Model flying club educates festival attendees, aids food pantry

Published 4:15 pm Monday, November 11, 2024

By Staff Reports

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A club instructor works with a young student. Courtesy Dare County Radio Control Flyers

A pair of Spitfires race towards the finish line. Courtesy Dare County Radio Control Flyers

Grand prize winner Liam McGarry. Courtesy Dare County Radio Control Flyers

Second-place winner Allison Fregans. Courtesy Dare County Radio Control Flyers

Third-place winner Brook Bowser-Naser. Courtesy Dare County Radio Control Flyers

Raffle grand prize winner Emmett Thompson. Courtesy Dare County Radio Control Flyers

Raffle second-place winner Krista McNeilly. Courtesy Dare County Radio Control Flyers

Guests watch and await their turn at flying. Courtesy Dare County Radio Control Flyers

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Members of Dare County Radio Control Flyers, the local radio control model aviation club, held the Outer Banks Festival of Model Aviation at their field in Manns Harbor recently to provide local residents with an opportunity to learn about the hobby by flying a radio control aircraft, assisted by one of the club’s flight instructors.

According to Jim Davis, the club’s president, this was the fourth consecutive year for this event and was the best-attended with 63 guests participating. Of those attending, 32 decided to try flying, and all successfully completed their no-cost introductory flight without any difficulty.

The club used this event to once again educate the public about the exciting hobby of model aviation, and to assist the Beach Food Pantry by asking participants to bring at least one non-perishable food item per person as admission. The items collected proved to be enough for 236 meals – enough to feed a family of four for 20 days, according to Elisabeth Silverthorne, executive director of the Beach Food Pantry. Both Davis and Silverthorne expressed their gratitude to those who attended and made this so successful by donating to help local residents who are less fortunate.

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Following flying activities, the day’s long-awaited event was held, in which five radio control planes were to be awarded by raffle drawings. Three of these planes included everything needed to fly, as well as one-year memberships in the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), and in the case of the grand-prize winner, membership in the club. Tickets for this raffle were only issued to guests who had performed a flight that day. Liam McGarry’s ticket was drawn as the grand-prize winner, while Allison Fregans and Brooke Bowser-Naser won the second and third place prizes, respectively. A second raffle, in which tickets were sold for a chance to win two radio control airplanes was also held, with Emmett Thompson and Krista McNeilly each taking home a plane.

As a result of this public flying event, 16 people – including six elementary and middle school students – decided to continue their model aviation experience and became club members. “I’m so pleased to see young people getting into the hobby and I’m encouraged by the fact that twelve of our newest members will be flying with at least one family member,” stated Davis. “Model aircraft are not only educational and fun, they can be a way for family members to share good times together and make lasting memories,” he added.

The club also wished to recognize and thank the AMA Foundation for the grant it provided to assist the club in funding this event for local residents to enjoy.

As a self-supporting, nonprofit organization, Dare County Radio Control Flyers is always looking for new members to share in their family-friendly model aviation activities, noted a news release from the club.

The club was chartered in 1989 by the AMA and promotes aeromodeling as a recreational activity to residents of the Outer Banks and surrounding areas. The club’s current membership of 52 includes those from a variety of educational and life-experience backgrounds, ranging from 5 to 94 years of age.

Membership is open to anyone, regardless of experience level, and to encourage families to enjoy the hobby together, family memberships at a discounted rate are available.

Further information is available on the club’s website at dcrcf.club, its Facebook page, or by contacting them by phone or text message at 252-656-2FLY (2359).

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