Model Airplanes Fly Solo at RIT's Free Flight Show, Sept. 25

These aren’t just ordinary model planes. These planes will take off by themselves, without using electricity.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers at Rochester Institute of Technology invites the public to a free flight demonstration sponsored by the Western New York Free Flight Society. The event, beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 in Clark Gymnasium, will feature five planes that take off and fly around using their own stored mechanical energy.

“The demonstration can show the community that mechanical engineering is important in everyday life,” says Jeff Hoover, a member of the RIT student engineering club. “Even in the lives of these hobbyists, people can see the wonders of mechanical energy.”

The engineering club also plans to use stored mechanical energy to create a “Jack-O-Launcher.” RIT’s pumpkin launcher will compete in a face-off with the University of Rochester’s catapult in a Halloween showdown later this fall.

For more information about the event, contact Jeff Hoover at 607-760-2976 or jrh1485@rit.edu.

WHAT: Free Flight Show sponsored by the Western NewYork Free Flight Society WHEN: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25 WHERE: Rochester Institute of Technology, Clark Gymnasium ADMISSION: Free, open to the public and handicapped accessible INFORMATION: Call 607-760-2976 or jrh1485@rit.edu