Remote-controlled planes flying high in Ridgeland
RIDGELAND — A local remote-control plane club is hoping to spread interest in the hobby with a presentation next week that includes videos of “fancy flying,” demonstrations of actual remote control planes and a chance for those interested to try a flying simulator.
Charles Bucciantini, a 76-year-old retired priest, has been a member of the Natchez Trace Bandits Model Aviation Club since 2016. The club is hosting a demonstration at the Ridgeland Recreational Center at 137 Old Trace Park on Thursday, Oct. 20, at 3 p.m.
“We are always trying to encourage other people to get into the hobby and we are always looking for new members,“ Bucciantini said. “I believe this will be a good venue to get people interested who may have some free time.”
He said they have prepared a program that includes getting to see how the planes respond to controls, videos of “fancy flying” and time on a simulator.
Neeley Jones, the senior program coordinator, said Bucciantini receives their monthly e-newsletter and reached out to her about how Senior Center could help spread the word about the Bandits.
“I am always looking for exciting opportunities to add to our calendar along with our regularly scheduled programs and I thought it would be a perfect fit,” Jones said. “The Natchez Trace Bandits are a great group of men who are excited to share their passion with our community.”
The bandits have done some outreach events before. In May they displayed their planes around the clock tower at the Renaissance.
Club secretary, James Simmons, said they hope to draw more young people to the club and the hobby.
“We would like to get some young folks who are interested in aviation,” Simmons said. “Flying model planes can be harder to get into than ever before because of the regulations. Clubs like us have become more important to the hobby because of the flying field we offer.”
The NTB flying field is accessible for club members and is based on Billy Bell Road. The site has a Jackson address but is north of County Line Road. Bucciantini said the club has existed in some capacity at that field for the past thirty or forty years, maybe longer.
Bucciantini said he has one trainer plane but that other members have between five and ten and some even more.
Simmons, a 67-year-old retired Entergy engineer, says he likes to build his own. When asked how many he has he said, “probably too many.”
Simmons estimates he has about a dozen that are in operating order but more that are in various states of construction. He has built remote control planes for about ten years and has been with the club for five.
“It is just something I enjoy doing,” Simmons said.
Bucciantini joined the club in 2016 after he retired. He said he has always enjoyed flying. He said he learned to fly a plane in the past but was unable to keep up with that as a hobby. He even lives in Ridgeland on the flight path of both Bruce Campbell Field and Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport.
“Sometimes I go out and just look at the planes fly overhead,” he said.
He said he hopes they can continue to grow the club.
“It is something I get excited about and I love sharing the hobby with others so hopefully they get excited too,” Bucciantini said.
There is no charge for the program, though organizers are asking that anyone interested register for this event by calling 601-856-6876, sending an email to neeley.jones@ridgelandms.org or through the events Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/events/1306587406812871/?ref=newsfeed