Excitement is building for locals and visitors alike ahead of the Friends of Tenterfield Aerodrome's fete on Saturday, February 24.
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Visitors will be enthralled - and entertained - by demonstrations of how water bombing aircraft saved Wallangarra from being wiped out by bushfires in October, there will also be displays and presentations of perfect replica model aircraft from clubs located in Stanthorpe and Lismore.
Fete officials said around 10,000 Australians are members of more than 330 clubs around Australia, yet the camaraderie and benefits of these social groups went largely unnoticed in the wider community.
"Why would a man spend the weekend sitting and watching people on screens having fun when he can get out and make his own fun?" one enthusiastic aircraft modeller told organisers.
Saturday's side-show displays and conversations about the fun and character-building hobby of building and flying remote-controlled model aircraft are intended to ignite interest in young people - and their dads - to start a model aircraft club in Tenterfield.
"That interest can be the stepping-stone to an exciting and important future career piloting a Boeing Airbus, a water-bomber, cropduster or even the world-famous, life-saving Australian Flying Doctor service," a spokesman said.
"In the US the movie 'Blue Sky' is the story of a simple country boy whose home-grown interest in building model rockets led to his becoming a leader in America's NASA space program.
"Small beginnings can lead to big successes."
On hand will be highly experienced aircraft modellers keen to answer any questions about this fascinating hobby plus the how and why of getting started.
Tenterfield is home to a few groups and many older highly experienced chaps will be on hand to mentor any interested young visitors.
Organisers said young people were the next generation of leaders for the country and welcomed interest in all facets of the model plane community as it could drive a new generation of pilots, or at least continue a vibrant history of model flight.
"Saturday promises to be an interesting, eye opening, fun-filled day for the whole family," the spokesman said.
The fete opens at the Aerodrome from 10am.
It will feature a water dump demonstration from Firefighting Pilots and their Flying Machines (if not out fighting fires), food, raffles, market stalls, an information display from Angel Flight, NSW RFS and Ambulance, light aircraft flying in and model aircraft displays.
Everyone is encouraged to come down and show their support for the "superb contribution" the firefighters and the many support workers make to the community.
