Tow-and-Fly Day at the Courtelary Model Aircraft Club

The towing event on September 29 was a relaxing affair on the magnificent Courtelary airfield. It’s not every day you get to use a 560×30-meter grass airfield at an elevation of 685 meters, nestled in a mountainous setting between the peaks of Chasseral and Mont Soleil. Thank you to the GVVC and the Biel Gliding Club for making the airfield available.

This friendly gathering was an opportunity to reconnect with friends and look back on an eventful year that often featured mixed weather.

Among the models on display were some very large gliders: models such as Dominique Baer’s 9-meter ASG 29 (self-built), Hans-Ueli Grogg’s 7.50-meter motorized ASK 21 (three years in the making), the Ventus models by Meuwly and Erard, Fillon’s magnificent Sperber, and Jean Lüthi’s 7.50-meter Discus, to name just a few. Of particular note was the

Discus’s short hop—a small flight for humanity but a major milestone for its builder from Geneva, who has passed the electrical evaluation tests but still needs to undergo certification testing. Jean has had his share of both good and bad experiences in his massive project, often swinging from motivation to discouragement, but the result is superb. For many, these gatherings are an opportunity to exchange ideas and gather interesting experiences.

Thanks, of course, to the organizer, its President Jean-Pierre Soltermann, the entire kitchen team—Heidi and Frédy—and let’s not forget the tow pilots Zingg, Martinelli, Flückiger, Demierre, and Bravand, who worked tirelessly throughout this beautiful day, which ended on a cheerful note with fondue, songs, and “witz.”

Thierry Ruef