Community
14 February, 2025
Fun Fly to seek out budding pilots
BUDDING model aircraft enthusiasts and die-hard fans alike are invited to the Camperdown Racecourse for the Corangamite Model Aircraft Club’s annual Fun Fly event.
A wide variety of aircraft models, including models as big as 2.5 metres and models with 150cc engines, will be on show on Saturday, February 22 and Sunday, February 23.
Club safety officer Foster Taylor said the event usually sees around 30 pilots across the weekend, with many arriving in Camperdown at lunchtime on the Friday before.
“Half a dozen of them will get here on Friday and spend the whole weekend, whereas others will likely be here by around 10am on the Saturday,” he said.
“We’re probably expecting the same group of people that we regularly get – people who are spread all over Victoria, and even from South Australia.
“We’ll probably expect some people from Mount Gambier to be here, and from Melbourne as well.
“People don’t reply to us that they’re definitely coming – it’s the same people that come every year.
“All we’ve got to do is hope the weather is good to us.”
The event will see raffles held alongside the main spectacle of flying, with club secretary Brendan Gee saying the Fun Fly was also an opportunity to promote the club and encourage new members to sign up.
“Anyone wanting to learn, or interested in model airplanes, is invited to come along and see what it’s about,” he said.
“We offer instruction – we will teach people to fly.
“We’d love to see new members, and that’s what we want to get out there – get people to come along, have a look and go ‘wow, and want to come and learn to fly.
“We have a club trainer and we use that – say if someone comes out and wants to have a go and is unsure, we’ll take them up on the club trainer.
“If they like it, they can get their own model – if they don’t, then nothing is lost.”
Members of the Corangamite Model Aircraft Club will speak to attendees throughout the day, encouraging those who may be interested to watch proceedings and have a go on the training plane.
Mr Taylor said the trial run on the training model will allow those to make the decision before purchasing their own models.
“We don’t want to see people waste their money because money’s hard enough to get at the moment,” he said.
“Our whole aim is a welcoming weekend.
“It’s not just for people who come to fly their airplanes and we’d love to see half a dozen carloads of people come from the town to come down and have a look.
“That’s what we’re trying to do – to showcase what we’ve got to the public.”
A barbecue, snacks and drinks will be available on the day.
Read More: Camperdown