KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – The Keystone Heights Cloud Busters RC Club recently held a night fly event at the Keystone Heights Airport.

Every few months, the group hosts this event for the community to gather together and enjoy the show.

“We’ve been during it for a number of years,” club vice president Antonio Galan said.

The idea to start hosting night fly events began after some club members were experimenting with LED lights on their model aircraft and learned that hobby manufacturers were producing airplane kits with built-in lights. “We thought that it was really nice and that we should do something.”

Families watched from their lawn chairs to watch the members fly their model airplanes. Bombers, airliners, helicopters and gliders were some of the aircraft flown. In addition, the members entertained the guests by performing maneuvers such as flips and twirls in the air. As the sky grew darker, the members brought out their gliders decked with colorful LED lights to fly in the air. They also flew a helicopter with LED Lights attached, making it look like a flying saucer as it flew in the air.

“We enjoy flying and the airport in Keystone was a big part of Keystone’s growth during World War II,” Galen said. “We’re a part of the community, and we just want people to know what we do out there.”

A group of hobbyists founded Cloud Busters RC Club and has been flying at the airport since the 1970s. It was not until the mid-2000s that the group became a sanctioned club, and in 2007 they formed a remote control airplane club. The club is sanctioned through the Academy of Model Aeronautics, and all members have licenses with the Academy of Model Aeronautics and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Besides hosting night flies, they also perform at events that the Keystone Heights Airport is hosting. Lastly, they welcome anyone who wants to join and experience the fun. “We welcome people to join us.”

To learn more about the Keystone Heights Cloud Busters visit, www.modelaircraft.org/club/keystone-cloud-busters.