Associate Vice President Winston Brown reported on a great event to look forward to next year.
Located just northeast of Charlotte in Concord, North Carolina, this hidden gem of a lakeside venue was about to wake up. It was the first Saturday of the Smith Lake Flyers’ semiannual float-flying event, and the banks were already buzzing with anticipation. Club officers Jamie and Jesse, along with several members, prepped the area the day before. They brought over a portable dock specially designed for the event. Tents were erected to provide check-in, raffle prizes, and food services.
By 9 a.m., the float line to get into the air was buzzing, with more than 25 pilots from across the Carolinas attending. All kinds of airplanes with floats, as well as boats, flew on and off the lake continuously. Of course, the occasional crosswind kept the retrieval boat crew on their toes, ready to rescue any pilot whose airplane ended up inverted and treading water. It was all a part of the fun. By midday, the aroma of grilled burgers and hot dogs began to drift across the flightline, drawing a hungry crowd of pilots, families, and local spectators, but as delicious as the lunch was, everyone knew to save room for the undisputed highlight of the weekend.
Over by the shade trees, a unique mechanical contraption was drawing a crowd: a vintage riding lawn mower with a belt powering the drive shaft of a massive, heavy-duty wooden ice cream churn. "Engineering at its finest," one pilot laughed. The result was a velvety, perfectly frozen homemade ice cream that no store-bought tub could ever match. With bowls of fresh ice cream in hand, the afternoon slowed to a relaxed, joyful crawl. Pilots swapped stories of legendary flights, gave advice to newcomers, and simply enjoyed the camaraderie that has defined the Smith Lake Flyers for years.
As the sun began to dip below the tree line, casting a golden hue over Concord, the airplanes were slowly packed away into trailers. The semiannual event wasn’t just about RC aviation; it was a celebration of community, clever Southern ingenuity, and the simple joy of a day at the lake.
If you ever find yourself near Charlotte, North Carolina, keep your eyes on the sky over Concord—you might catch the Smith Lake Flyers in its element. Just make sure to bring an appetite for ice cream.
The Smith Lake Flyers (smithlakeflyers.org) holds the float-fly twice a year, in June and October.