Ron Marwood and Jim Wickstrom display their ‘labours of love’

Prince George, BC – More than a dozen years ago, Jim Wickstrom stopped by the Prince George Aeromodellers’ annual display at Pine Centre Mall to admire the beautifully-detailed, radio controlled model aircraft.

Yesterday, Wickstrom was one of several members on-hand for the club’s 24th annual mall presentation aimed at sparking an interest in others.  "We just like to showcase the hobby and try to get people interested in joining the club," said Wickstrom.  "It’s open to everybody who wants to come out – junior members, senior members, it doesn’t matter."

Wickstrom says although the pastime can become as costly and as labour-intensive as you’re willing to go, it is possible to get started with an electric park flyer kit for a couple of hundred dollars.  Club members with electric models can be found at Zimmaro Park, off First Avenue, in the summer months.  While those with the nitro-fuelled model aircraft are only allowed to fly at the club’s airfield off the Blackwater Road – a field sanctioned specifically for the nitro models by the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada.

While the main photo above shows his first effort, a high wing trainer, Wickstrom has spent the winter working on the model shown at left.  "I left it uncovered because lots of people here want to know what’s inside of them."

He said it’s not uncommon for a hobbyist to spend more than one thousand hours finishing a model.  He points out it’s possible to buy ARFs, almost-ready-to-fly kits that just require the electronics and motor installation.

"But guys like Ron, here, and myself, we like to build.  So we spend all winter building and, then, we go out and crash them all in the summer, so we can re-build them the winter after," said Wickstrom with a laugh.

For more information about the local club, go to www.pgam.ca

Photo below shows a 1/5th model of a Cessna 182 built by one of the club’s founders, Gordon Jack