or floats. Around noon, I say my goodbyes, knowing full well that this certainly won’t be the last time I indulge in the fascinating hobby of seaplane flying on Lake Uri with Peter Hofer and his colleagues.

Can you hear it now, fellow model aviator—the call of Lake Uri?

Anyone interested in seaplane flying who is experiencing any flight-related issues can contact Peter Hofer as follows:

Modellbau Zentral
Peter Hofer
Bahnhof
6460 Altdorf
info@modellbau-zentral.ch
www.modellbau-zentral.ch
079 429 62 25

Interview with Peter Hofer

mfs: Peter, as a native of Aargau, how did you come to fall in love with Lake Uri?

Hofer: In early 1987, we moved from Aargau to the canton of Uri for work. By the way, my whole family and I really like it here. We have the mountains, the lake—and it’s all right nearby.

mfs: You’re a trained toolmaker, which gives you the ideal background for model building. How did you get into model flying, especially seaplane flying?

Hofer: I got into model flying over 50 years ago through my father. For many years, right up until his death in 2000, we did a lot together and were able to enjoy some wonderful flying days side by side. I caught the seaplane bug from colleagues in Ticino about 10 years ago. The model aviators from MG Lugano invited me to their international seaplane competition. For a few years, I was the only one far and wide here in the canton of Uri with my seaplane models. But little by little, one or two others overcame their reservations and fear of seaplane flying and gave it a try themselves. That’s how our small group of enthusiasts came to be.

mfs: What is it about seaplane flying that fascinates you so much?

Hofer: I can’t really say exactly. Seaplane flying has a peculiar appeal for me. Surely it’s the beautiful lakeshores. Plus, you’re always faced with new challenges—

For example, the floats all look almost identical, but they have their own quirks. With poorly designed floats, the model simply won’t lift off the water. Another fascinating feature is the huge flying field, free of rocks, trees, power lines, and so on. It’s available for free and doesn’t even need to be mowed.

mfs: You guys fly every reasonably nice Sunday morning at Bolzbach near Isleten. Are you an organized club there, or just a casual group of friends? Can anyone come join you and fly with you? Do you have to sign up with you?

Hofer: That’s right. We’re not a club or an association, just a few seaplane enthusiasts who enjoy flying over water. Of course, everyone is welcome to join us. No registration is required. The only condition is that the model must have an electric motor. Combustion engines aren’t just frowned upon—they’re actually prohibited.

mfs: Are you also a member of an official club?

Hofer: Yes, my home club is MG Obwalden. I’m a guest member at MG Schwyz-Uri.

mfs: In addition to your specialty shop, you also run a flight school. Please tell me a little about your teaching work.

Hofer: I’ve been running my model flying school for 21 years. Initially in the canton of Uri, and for the past few years—for various reasons—in Valais at Chäserstatt, in the municipality of Ernen-Mühlebach. My program includes training with powered and glider models; I offer helicopter training only to a limited extent. Anyone can book flight lessons or introductory sessions with me by appointment. For beginners who purchase their models and remote controls from me, the flight lessons are free until they can fly safely on their own.

mfs: Which models do you recommend to your very diverse customers, both on land and on water?

Hofer: My business isn’t geared toward high-tech products, but simply toward the average consumer. I don’t carry cheap products—only reasonably priced ones. There’s a very clear difference between these two terms. I recommend the appropriate model to my customers based on their specific needs and personal skill level. This could be a beginner’s glider or motorized model, but it could also be a high-speed motorized model or even a helicopter. I fully cater to my customers’ needs and work with them to find the right model for each person.

mfs: I’ve seen that you have big plans—in the truest sense of the word—for your next appearance at Grundsee. What rare model are we talking about here? Size, weight, engine options, and so on...?

Hofer: I’m really excited about Grundsee and totally hooked on it. This year was our second time there. There’s a really laid-back and friendly atmosphere. You can find just about everything there—from the simplest Wingo to large, small, and multi-engine models, as well as scale and semiscale models. Everyone flies whatever they enjoy. Next year, the Grundsee folks will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of their event. So I’ve got something special planned for the occasion. At the gathering of true seaplane enthusiasts in Hergiswil, one of the aircraft on display was a Lake LA 250 Renegade. I’m more of a flying boat guy than a float plane guy. That’s why this aircraft immediately fascinated me. I found the plans in the FMT plan catalog and ordered them right away. The wingspan is 2.30 meters. The plan is designed for a flying weight of 9 kg and a 45-cc combustion engine. Of course, the model will be powered by a BL motor and LiPo cells. Now I’m facing a major challenge: I need to build it so that it’s very light yet still stable. I’ve set my target weight at 6–7 kg. I’m roughly estimating a power-to-weight ratio of 350 watts per kilogram of flight weight. I’ll know in a few months whether the math works out. My goal is to showcase and fly the model at Grundsee in early June 2010. The preparation and construction work has already begun.

Hofer: Fly exclusively with electric propulsion. Be considerate of any swimmers. Give way to and avoid flying over passenger boats, motorboats, sailboats, fishing boats, etc. Leave the lakeshore clean. We want to preserve our wonderful hobby and not get into trouble because of a few incorrigible individuals.

mfs: Well then, I wish you good luck—and last but not least, “Happy landing”!

mfs: Is there anything else on your mind that you’d like to share with model airplane enthusiasts?

Hofer: Thank you very much for the interview and the photo session.