Members of the Southern New Hampshire Flying Eagles RC floatplane club gathered for the 23rd annual Joel Chappell Float and Fly event at Greenfield State Park from Friday, Sept. 12 through Sunday, Sept. 14.

Chappell, a former editor of the club’s newsletter and RC plane enthusiast, died in 2018.

According to club president John Yassemedis, thirty eight members of the club brought model floatplanes to compete in events and demonstrate their skills over the course of the weekend.

“Most people bring three or four planes with them,” Yassemedis said.

Saturday culminated in a night flying event, with eight planes illuminated by LED lights soaring and weaving over Otter Lake.

“We had a few crashes in the dark, but that’s all part of it,” said member Rick Taylor. “It is a lot of run.”

According to Taylor, most RC planes are now electric, replacing an older style of model planes powered by nitromethane fuel.

“It’s really messy, and the fuel just got too expensive. The technology with the electric planes has gotten so good that that’s what most people do now,” Taylor said.

For more information about the Southern NH Flying Eagles, visit snhflyingeagles.org.

A remote controlled floatplane taking off at Greenfield State Park on Sunday. Credit: JESSECA TIMMONS / Ledger-Transcript
Rick Taylor, left, and John
Yassemedis, right, of the Southern NH Flying Eagles RC floatplane club. Credit: JESSECA TIMMONS / Ledger-Transcript
A member of the Southern NH Flying Eagles making a rescue mission. Credit: JESSECA TIMMONS / Ledger-Transcript
Tim Sowder, right, is helping train Arthur Cook, left, how to fly at Greenfield State Park. Credit: JESSECA TIMMONS / Ledger-Transcript