Flying club celebrates historic aircraft

Halfway between Sisters and Bend is a small, discreet building flying an orange wind sock.

The Cascade Flyers Model Airplane Club, with its internet-connected weather station and the adjacent grass landing strip on its 80 acres of open land framed by the snow-capped Cascades is arguably one of the most beautiful facilities for model airplane flying in the country.

Last weekend was a very special one for this club of 35 dedicated enthusiasts - and a great day to give a five-year-old grandson a tour.

Club member Lee Kufchak, a noted model builder living in Black Butte Ranch, brought out the special model he had just completed after eight years and almost 2,000 hours for its first presentation to his peers in the club.

This special plane, a museum-quality scale model of a World War I "Jenny," model JNY-D, represents a true piece of history. The Jennys were the training craft for most of America's WWI pilots and, as Kufchak explained, after the war were sold for all of $50 each.

These classic ships were featured in travelling airshows all over the country by barnstorming pilots and their daredevil wing walkers and parachutists and were responsible for the dreams of many future pilots.

As many of the planes flown in the club are models hand-built by the club members, there was true admiration of this meticulously crafted airplane, a maze of wires and struts and paper that launched a whole industry. Kufchak hopes that the model will eventually hang in a museum or an air terminal where the world can appreciate what a World War I Jenny looked like.

A fascinating crew from all walks of life, members fly a myriad of shapes and sizes of radio-controlled aircraft. Custom built specials, surprisingly inexpensive 'RTF' ready to fly airplanes and even helicopters kept the sky active and buzzing.

Some members have flown since the '50s, others are just getting started and so enjoy wonderful mentorships from the old hands. Their love of flying - and sometimes just building - unites these folks and has created lifetime friendships.

After a morning of flying this cornucopia of craft, sharing skills and tips and telling stories and dreams and feeding hot dogs to a five-year-old, all pitched in for a work day manicuring their grass air strip to insure safe landings for all the craft.

If you are ever curious, there is a wonderful little world lying there at the foot of the mountains. Visitors are welcomed and Wednesday and Sundays are the usual gatherings. It is the stuff dreams are made of. Ask a five-year-old.