Flying High with the HEFA
The Halifax Electric Flyers Club is an organization that has been around since 2007, and consists of like-minded members who enjoy the remote control world of flight.
Unlike the newest trend of drone flying, this club focuses on replica aircraft flight.
With replica war, small civilian and unique aircraft mixed in with the club, the buzz of the electric engines coming and going(with the exception of the silent gliders which rely on updrafts and breezes to maintain their graceful flight) can be heard from a distance, and the tricks and shows of these planes are sure to put a smile on your face as the members show off their skills over the grassy field near Shannon Park, which is currently available to the members on a year to year basis through appropriate sources, and with full cooperation and monitoring by Transport Canada.
Membership to this club gives anybody with any experience a chance to bond with other members, learning new skills or teaching those new to the hobby. The current membership, of about 50 people, are properly insured and liable for any incidents that may occur during the flights, which so far has been zero incidents.
However, members are very careful to abide by the laws given to them by both property owners and Transport Canada. They say that the current areas they operate from are approved for their use, and they are very careful to stay within boundaries for their flights which are more limited than those of drones.
The planes are a mix of materials and all once again fall into guidelines given by Transport Canada for size and weight allowed for the RC models. Materials are primarily a light wood type or styrofoam, making them agile, light weight, and some with a bit of kick as they are capable of impressive speeds if given the chance to open up.
Members have also entertained many onlookers, including this photographer, who was given a chance to try a tutor aircraft. Although new to this hobby, the instructor was very patient and able to guide me through the many subtleties needed to properly take control of the lightweight foam aircraft. They welcome questions and even try to allow those curious to interact with them, and earlier in the day they entertained a Syrian family with some tricks and shows and even allowed the children to take control of the tutor, much to the delight of everyone on scene.
The club hopes to continue to have fun and teach in a hobby that can be mesmerizing to onlookers, but due to continued growth in HRM, legal and offered fields and clearings to partake in this beautiful hobby are becoming harder to come by. But for now, they will continue to meet weekly where and when they can.
Find them at www.halifaxelectricflyers.com
