RC aircraft club to host swap meet

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Radio-controlled aircraft will take center stage on Saturday at the Champaign Aviation Museum in Urbana during the annual Mad River Flying Association (MRFA) Swap Meet.

“This event is essentially a forum for buying, selling and trading radio-controlled equipment,” MRFA member and event founder Dave Millner said. “Most of the vendors will have aviation-related items, but we do get some radio-controlled car and boat stuff.”

Millner said after realizing swap meets in general had “lost their luster” over the years due to the ability to buy and sell just about anything on the Internet, he decided five years ago to try to restore some of that swap meet luster by organizing one himself.

“Since attendance at swap meets is often a challenge, I thought since those who fly radio-controlled aircraft are mostly aviation buffs, we should hold it at the Champaign Aviation Museum,” Millner said.

The swap meet, which averages 40 to 50 vendors per year and was attended by roughly 300 people last year, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, but individuals interested in buying, selling or trading are advised to arrive no later than 11 a.m.

Admission to the event is a suggested donation of $5 with the majority of the proceeds going to the museum.

“We have some costs we have to cover like table rentals, but the aviation museum is the one who benefits the most from this event,” Millner said.

Vendors interested in reserving a table at the swap meet can do so by contacting Millner at 937-215-3371 or [email protected]. A few tables will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 7 a.m. on Saturday, and there is a $10 charge per table.

The Airport Cafe will cater breakfast during the event, and Millner added tickets will be sold for an “exclusive raffle prize.”

Two eventgoers view activities at last year’s Mad River Flying Association Helicopter Fly-In at MRFA’s flying field at 1217 Childrens Home Road in Urbana. The MRFA Swap Meet will be held Saturday at the Champaign Aviation Museum at 1652 N. Main St., Urbana.
https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2016/03/web1_Flying-Field.jpgTwo eventgoers view activities at last year’s Mad River Flying Association Helicopter Fly-In at MRFA’s flying field at 1217 Childrens Home Road in Urbana. The MRFA Swap Meet will be held Saturday at the Champaign Aviation Museum at 1652 N. Main St., Urbana. Submitted photo

Roughly 300 people attended last year’s Mad River Flying Association Swap Meet at the Champaign Aviation Museum, located at 1652 N. Main St. in Urbana.
https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2016/03/web1_Swap-Meet.jpgRoughly 300 people attended last year’s Mad River Flying Association Swap Meet at the Champaign Aviation Museum, located at 1652 N. Main St. in Urbana. Submitted photo

By Joshua Keeran

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Joshua Keeran may be reached at 937-652-1331 (ext. 1774) or on Twitter @UDCKeeran.

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