Model aircraft officials are all volunteers

There are still model aircraft enthusiasts who believe that members of the regional executive board or the regional chairperson are employed by and for the model aircraft community and are compensated for their work.

Model aviation in Switzerland has no full-time or part-time officials—with the exception of the employees of the AeCS Central Secretariat in Lucerne. The editorial staff of *Modell-Flugsport* also works entirely on a volunteer basis and is an amateur operation. The *Modell-Flugsport* publishing house, on the other hand, is professionally managed by Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG in Winterthur.

From conversations with various model aviators in our region, with club presidents, or members of the regional board, it repeatedly becomes clear that there are model aviators who believe that a select few are there for everyone and that the individual need only press a button to set the entire “professional” apparatus into motion. This is perhaps the downside of a well-functioning organization. A certain perfectionism all too easily leads to the assumption that the people who are actually doing the work have plenty of time on their hands—while one oneself has no time and always cites family or work commitments as excuses. Chairpersons, board members, regional board members, regional chairpersons, treasurers, etc., have nothing else to do. They practically throw themselves into every new task. One can constantly demand, expect, and require things of them; after all, that’s what they’re there for.

For many years now, our region has been well led and supported by the regional board and the chairperson. Not without mistakes or with absolute perfection, but as well as is simply possible for an amateur organization. Sometimes even the regional board grows weary of their duties, and everyone wonders if it’s all still worth it. But time and again, things somehow carry on. The fact that things work reasonably well in our region is not solely due to our executive board, the regional chair, or the treasurer, but first and foremost to our predecessors. Ernst Hausmann was the first to lead Region 5 the way we do today. Heinz Weiss further improved upon Hausmann’s pioneering work. That is why we are where we are today. Without our mentors, we would be an underdeveloped region—though we certainly must not forget the tireless contributions of many group chairpersons and other idealists.

Let this be stated clearly and unequivocally. I do not want us to focus on the

We can’t rest on our laurels. We must keep working, no matter what the future holds. But the Region 5 Executive Board can’t do this alone—we’re not superhuman, we don’t have any more time than the rest of you do, and we aren’t idealists because we live in abundance, but because we enjoy model flying and want to use our knowledge, experience, and skills to help ensure that we can practice our sport in a way that brings us joy. We on the board cannot do this alone. It requires all of you—your experience, your cooperation, and your diverse skills. If individuals think they can pass everything off—all the work, all the responsibility, and even all the financial sacrifices—then we on the board might as well lower the flags and pack it in! Model flying is a leisure activity, a hobby. Free time is in short supply for all of us, and that goes for the board as well. And the board is also committed to serving the region; however, this makes the free time we have for our own model flying even scarcer. This time spent for the common good cannot be compensated for with money or grand words, because it is time taken away from our own personal free time. That is why only cooperation, shared responsibility, and helping to shoulder our common problems and tasks can truly do justice to the work of an executive board. Anything else would ring hollow, like flimsy excuses. We are neither nannies nor midwives. We can help make the work easier in many ways. We make sure that race numbers, prizes, sound systems, stopwatches, etc., are available and ready for use. You must reserve, pick up, check, and return these items properly yourselves. As I said, we are not professionals and do not receive any expenses—just like all of you.

Emil Giezendanner