Are toads allowed in the agricultural zone?

Dear Reader

Anyone can say whatever comes to mind wherever they want, and even forums (and emails)—which often come close to being properly written sentences—allow for all kinds of nonsense. Those who write for magazines have a tougher time of it, though; after all, they reveal their opinions and thereby expose themselves to the public. However, those who write what readers and politicians currently want to hear or read can keep themselves out of trouble. Of course, we model aviators can also find something positive in all these developments. Let’s try a bit of cynicism and thank the politicians for everything they’re bringing down on us—uh, I mean, giving us. Take, for example, unrestricted immigration: it brings us growth, prosperity, and, above all, a construction boom. Once our country is covered in concrete—a clean solution—and buildings keep rising higher and higher, we’ll be able to fly through the urban canyons, thereby solving all our problems with air traffic altitude restrictions. Tired of being cooped up in the office in the city—or on the commuter train—people flock in their free time to the nearby areas where they need to unwind. They jog, ride horses, have dogs, and ride bikes. How wonderful it is to no longer be lonely and alone in the field with our model airplanes. We never fly over the heads of stressed-out people seeking relaxation, so we’d better just stay on the ground, enjoy the camaraderie, and admire each other’s high-tech Styrofoam jets. According to a trade journal from the north, they’re the greatest achievement of all. After all, they make a wonderful sound and usually don’t last too long… Let’s not forget our ultimate nature and bird conservationists. Working with them in a nearly collegial and fair manner is better than flying; after all, there are birds everywhere—and even some very rare toads. I must continue to express my great admiration for our building and planning departments. Their employees are genuinely racking their brains, working up a sweat, trying to figure out whether model aircraft flying is permitted in agricultural zones. From the municipalities to the cantons all the way up to the Federal Court, files are being filled through hard work, and interesting hearings and exciting meetings are being held. But the question of all questions—even though it’s been around for about 150 years here—is still unresolved, and with it, the problem of access and parking remains; after all, a little exercise is supposed to be healthy, especially in old age, and what we understand today as a “model airplane” is usually light and easy to handle. Perhaps we can encourage the importers to deliver a pallet of them straight to the airfield every weekend.

Best regards from a thoroughly
positive editor
, Emil Ch. Giezendanner