THUNDER BAY – One-hundred-and-nineteen years ago, the Wright Brothers took to the sky, ushering in the age of powered flight.
More than a century later, a group of 40 aviation enthusiasts in Thunder Bay are flying high themselves, building and flying their own model aircrafts, a labour of love for most.
On Saturday members of the Lakehead Aeromodellers Club put on a demonstration of their planes, helicopters and drones for all to see, inviting the public to attend their annual Airfest, an event that hasn’t happened in three years because of COVID-19.
It’s a lot of fun, said club president Archie Gribben.
“It’s basically for people who can’t afford to be a full-scale pilot, even though it does get really expensive, depending on what you’re building and flying.” he said, explaining the attraction of the sport.
“I loved aviation from a young age and was always impressed with airplanes of any type. I always visits museums when I can to see planes I’ll never see again. We do have some full-scale pilots in the club, and people that are just interested the same way.”
For some, it’s simply the flying that entices them to the hobby.
Many in this category will purchase ready-to-fly planes, that need a few hours of work to get them airborne. ‘
Others start from scratch and spend months building complex aircraft, often a hobby done with a friend or a family member.
“Almost ready-to-fly aircraft are really prevalent. In a few hours you have a plane built. Building from scratch, it’s a lot more time.”
Airfest, which takes place at the Lakehead Aeromodellers Club airfield off Highway 61, across from Little Norway Road, is a chance to showcase the hobby to those who might be interested but haven’t yet taken the plunge.
“And it’s just to get out and see people you may not have seen over the last few months to enjoy the hobby and enjoy the atmosphere and watch some interesting flights.”
Airfest runs until about 4 p.m. on Saturday.
