Roger Brining was in the sixth grade the first time he saw a model airplane in flight. He was with his father, a pilot, and they were near Sterling.
"We saw the airplane off in the distance, and I thought it was a regular, full-size airplane," he said. Only when it went between two trees did he realize his mistake.
Over the years, Brining has built — and crashed — several model airplanes of his own. It’s a pastime he and fellow members of the Model Association of Central Kansas hope to share with this public this Saturday during a fly-in at MACK Field. The field is located at 114 SW 20 Ave., just south of the intersection of Patton Road (U.S. 56) and Railroad Ave. on the southwest corner of Great Bend. The come-and-go event will run from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the public is invited, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is free, and MACK will serve hot dogs around noon.
Members will be flying and talking about model airplanes throughout the day, Brining said. Some spectators may even have a chance to fly one of the model airplanes with help from a MACK "copilot" using overriding remote control.
Building and flying radio controlled airplanes used to be an expensive hobby. Before World War II, it even required a radio control license, according to information from the Academy of Model Aeronautics, which MACK pilots are affiliated with. But new materials are making it easier and cheaper to get started. During a program Wednesday at for the Great Bend Recreation Commission, Brining showed a Vapor model that comes ready to fly out of the box for $125, including the controller.
"A lot of people will building (a model) and try to fly it without help," Brining said. "It’s simple to get started, but there’ still a lot to learn." That’s where the members of MACK can help. The organization prides itself on providing a safe, family-oriented environment for its modeling activities.
About MACK Field
For years, a field west of Pawnee Rock served as the staging place for MACK airplanes. Members started developing the current field in 2009, and in August 2110 added a 550-foot-long geo-textile runway. "It’s a fabric designed to go under asphalt when they lay roads," Brining said. That runway is centered on five acres of buffalo grass, which is surrounded by brome grass for a total area of over 12 acres.
Saturday’s program is sponsored by MACK and the Great Bend Recreation Commission. For more information call Brining at 792-9645. MACK also has a website, mackrc.net, and is on Facebook.
