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Having
carefully loaded up a van full of models, we arrived Friday
night and set up camp...setting up the tent was a challenge in
itself due to the 25mph winds but eventually we had a home to
rest in for the night and we settled in, with a couple of
beers following a long days loading/driving.
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The
PSSA's static display, display boards and tent at
Woodspring 2004 |
Come early
Saturday morning we claimed some ground in front of the tent
and set up an impressive static display, and also erected our
new PSSA display boards which give a full history of the PSSA,
explain all about the remaining events for 2004 and show our
website site map as well as lots of good quality images from
over the years. At 09:00 we had a pilots’ briefing, all
models and transmitters were checked, and transmitters put in
the tent. We had been allotted a single flying slot each day
at 1pm, a lengthy 18-minute slot which we could use as we
wished to demonstrate our models to the public.
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On
the Saturday flying was a non-starter due to high winds all
day - and aerotowing was deemed too dangerous. We made the
call late morning and our slot was taken by another group -
disappointing to have to cancel after so much hard work in
readying the aircraft but safety has to come first and the
decision to cancel was the right one! Instead we worked hard
on the ground at our stall, and met hundreds of modellers, all
showing great interest in our division of the hobby!
They were
amazed by the types of models we had on display.
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Impressive
BAC Canberra built by Matt Jones created a lot of
interest in a mass of modellers.
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We handed out
PSSA flyers and business cards with the website details and
explained to people how to join us if they were interested. It was great
to be able to talk PSS to so many newcomers, explaining the
principles and drive behind our creative hobby. It will be
interesting to see the results of this activity over the
coming weeks and months. I will watch the stats on the web
site.
Although
grounded by the wind, the sun shone all day and we took the
opportunity to have some professional photos taken by Alex
Whittaker from RCM&E magazine. He spent some time with us,
again enthused by our display, and got some good shots with
all our helpers and models. We were also photographed and
interviewed by the local press; we gave them the full works
and let them know exactly who we were and what we were trying
to achieve.
By
the end of the show on Saturday we were all quite tired (and
sunburnt too!) - we had met hundreds of modellers and it was
interesting to hear comments about our display. Saturday night
we put all the models away, shut up camp and went to the local
boozer for a well earned meal and a couple of pints. Tomorrow
the forecast was much better, we had to do it all again, this
time with some flying too!
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The
mighty Antonov (all 60lb of her!) is carried out through
the crowds to the flightline prior to its first display
of the weekend. |
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On
Sunday morning the weather was indeed much better, I tested
the water, so to speak, with an early morning mission with my
electric powered Tucano at 07:20, then following another
pilots’ briefing we started work back at the tent for more
PSSA publicity. Come lunch time we took the An-225 and
B-52 out of the static display for our slot and gave the
crowds an 18 minute aerotow demo, in which time both models
flew twice with great success. We had made commentary
sheets that were adhered to very well by the organisers - the
entire crowd got accurate details of models and pilots, and a
plotted history of the PSSA and PSS activities. Both
models flew well and it was obvious we had impressed both the
public and the organisers of the event with our spectacle of
PSS Aerotow. Pat Groves, one of the display organisers,
said to me after the show that he had never seen anything so
impressive in 30 years of modelling.
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I
feel the weekend went really well, we met a lot of folk and
I'm sure we inspired many a modeller to look harder at PSS
activities. We also improved no end our relationship
with the magazine writers and photographers, webmasters from
major sites like Bumpy Green and R/C Forum and organisations
like the LMA, who all came to meet us during the weekend and
after our display (incidentally the LMA immediately asked us
if we could display at Cosford the week after!). We
definitely reinstated PSS on the modelling map! Keep an
eye on the magazines over the coming months as I am sure
we will be evident in press!
Thanks
go to those who helped throughout the weekend, it wouldn't
have worked without all of them mucking in - PSSA members
Simon Cocker and Rez Manzoori, Bev Hill, Ric
Cooke, Matt Jones, and tug pilots Bill Maisey and
Colin Bond.
In
summary I think it went really well and I feel that we gave a
good impression of PSS creativity and ingenuity. Hopefully
this has rubbed off on a high percentage of the modellers we
met and entertained over the two-day event, and will result in
an increase in new members over the following few months!
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PSSA
member Rez
Manzoori (Left)
discusses the flight plan with his ground
support Ric
Cooke before they fly the B-52!
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Enjoy the pictures, do get in touch with any
comments you have regarding our weekend away - we look forward
to doing it again with more people and models!
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The
stand was busy all weekend with modellers interested in
our association and our models! |
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(above)
Antonov and Pawnee Tug are checked by Ric prior to aerotow
launch... |
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TAKE
OFF! - note the steerable 'dolly' rolling clear...
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PSS
fly-by in front of an impressed crowd at Yatton!
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