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Robert Haig, or Bobby to his
mates, has been a member of
the Gladstone Model Aero Club
in Queensland since he started
aeromodelling in 2010.
He loves the challenge of
learning new skills, especially the
mechanical side of assembling
planes, and has put together a
Top
Flite Giant P-51 Mustang
and a
25% Bill Hempel Super Decathlon
.
In 2011 he bought a
Composite-ARF
Extra 330L
and it wasn’t long before
he was upgrading the original
ZDZ50cc engine to a DA 60.
In 2014 Bobby’s wife bought him
a cockpit flight with Matt Hall,
Australia’s Red Bull Air Race pilot, at
their local Raglan Air Show. It was an
amazing experience that inspired
him to attempt a scale colour
scheme of the plane he flew in.
“It was pretty intense but after
20 minutes I was green... our local
paper wanted to interview me, I
could barely talk after.”
As a bit of a perfectionist and with
no spray gun experience it took
Bobby 10 months to finish. But he
did... just in time for Matt Hall’s
return to the Raglan Air Show.
“I actually held off flying it for a
month because I was waiting for
Matt Hall to come back.”
Matt was amazed by the attention
to detail and signed a small plaque
that’s now inside the plane.
The maiden flight eventually
took place at the Bundaberg
Aeromodellers where he says it
performed well and looked great
in the air. Another scale warbird is
next on the list.
As a regular at Gladstone
Bobby enjoys the freedom that
aeromodelling brings.
“I really enjoy the social part of
being in a club. It’s a chance to
forget we’re adults and leave our
grown up responsibilities behind.
MEMBER NEWS
SKY’S THE LIMIT
MAAA MEMBER ROBERT HAIG WAS INSPIRED BY A FLIGHT WITH
RED BULL AIR RACE PILOT MATT HALL