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TRAVEL MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND FOR DARING F2B AEEROBATIC CONTROL
LINE JUDGE JOAN MCINTYRE
A smooth flight and a good landing
will get a control line aerobatic
pilot top accolades at any world
championship competition.
Those same qualities are what
make a competition a memorable
travel experience for Aussie FAI F2B
Aerobatic Control Line judge Joan
McIntyre, from Berowra in Sydney’s
northern suburbs.
Throw in picturesque scenery,
culinary indulgences and cultural
experiences and the retired
teacher reckons she has one of the
best jobs in the world.
As one of a handful of women
judges, she sees herself as
fortunate to receive invitations to
judge events from international
aeromodelling organisations.
Since her first foray into judging
aeromodelling abroad in the US
in 1999, Joan, 73, has travelled the
globe to the US, Spain, Norway,
Serbia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria,
and this year to Perth, Western
Australia.
Although hectic schedules are
prohibitive, she does try to
shoehorn in some sightseeing or at
least taste the local cuisine.
“The European events are during
the glorious northern hemisphere
summer and many are in smaller,
out-of-the-way towns which gives
tourists a true feel for a country,”
she said.
“I often don’t get time to immerse
myself in the culture but I do
have the opportunity to meet new
people and that’s very rewarding.”
The evening opening of the
European championships inside a
1000-year-old Serbian fortress was
etched in her memory and Joan
said she would jump at the chance
to return to Eastern Europe.
Norway was also a favourite spot
and is where Joan made life-
long aeromodelling friends who
visited Sydney after attending
WORLD’S HER OYSTER
DEFYING
THE GROUND RULES
WITH JOAN MCINTYRE
16
JoanMcIntyre has judged events in
Luddenham in Sydney
WING
SPAN
NOVEMBER