Model planes buzzed over the tallgrass on Thursday evening as the Prop Masters RC Aero Club opened its Springbrook Prairie runway to neighbors for a "fun fly."
The Aug. 6 event, held two days after Naperville's official National Night Out observance on Tuesday, Aug. 4, drew club members and curious families to the Model Aircraft Flying Field. The paved strip sits inside the 1,829-acre Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve on the west side of Plainfield-Naperville Road, half a mile south of 75th Street. Small electric airplanes, medium-sized electric craft, quadcopters and drones all took turns in the air, NCTV17 reported.
Some planes rolled down the asphalt under their own power. Others needed a hand-launch before the pilot grabbed control with a transmitter.
Points for showing up
A friendly competition gave pilots points for arriving, taking off successfully, staying aloft for 60 seconds and adding lighted elements to their aircraft. Once scores were tallied, a free-flight session followed with multiple planes circling simultaneously.
Free lessons, no catch
Dave Cairns, the club's safety officer, picked up model aviation as a kid and returned to it in retirement. He wants newcomers to know the barrier is lower than they think.
"Our club actually has an introductory pilot program, so we have a lot of young people that come out. Quite a few retirees come out and the club will provide aircraft training lessons, everything from your first flight up until the point where you can fly on your own at no cost to the student pilot," Cairns said.
After a student earns solo status, buying and building aircraft is optional. Cairns said his favorite part of the hobby is helping young people build a plane, showing them how it works and seeing them become proficient pilots.
What it takes to fly here
The field sits on DuPage County Forest Preserve land, so pilots need three things: a permit from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, membership in the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and insurance, which club members receive through both the club and the AMA.
The field is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to sundown and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Electric planes may fly from one hour after sunrise to one hour after sundown daily. Turbines are prohibited; engine size is capped at 50cc. The site includes handicap-accessible facilities, a covered shelter, safety fences and a spectator area. Spectators are welcome anytime at no cost.
Prairie context
Springbrook Prairie is the largest grassland community in DuPage County and home to meadowlarks, dickcissels, bobolinks and state-endangered northern harriers and Henslow's sparrows. In 2013, the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission designated 1,650 acres as a nature preserve and land-and-water reserve. The Forest Preserve District's 2026 budget of $151 million includes habitat restoration funding at the site.
The Prop Masters club, an AMA-chartered organization, has run community outreach events at the field for years, including a 2019 session where members taught Cub Scout Pack 534 to fly trainer aircraft using a buddy-box system that lets an instructor regain control in an emergency.
This week at Springbrook Prairie
The Model Aircraft Flying Field at 1937 Plainfield-Naperville Road is open to spectators seven days a week starting at 9 a.m. Families interested in the free introductory pilot program can visit propmastersrc.org for upcoming event dates and contact information.
