Oerliker Fights for Recognition of Model Aviation

eff. — At a press conference held at the Schupfart airfield in the Fricktal region regarding Aviatika 81—a special event of the Basel Autumn Fair taking place this year from October 24 to November 8—Werner Koelliker of Oerlikon, president of the Model Flying Commission of the Aero-Club of Switzerland, spoke about the concerns of model aviators. Werner Koelliker, who runs Switzerland’s largest specialty model-making store at the corner of Schaffhauserstrasse and Jungstrasse, began by discussing the importance of model flying in Switzerland.

Werner Koelliker, a leading authority in his field, founded the Olten Model Flying Club at the age of 12. For seven years, he served as editor of the Aero-Club’s magazine, the “Aero-Revue.” Werner Koelliker has already produced 42 television programs on all aspects of aviation.

As he noted during the press conference at the Schupfart airfield, over 7,000 registered model aviators have already chosen this hobby and sport.

It has long since outgrown its infancy and not only serves as an ideal foundation for a future career as a pilot in civil aviation or the Air Force, but has also become a distinct discipline within aviation. It demands far greater technical and intellectual skills than outsiders might assume.

“Advances in technology and electronics now enable model builders to make virtually any object fly by applying the simplest aerodynamic principles. From the smallest indoor model with a flying weight of two to three grams, through rockets, helicopters, zeppelins, hot-air balloons, etc., all the way to exact replicas of real aircraft in all sizes, there are almost no limits. You can launch from grass, asphalt runways, or with skis on snow—the simulation of aviation is already perfect.”

Most people need a hobby alongside their work to balance out their professional lives, and this is especially true for young people. It’s not the least intelligent or the laziest who choose model aircraft building. A passion for flying alone wouldn’t be enough, because model building and flying are challenging pursuits. Although a large model-building industry has made many things easier compared to the past, it still requires personal dedication, patience, perseverance, determination, manual dexterity, mental agility, and logical thinking. These are qualities that can be practiced and applied to succeed in life and in one’s career. Top model airplane pilots, for whom the hobby had evolved into a sport, needed a great deal of patience and talent, as well as physical and mental support—just like any other top athlete, as Werner Koelliker went on to explain.

Model airplane enthusiasts are very concerned because, as a result of the federal government’s hiring freeze, there are plans to remove them from aviation legislation and transfer jurisdiction to the cantons and municipalities. Although model aircraft enthusiasts—as a minority—are making great efforts to control the noise produced by models with internal combustion engines, they are a thorn in the side of many people. Ideally, they would like to ban model flying altogether, even though only about one-third of members fly noisy motorized models. The majority of model aircraft are environmentally friendly and silent in every respect. These include gliders, electric model aircraft, and barely audible four-stroke engine models. Furthermore, official measurements by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation have repeatedly shown that the noise generated at the site of the complaint is below normal sound levels. As Werner Kölliker noted, well-off citizens are all too eager to “shoot sparrows with cannons.” The Swiss model aviators of the Swiss Aero-Clubs go to great lengths to ensure they are not a nuisance to anyone by adhering to regulations regarding effective silencers and rules for the operation of model airfields. They are striving for this recognition.

“We want to work together to find solutions that promote model flying, keep it under control, and take measures that turn opponents into friends. Our vision is to engage many young people—girls and boys alike—to introduce them to the ideals of aviation, and to guide them through model building toward rewarding pursuits that will enrich their youth and their future lives.”