The Free-Flight Pilot Visits the Farmer

In the various free-flight disciplines, from F1A to F1Q, the models are launched using different methods to an altitude of over 100 meters and then glide for 3 minutes or more. During this time, they can be carried by the wind up to several kilometers away. They typically land without any intervention from the pilot. This means that the landing site should, as far as possible, be free of buildings, high-voltage power lines, roads, trees, bodies of water, and other obstacles that could damage the model or even harm flora and fauna. Therefore, large, open areas are required. These are becoming increasingly scarce in densely populated Switzerland.

If Swiss free-flight enthusiasts were a species, they—on the brink of extinction—would be quickly placed under protection and given a suitable reserve. This is not the case. Our older free-flight colleagues report that more and more areas that were once suitable for free flight have been lost due to urban sprawl, roads, high-voltage power lines, railroad tracks, and so on. The areas where free flight takes place in Switzerland are generally agricultural lands. These can only be accessed during certain times of the year. During the growing season, free flight is therefore often not possible. From September through April, access to the fields is often permitted. The fragmented nature of agriculture further complicates the use of large areas suitable for free flight, as permission must be sought from many farmers. This requires good and consistent communication with the farmers and, in some cases, with the municipal authorities of the affected area. At the competitions in the Gürbetal in October 2023, entry fees will go to the affected farmers.

Communication and consideration for the farmers’ needs are key. For example, the Swiss F1E Slope Flying Championship scheduled for June 11, 2023, was postponed because key areas in the landing zone were occupied by rapeseed and grain fields. The team leader of the free-flight pilots, Alfred Andrist, visits all the farmers annually in the F1E flying area of Wijkartswil near Worb and brings them a year-end gift as a token of appreciation for the use of their land. For the 2023 Gürbe Cup, a World Cup event, the organizers first consulted with the affected farmers and the municipal authorities of the affected municipality. Caution is also required during free flight operations. To retrieve the models, farmers’ paths are used to minimize the distance traveled across farmland. This is done on foot. Cars are parked in such a way that they do not obstruct farmers with their agricultural vehicles. In Switzerland, it goes without saying that nothing is left behind and that trash is taken away.

If the free-flight model flies beyond the agricultural area and lands, for example, in a front yard, there are additional challenges. Not everyone appreciates F1A gliders landing vertically in their front yards, as I learned the hard way in Mühlethurnen at the Gürbe Cup site. My model, which—despite its thermal brake—drifted into a neighborhood of single-family homes due to strong winds, was regarded as an uninvited guest that nearly killed a “poor potted plant.” While the lady of the house took a deep breath to express her outrage, I made a quick retreat. In this case, acceptance of free flight still has “room for improvement.”

Glider pilots in Switzerland who wear men’s clothing are also familiar with the struggle for acceptance. For example, participants at the Alpine gliding camp in Saanen (Gstaad region) wore buttons featuring a glider design. This allowed visitors to be recognized as glider pilots in local shops and restaurants. At the Alpine gliding camps in Samedan (St. Moritz region), we visited the local restaurants in turn after making reservations, so that the restaurant owners knew the glider pilots from Grenchen were coming. Building acceptance in advance is important in Switzerland. For example, a local farmer might suddenly turn out to be a member of the local municipal council or even the mayor, or the hobby farmer living on the edge of the free-flight area might be the canton’s minister in charge (and thus, on a rotating basis, the prime minister every year). Local ties, therefore, have many facets in Switzerland. A well-known free-flight enthusiast who lives in the community is worth their weight in gold.

Finally, it’s also important for free-flight enthusiasts and farmers to understand each other. While some indulge in their hobby, others work to earn a living. Farmers are under increasing pressure from our leisure-oriented society. Talking with farmers—sometimes over a beer they’ve offered—improves mutual understanding without causing Swiss free flight to lose its last remaining havens. For example, farmers in the Gürbe Cup area near Mühelthurnen help ensure that free-flight athletes can train on their land year-round. Among F1A glider pilots alone, this includes the entire Swiss national team: Michi Bleuer (two-time F1A World Cup winner), Christian Andrist (3rd place at the 2019 World Championships), and the 2023 world champion, Lauri Malila. In this way, the farmers in the Gürbe Valley played a significant role in Lauri Malila’s world championship title. For example, during his final training session for the 2023 World Championships, Lauri spent four hours searching for a model in the lush cornfields of the Gürbetal. Acceptance from the local community is more valuable than the hope for a “free-flight reserve.” After all, there simply isn’t enough support for that.