The Missouri Slope Model Aircraft Club will be hosting the North Dakota State Skids Up Helicopter Fun Fly this weekend.

Troy Lapp, secretary of the club, said they usually see between 25 and 30 pilots out for this event.

"We get together and fly model aircrafts," he said. "Its an open fun flying, just a lot of people flying."

Saturday and Sunday are the two main day events, Lapp said, but that less organized activities will be going on around dinner time Friday evening.

Lapp said the best times to come are between 10 a.m. to sundown on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

To find the flying, follow the signs near McDowell Dam, Lapp said.

"Anybody is welcome, we got concessions and bleachers for people who want to watch," he said.

The club hopes the airbound attractions will encourage people to come out to their next activity the following weekend, called Take off and Grow.

The event, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 2, is a free intoduction to model aircrafts for those interested.

"Our hope is to introduce model aviation to anyone interested by offering a free of charge event that folks can come out, learn about model aircrafts in a three-tiered setting," Lapp said.

The first of the three tiers is a classroom educational setting where particpants can come and learn the science and basic fundamentals of flight.

The second tier is a flight simulator.

The last tier is actually flight.

Lapp hopes as many as 40 people will come, ages 6 and older. He would prefer those interested would pre-register with Jeff Kohler at 667-7200, for organizational purposes.

(Reach reporter Chris Rosacker at 250-8254 or at chris.rosacker@bismarcktribune.com.)