Model Planes on Greenhorizons’ Fields

Believe it or not, Greenhorizons‘ fields do more than grow sod for your properties. These grassy planes actually host model planes from time to time. You read that right! Model planes fly around high above our sod fields!

Members of SOGGI head out to our sod field on Halidbrook Road to take full advantage of the wide open spaces. SOGGI, or Southern Ontario Gliders Group Incorporated, is a Charter Club of the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada. Flying radio controlled model planes is what they do best. Their 35 members get together regularly to “Fly with Friends”. This spur-of-the-moment, weather-dependent flying session is great to practice for upcoming contests or casually enjoy a beautiful day of flying. 

This radio controlled model sailplane club is located in Hamilton, Ontario. Devoted solely to sailplanes, this creates an amazing community. They specialize in “climb-and-glide” soaring models such as slope soarers, winch or hi-start-launched sailplanes, and many more.

Flight Contest

Recently, members of SOGGI showed up at a Greenhorizons Sod Field to fly their Radio-Controlled Gliders (or RC Gliders) in a contest. This particular contest consisted of 6 flights. Each flight had a time goal and a designated landing area. The goal of the flight was to land your plane along the designated landing strip as close to the time allotted as possible. Starting at 5 minutes per flight, the contestants then completed a 6 minute flight and so on until their final flight which lasted 10 minutes. The closer you land to the allotted time as possible, the more points you acquire. Any seconds you go over or under the allotted time, you are docked points. This is an example of a contest that SOGGI runs regularly with the members’ model planes on sod fields. 

Model Planes and Sod Farms

Formed in 1984, SOGGI has approximately 35 members and are always looking to expand. They love spending time on the sod fields as there are no obstructions to worry about should something go awry during their flight. In addition, they can land their model planes virtually anywhere on the field!

In fact, the current Canadian Open Thermal Duration Record was set way back in 1985 at a sod farm in Cookstown, Ontario. Jack Nunn holds this record with 2 hours and 47 minutes in the air. Clearly, these organizations have been using sod farms for many years! 

And we are so pleased to be a part of it! Hopefully, we will continue to be able to play host to members of SOGGI and their model planes for years to come. This unique partnership is very important to both sides!

For more information on SOGGI, check out their website.