2011

Sky's the llmlt for aero model club

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pilot Dale Gray at the Mareeba grounds ready to fly his hobby aircratt.

Picture: KYLIE REGHENZANI

INTERNATIONAL pilot Dale Gray loves

nothing more than flYtng. And when he's not flying big jets to Japan and elsewhere overseas, he's flV*g model aircraft at Mareeba.
T?opical North Queensland, Mr Gray said he had been an international pilot for 12 years and flytng model aircraft for the past 20 years. "Flying is something that I've always done and it's a great passion of mine," Mr Gray said. "TIte hobby and sport of aero modelling

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"There a^re many foms of competition \Mith model helicopters which members from our club travel state-wide to be involved in.

has expanded very quickly in the past 10 years due to the availability of model products.t'

Part of the Model Aero Sports Club of

things like scale pylon racing similar to Red Bull Air Racing, scale aerobatics' en-

He said there were'Very big competition aspects" to aero modelling which included

durance competitions and glider competitions, all of which were on an international stage. "Competition is not limited to fixed wing aircraft either," he said.

"In the near future we hope to be able to host events of a similal size.o Ivan Vines, who has been a pilot for 50 years, said aero modelling was not understood by the wider communitY. "It's a myth that people who take part in aero modelling didn't make it as pilotsi Mr Vines said. 'That's simply not trre because 85 per cent of the club's particrpants are pilots."