Fans of model planes fly high

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By Jody Ferres | Sunday, August 13, 2006 11:42 PM CDT | () comments

Les Sehjelderup, 62, loves to fly his airplanes into hammer-head stalls.

There’s not a greater rush for the Coal Valley, Ill., man than to stop his plane in midair, pivot the entire machine and watch it come down the same way it went up.

“I love it — I’ve only totaled out one plane since I was a little kid,” he said.

But what Sehjelderup loves even more is the fact that he can maneuver the stalls, whips, pivots and turns from the ground.

Sehjelderup is part of the Q-C Skyraiders R/C Club, a club that caters to those interested in flying model airplanes that are as small as a foot in length to as large as the wing span of a hawk.

More than 30 flying enthusiasts from the Skyraiders and other local clubs plunged, spiraled and barrel-rolled the day away Sunday afternoon for the club’s annual model air show. Without the stress of placements or prizes, the enthusiasts had the chance to show off their flying skills to a parking lot full of spectators.

Club president Rick Haney loves the fact that every second Sunday in August members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, or AMA, can showcase their talents.

“We started out as a competition when the club started in the late ’80s,” Haney said. “After the first year, we decided to make it a fly-in so everyone could just relax and have fun.”

Since the inception of the Moline Skyraiders Club almost 20 years ago, Haney said about 100 people take advantage of the club and their amenities, such as their new Model Airplane Park inside Green Valley Park, 60th Street and 50th Avenue, Moline, that the club leases from the City of Moline.

Before, the club used a large piece of land behind Farm & Fleet, 5900 John Deere Road, Moline. Because of the change of venue this year and higher gasoline prices, Haney said he was clueless to how many people were going to show up to see the fly-in.

“We’re right about where we were last year with numbers,” he said.

The fly-in allowed four or five planes in the air at a time. Those flying stood on the sidelines of the large football-sized field, maneuvering their planes with a handheld remote control. Although the planes differed in size, each was either built by hand or from a kit.

“Some people are builders, and some just like to put it together and fly,” said Haney, who said an average kit costs about $300, and for those who build their own the cost can even run a little pricier. “The kits are nice for those who don’t have the ability to build their own, the space or the time to do it.”

Matt Vanert, 14, a student at Moline’s Wilson Middle School, has been flying with the Skyraiders club for the past four years. Vanert said his love for planes started when he was younger.

“I’ve always liked them. I have six planes now,” he said. “I like to come down to the field to fly, and I can do it pretty much whenever I want to.”

Like Vanert, many of the club members fell in love with planes at a young age.

“About 55 years ago, I was playing with rubber-band powered models,” Sehjelderup said. “Now with the club, it’s fantastic. It’s real helpful for beginners to get into and get assistance and suggestions.”

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com.