District I

District I

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont

This year, I attended the 2021 New England Scale Soaring Aerotow 11th annual event, hosted by the RC Propbusters club in Salem, Connecticut. Despite the pandemic, the four-day event provided 30 pilots with perfect thermaling weather, the club’s huge premier flying site, and burger/hot dog lunches, making for an awesome event. There was a variety of Soaring aircraft, from large-scale vintage to modern composites—especially 6-meter sizes—along with several powerful tug/towplanes to keep sailplanes airborne.

It’s fascinating to see huge, top-of-the-line gliders being flown by some of the best Soaring pilots in the country, so check for future events at www.scalesoaring.com.

For any District I members interested in getting started in giant scale Soaring, contact Len Buffinton, glider expert/instructor, at https://rcpropbusters.com/instructors.html.

Thanks to all of the attendees, club workers, and the RC Propbusters for another great event.

Pilot beside a yellow-and-white model aircraft — Steve Pasierb stayed busy towing up the many giant scale gliders to soaring altitude with his 3-meter TopModel Bidule 111 powered by a Desert Aircraft DA-100.

Steve Pasierb stayed busy towing up the many giant scale gliders to soaring altitude with his 3-meter TopModel Bidule 111 powered by a Desert Aircraft DA-100.

Two men standing behind a large red model aircraft — Len Buffinton, CD for the 2021 New England Aerotow event, also piloted his 1/3-scale Aviation Concept Cessna 185 with help from club member Dave Pratt. The airplane was designed and built with special features specifically for the vigorous duties of towing giant scale sailplanes.

Len Buffinton, CD for the 2021 New England Aerotow event, also piloted his 1/3-scale Aviation Concept Cessna 185 with help from club member Dave Pratt. The airplane was designed and built with special features specifically for the vigorous duties of towing giant scale sailplanes.

Man beside a large white model glider — Matt Lupri flew his giant scale 6.6-meter Baudis model Antares 20E. It is a high-performance, carbon-fiber glider that he also has equipped for GPS Triangle competition flying.

Matt Lupri flew his giant scale 6.6-meter Baudis model Antares 20E. It is a high-performance, carbon-fiber glider that he also has equipped for GPS Triangle competition flying.

Three-panel photo of pilots with large model gliders — (L-R): Juan Baracaldo and Kevin Kremer flew their giant scale aerobatic 6-meter CARF-model DG-800S gliders. These carbon-fiber and Kevlar-constructed airplanes are among the fastest and strongest gliders made. Ten-year-old Steven Zenko, a fourth-generation flier, flew his Composite RC Gliders 3-meter ASH-26 glider with his dad.