Roundwood Model Aero Club was founded in 2005 when 10 enthusiastic aeromodellers who flew with a local club, purchased a new flying site of approx. 20 acres of land planted with Christmas trees near Roundwood village.

We have cleared, drained and leveled approx. 6 acres of the land during 2005/6 and are about to have to 3 main runways rotovated, fertilized and seeded with grass on newly applied top soil. Proper flying should take place from around May 2006 although some have already flown including a 4 metre span Super Cub. Most of the 6 metre wide runways, giving a choice of 6 directions, are around 180 to 200 metres long and should allow for all types of models to be flown including glider towing. The site is sheltered, having a distant raised slope from North East to West and we have retained as many of the existing trees as possible. A swampy area to the south west boundary was cleared by Bevan Moore and Jim Cullen to reveal a stream flowing through our land which Bevan hopes to develop into a large pool. Overgrown drainage channels have been cleared, walkways created and gorse and brambles cut back from boundary walls and fencing to give good approaches for landing or take off. Some of the website photos show progress in the field development.

We have laid a hardcore car parking area, erected a new entrance gate and have 2 no. 12.2metre long containers connected together side by side with fitted windows and doors, giving a large clubhouse area with workshop, kitchen facilities, dining area and storage. We have a sheltered grassed picnic area next to the car park surrounded by trees. The picturesque village of Roundwood with excellent dining and liquid refreshment facilities is minutes away by car.

The founding members are mostly well experienced fliers with a particular interest in large models, mainly scale or semi scale, generally petrol engined, but smaller sports models powered by the traditional methanol/ castor oil fuel are also flown together with powered gliders. We have 3 members who have started flying or building jet turbine powered planes and we can see this side of the hobby growing. Several members have attended jet and fixed wind meetings in Germany and France. As some of our group are retired or semi retired, it is likely that there will be modelers at the field during most days of the week except in the most inclement weather.

The Roundwood club is affiliated to the Model Aeronautics Council of Ireland (www.maci.ie ) and uses the ‘A’ and ‘B certificate form of training in order to encourage newcomers to progress in competence.