31st Alpine Model Aircraft Camp in Hahnenmoos

Against this backdrop, up to ten flying wings in a wide variety of colors soar through the evening sky, riding the dynamic updrafts; their flight maneuvers are skillful, often quite daring, and accompanied by joyful shouts—it’s a shame we can’t capture that pure joy acoustically here...! Adhesive manufacturers are likely to get a kick out of this game, too...!

The first drops of the approaching thunderstorm drive the young campers into the nearby clubhouse on the Hahnenmoos Pass!

The activity described above—involving flying machines that are mostly homemade—is extremely valuable: It develops various manual skills—at the latest when the first repair is needed—helps them gain a better understanding of remote-control technology over the course of the week, teaches them to recognize and make good use of weather phenomena, and, last but not least, fosters a sense of community among the group. The one-week duration of the camp is also important: many situations are experienced multiple times; thanks to these repetitions, various approaches to problem-solving and insights stick better in the memory.

The statements from Michèle, Ian, Glen, and Ramon prove that this is not just my personal perception; these four teenagers have already attended the youth camp at Hahnenmoos several times and shared their impressions on Friday.

When asked why all four of them have attended the camp several times, they gave the following answers:

Michèle: I’ve been here six times already; it’s always been fun. I’ve had a lot of great experiences and made some good friends.

Glen: It’s great for flying here because there are good thermals. I’m also always excited—

and I'm looking forward to seeing my friends from last year's camp.

Ramon: Thanks to the camp, I have the chance to fly in the mountains; normally I only fly my models on flat terrain—it’s quite a different experience!

I then asked about their preferred flying sites; the answers were again quite varied and show that the young people are very good at describing the different flying sites.

Ian: I like to fly at Bänkli or Schalmi because I can fly close by there and enjoy watching the models.

Michèle: I like to fly at the upper Bänkli—I just really like it there! As a destination for an outing, I think the upper Luegli is great; the scenery there is the most impressive!

Glen: Yeah, that’s true—I also think the Luegli is the best spot for our camp outing. When I’m flying on my own, I prefer the Laweygrat; that’s where the thermals are strongest!

Ramon: It depends on the model: With smaller models, I prefer to fly at the Bänkli or along the ridge.

So, what are your favorite models?

Michèle: For me, it’s definitely the Libelle! It’s sturdy, agile, and just a lot of fun!

Ramon: I love the Nuri almost the most because I can have a lot of fun flying it with others.

Ian: For me, the ASW-27 is my favorite model; since it’s made of foam, I can fly it close by and slowly—I really like that!

Glen: The Mibo-Swift is the most fun: you can really let it go—that’s awesome! I also like flying the Crossfire.

When asked what insights were important to the camp participants, they gave the following answers:

Glen: At the ski lift, I experienced a snow tube ride—about 11 meters per second—that was really impressive!

Michèle: Over the years, I’ve often been the only girl there—but that was never a problem. Still, it would be nice if even more girls participated!

Ramon: It was cool how everyone helped each other out; the relationship between the campers and the leadership team was very friendly. And some of the staff at the hotel were also very helpful.

Ian: Yeah, that’s true; whenever I needed help, I got it.

To me, it’s clear: The youth camp at the Hahnenmoos Pass is fun and incredibly educational—the latter, as described above, in many ways!

For a camp like this to take place at all, various factors must be in place: The location has to be right—which is certainly the case at Hahnenmoos, both in terms of accommodations and the famously excellent grounds.

– The staff and management of the hotel must be supportive of the concept and the young people—fortunately, this is also the case at Hahnenmoos.

– And: It takes camp leaders who run the camp with joy and conviction—this, too, has been the case at Hahnenmoos for 31 years(!)! Simply setting aside a week isn’t enough; it takes the will to create a meaningful environment for the young people and to exemplify certain values—time and again, year after year!

– And let’s not forget—interested young people: Even the best idea is useless if the participants don’t feel connected to it and can’t get excited about it. Fortunately, every year there are plenty of interested young people from all over Switzerland who sign up for the camp week, who enjoy the entire camp, who let the leadership team inspire them, and who are thus able to make great progress over the course of the week.

I’d like to say this twice: To everyone who makes a valuable contribution to the success of the youth camp, a big THANK YOU is once again in order, and I’m already looking forward to the 2024 camp with all its wonderful, cherished encounters!

Are you interested in the camp? At www.alpines.ch, you’ll find the registration documents for the 2024 camp; the number of participants is limited—there are already quite a few people interested...! The camp will take place from July 20–27, 2024.