Sloping Off - March 2005
Flying in Tenerife
by Mike Roach
Anyone who has been to Tenerife will be familiar with the sun, sand, sangria lifestyle and the acres of apartment blocks ranging from copies of 1950s "New Brutalism" council flats, to the hideous "science fantasy" buildings that are being put up now.
But once into the countryside, the tourist can easily escape all this nonsense and try genuine island food with rough red wine and delicious local bread and olive oil....or he can go flying. Now while there are lots of places where you can fly a model aircraft on the Island, there are very few places to land anything larger than a Shock Flyer safely! So in the interests of journalism, I got in touch with the only modellers on Tenerife (email Guillermo at flaps@wanadoo.com to get permission to fly) at....
...this splendid site at Lano del Moro. It has 120 metre runway, these model preparation tables, a starting-up area, a cafe, large car park and clear blue sky on 3 sides. 
The Club is happy for visitors to fly (35MHz only) and I saw planes ranging from a 3m80cm span Extra, a speed 400 electric glider, a .35-sized trainer to a tiny DF jet made from Depron. You don't have to speak Spanish. At one point I was talking to a Dane and an American in English, to a Spaniard who was interpreting for a Tenerifian! Unfortunately the site is due to be developed into a hotel in 4 years time, so they are desperately looking for an alternative. They also fly Indoors at the Exhibition Centre in Santa Cruz and have a superb slope site near La Laguna. All these places are in the NW of the Island and there does not appear to be any organised flying anywhere else. However, the general attitude to rules seems so relaxed that if you took a foamie slope soarer in your baggage, you could fly it almost anywhere. But see earlier about landings!
Model aircraft are not the only item of interest. At Aguilas Parque W of Los Americas, near Chafoya) you can watch raptors flying only feet away from your camera as they are worked round an arena by their handlers. They also send an eagle to about 3000 ft and then call it down - ever seen an eagle stoop like a sparrow-hawk? There is an added benefit to the Parque - it's also a superb zoo which you and the family will enjoy for the best part of a day.
Then there's the real thing..
And finally, there's the building programme to maintain! I had wifely authority to take a model to build and chose the Dumas Aeronca C-3 (span 30in) from Channel 4 Models. It's a beautifully laser-cut kit with exemplary balsa, tissue etc., and I'm sure will fly well indoors with Falcon gear and an AUW of less than 4oz. I made up a special box (from 2 wine cases!) to bring it home, but Italia squashed it pretty flat and it's currently being re-built!