5. "Old Friends Fly" on March 18, 2023, in Marbach

Fifteen pilots and various visitors gathered in beautiful weather for the 5th annual helicopter flying event among like-minded enthusiasts.

Thanks to all the volunteers for their great support and for making the setup and takedown go so smoothly.

I’d also like to thank Roli Kaufmann for the fantastic outdoor fondue and for bringing the equipment, and of course the MFV Marbach for providing the model airfield.

Last but not least, a big thank you goes out to all the participants. There were 15 of you—thank you for coming, for the relaxed atmosphere, and also for your discipline on the field!

In fact, 15 pilots from all over Switzerland and neighboring countries made their way to Marbach. Everyone brought their amazing and beautiful models, ranging from small ones to those with a rotor diameter of 2.3 meters. This variety of helicopters and pilots was truly one-of-a-kind.

We kicked things off in beautiful spring weather with coffee and delicious croissants for all the early risers. The mood was very cheerful and lively right from the start.

Afterward, everyone could fly to their heart’s content. In between, there was time for technical discussions and anecdotes from the past. One flight followed another.

At noon, the fire under the cheese pot was stoked, and Roli chopped up plenty of garlic and seasoned it well. It was outstanding! We polished off about four kilos of the hot, melted cheese.

For those who aren’t big on cheese, the grill was also fired up, and the occasional sausage or steak was cooked. After the

After a delicious lunch, Katja brought over her legendary streusel cake—this time accompanied by a Selters cake and a nice cup of coffee, and the world was just right!

In the afternoon, we flew to our hearts’ content. Walter Loböck from Altach stopped by with his experimental Bell 47 III (equipped with a homemade 6-cylinder engine) and even took the impressive model up into the air. Hats off to you, Walter—everything went flawlessly! That was truly impressive!

It was a fantastic event, and judging by all the positive feedback, everyone had a blast: a truly wonderful day!

I’m already looking forward to March 23—rescheduled to March 30, 2024.

Warm regards
, Dani Hofmann