MAAA Wingspan

20 INSPIRING NEW MEMBERS TO TAKE FLIGHT Sharing our passion for flying and encouraging others to experience the freedomof flight iswhat helps us to grow our sport and ensure aeromodelling flies sky-high for years to come. To ensure our clubs and our sport don’t fade away, we should all be encouraging newmembers to spread their wings and learn to fly. Proving that opening our clubs to thewider community is a great way to create exposure for our sport, Mount Wallace Model Aircraft Association successfully held aHave A GoDay earlier this year, resulting ina great turnout and possibly new membership for the Club. As the event day approached inMarch, Club Committee Member, Joe Finocchiaro, said that while theweather wasn’t the best it couldhave been, it was flyable for anenjoyable day towelcome the public to have a go at aeromodelling. “The canteenwas preparedwith enough food anddrink items tohave a simple sausage inbreadwith a colddrink. Amove that waswell received for those that attended on the day,” Joe said. “Aswe left BacchusMarsh for the field, it was calmwith a few clouds initially. Aswe arrived at the field, we set up shelters and prepared the various aircraft for the day.” “The VMAA EducationOfficer arrived shortly afterwardswith two trainers ready to go. Davidwas keen to get thingsmoving, sohe offloaded and preparedwhat he had. A couple of test flights later all was good and ready for action.” It was not long into themorning before other clubmembers joined the group and set up their bit of turf with aircraft ready to go. “We didnot have towait for long before the first junior andhis dad arrived looking to have a gowithplenty of questions to follow.