One hundred and twenty-five planes, 140 participants and 4,000 spectators. Just the right mix for the four-day Aamby Valley International Aeromodeller’s Championship 2011, which concluded at Aamby Valley on Sunday.
Award-winning aeromodellers from across the globe like the US, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand, UAE, Thailand, England and India rubbed shoulders with each other for top honours.
Organised by Wings India, the aeromodellers’ meet held for the fourth consecutive year, was a great hit.
Miniscule models, jets, helicopter, choppers and props flown by aeromodellers enthralled spectators.
Aeromodeller Anurag Saraf of Nagpur, who runs a steel manufacturing business in Nagpur, was flying a Sky Gate Hawk aircraft made in the UK. He told DNA, “In India, we have just started aeromodelling. Wings India is doing a fabulous job by promoting aeromodelling as a hobby.”
Likewise, Yogendra Jahagirdar, 59, from Pune was seen flying the Corsair, which was a gull wing aircraft used in the World War II. Jahagirdar, who also imparts flying training at Hadapsar Gliding School and to the cadets of the National Defence Academy, said, “I am a model builder since 40 years and building aircraft is more fascinating than flying one.”
Andreas Gietz, MD and CEO, Composite-arf.com from Thailand, said, “I think it's a nice getaway as the flying season has not yet commenced in Europe. Performance and skills of Indian pilots are also improving with time. India feels like home now.”
