Here I sit at one of the 20 or so picnic tables, It's 9:30 am Saturday morning, the sun slowly breaks through the haze on the field in Rodermark, Germany. Model aircraft, tow planes and scale gliders of all types, are being assembled and placed in the pit area next to the grassy “runway” which is cordoned off with protective netting the length of the field. So far there must be at least 100 people, men women and children, not to mention the dogs. The parking area is filling up as the people continue to trickle in.

The BBQ is being prepared for the Bratwurst, Rindwurst, and steaks to be sold at lunch for the increasing crowds. The beverage trailer is being stocked for lunch as well, with that great beer and other bottled drinks, sodas, water, even Apple Juice.

The pilots are meeting at the end of the field to be assigned their frequencies, and go over field safety rules in preparation for a day of tow plane launches. After a long speech there is applause that means let the flying begin.

A large yellow tow plane with a wing span of about 5 feet, roars as it takes off with a tow line attached to a glider with a 10 foot wing span. Down the grassy runway, until its off, higher and higher, until the plane is released from its line and lifts gently in a slow circular direction in the sky searching for a thermal to lift it higher like a bird. Tow plane after tow plane pull the planes up, sometimes tricking the eye into believing that they are actually full size in the distance. At any one time when looking into the sky you can see at least 5 gliders soaring like birds, the line for tow is increasing as thermal conditions improve, another tow plane prepares to take off with a large 20 foot wing span model. In between launches, just for fun the tow planes buzz the runway sideways or upside down bringing applause and laughter from the increasingly large noon crowd.

Laughing and running, children play with little toy gliders sold at the food booth, imitating the show above. It seems that each child has one, from the toddlers to the preteens. As I look up, distracted by yet another tow plane, this one is a bi-wing plane, pulling a turquoise and white glider, we see something fall out of the sky, to later find that the glider had lost part of it’s canopy in the brush on the side of the runway.

The weather is perfect for the event, bright, warm 80 degree weather, feels like California. After a few days of rain and cool weather this is a the perfect time for a BBQ, bringing throngs of people who take this hobby seriously. All the master craftsman are here including world champion flyers. People from all over Germany have come from the south in Bavaria to the north. People who have only spoken by e-mail are meeting for the first time, long distance friends sometimes from different countries. They share building ideas and new ways of doing things. They view the latest options for cockpit interiors and pilots. They see the latest plane designs direct from the men who make them. The wish lists get longer and longer. I over heard Robin Leiman and Rick say it's a "Candy Store". There must be at least 80 planes of all sizes here for display. Pilots line up their planes, waiting for the next available tow plane.

Now breaking for lunch the field is cleared and a little red motor plane takes off as children line up at the end of the field. The plane circles once, twice and then packets of candy are released, raining onto the field, as the children scurry to gather what they can. The line for the food and drink gets longer. There must be at least 300 people now, arriving by bikes and roller skates, pushing strollers. It has a feeling of a carnival or festival, cameras, talking, laughing. A community of people near and far. Wonderful!

The "Rodermark" fun fly is held each year in early September one week after the "Akro Cup". Located, south east of Frankfurt on route 495, 15 minutes off Autobahn #3. The local hotel, "Hotel Odenwaldblick" is the place to say. The hotel has a fantastic restaurant, the specialty is roasted chicken, along with mouth watering traditional German dishes. The rooms are very nice, some with big Jacuzzi tubs. They can be reached from the US at, 01149 6074-87440, English is spoken.

If you ever have plans to visit German, this is a must see event. Better yet, take one of your scale ships with you because you will want to fly not only at Rodermark, but other fantastic flying sites throughout Germany. All though the approved flying frequency in Germany is 35, I have found that it is no problem to fly on 72 band. The event organizer is Frank Oeste, he and the Rodermark club have worked hard to
make this a very special event, you can contact Frank for further information.