In Top Gun: Maverick, 59-year-old Tom Cruise, still in peak form, pulls high Gs and intense flight manoeuvres in a real F-18 fighter jet. Cruise made the exciting flight sequences happen with the support of the US Navy and a $150 million production budget.
For the rest of us, particularly those of a “certain age,” the path to commanding a jet is much harder to find. But for the truly determined, there is one lesser-known way…
Every year around the Victoria Day weekend in May, and then again after Labour Day, a dedicated group of jet enthusiasts assemble at small town Princeton Airport in southern BC.
They gather for a few Jet-A fuelled days of flying thrills. These pilots aren’t flying real F-18s, though; these are radio controlled (RC) models. Cruising at scale-adjusted speeds faster than a navy jet, these replicas rip up the sky powered by miniature turbine engines. The models look and sound just like their full-scale counterparts. They blast overhead at 350 km/h, executing manoeuvres that would even make Tom Cruise blanche.
This RC jet meet at Princeton usually gathers 20-30 jet model pilots from BC, Alberta and the US. They arrive in motor homes, pulling trailers converted into jet-hangers. They put on an exciting show (mostly for themselves) and enjoy the camaraderie born of a shared interest and the love of flying these astonishing machines. All under the warm Okanagan sun.
Why Princeton? Well, for starters, these jet models are fast and loud. Finding large enough sites close enough to a big city is a challenge. Princeton airport with its 1.2km paved strip is an ideal venue. The City of Princeton welcomes this event because it attracts tourists.
The model jets are a feast for all the senses. Bright-coloured planes skim low passes over the runway; streams of white exhaust trailing behind some. The reverberating roar of the jet dramatically rises in pitch as it approaches. Speeding off into the distance, it leaves a slightly stinging scent of burnt jet fuel and turbine oil hanging in the breeze. It is truly amazing how these small engines put out such an impressive and authentic sound.
Pilot Roman Breuer, who has brought two magnificent jets with him from Vancouver, is a professional musician, so he has a discerning ear.
“The smell and sound are intoxicating,” he says, “it’s as close to the real thing without being in it.”
Although flying an RC jet is a pursuit that one can take up at any stage in life, this crowd is mostly senior because it takes a substantial discretionary income and years of model aircraft experience to fuel an expensive passion like this one. The thrill of flying a model jet is addictive. But the long-term friendships, built over years of flying together, is what keeps these pilots coming back.
Over at the pit area, Kelly Williams, an experienced jet flyer explains, “It’s all about thrust and exhaust velocity. A jet can produce up to 400 per cent more exhaust velocity than a propeller driven airplane. That means when you open up the throttle on a jet it accelerates like a catapult and just keeps going faster!” With so much power there is little margin for error. Guiding these craft makes your heart race.
By any measure, the star of this year’s show is the A10 “Warthog” built by Alan Blore of Calgary. Alan has invested more than two years in faithfully replicating the scale details of this iconic aircraft. His model weighs a hefty 34 kg with fuel – much heavier than the average model jet. The twin turbines together put out over 267 newtons of thrust. When the Warthog is just taxiing, it commands attention. When it flies overhead, it fools you into thinking it is the real thing.
Aviation lovers are welcome to attend this free event. Keep an eye on the websites linked in the IF YOU GO section online for the next scheduled Jet event. Come out to chat with the pilots and, when you have had your fill experiencing the jets, your adventure in this beautiful region is just beginning. After your visit, you will be able to answer Maverick’s classic question “Are we having fun yet?” with a definite “Yes!”
IF YOU GO
This event is weather and forest fire activity dependent. Check the following websites before you go:
https://www.princeton.ca/p/upcoming-events
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PrincetonJets
Bring plenty of sunscreen, water, your own shade and refreshments. The field does not offer any.
Site Access: From the town of Princeton, take route 5A to the Princeton Airport. Approach the spectator area from Old Merritt Road (toward Princeton Secondary School) on the Southeast side of the runway. Enter via the gate to access the spectator parking area. There is no access to the spectator area via Airport Road.
If you are interested in getting into aero modelling, first step is to join a club! There is a lot to learn before you can pilot a jet. One of the closest RC model fields to Vancouver is the North Vancouver RC Flying club. www.nvrcfc.com Contact: secretary@nvrcfc.com
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