What happens when you combine world-class RC flying facilities, perfect weather, and some of the most impressive model aircraft you’ve ever seen? You get Dubai’s incredible RC flying complex – a destination that might just redefine what you thought was possible for our hobby.
I recently had the opportunity to visit Dubai for their National Day 2024 event, and I’m still processing just how extraordinary the experience was. Massive thanks to my friends at ProBuild for the last-minute invitation – this turned out to be a trip I’ll never forget.
Getting There: The Journey to Dubai
The adventure began with a red-eye flight from Heathrow. What’s normally a 7.5-hour journey took us just 6.5 hours, giving me just enough time for a few hours of sleep (probably shouldn’t have watched the new Alien Romulus film, but there you go). The whole trip came together incredibly fast – Andy Williams from ProBuild called me on a Tuesday, and by Saturday I was on a plane.
I managed to snag some reasonably priced BA tickets for around £400 using a few air miles, making this trip cost about the same as attending Jet Power in Germany. The hotel was booked during Black Friday, so accommodation was surprisingly affordable too.
First Impressions: Dubai in December
Coming from the UK in December – where it’s freezing, wet, and perpetually dark – landing in 26°C sunshine was quite the shock to the system. It stayed warm even at night, and that glowing ball in the sky? That was the sun. Remember that thing?
After landing around 7:30-8:00 AM, we headed to grab breakfast at a mall. But this being Dubai, it wasn’t just any mall – this one had a cinema, an ice rink, and an enormous aquarium with sharks swimming inside. Right next door was the Burj Khalifa, currently the world’s tallest building, so we made a quick trip up there before heading to what I can only describe as a flying complex rather than just a flying field.
The Flying Complex: Not Your Average Club Field
Let me be clear: this isn’t a flying field or club – it’s a proper complex. As you approach, you see security gates and yards, and everything beyond belongs to the flying club. The facilities are absolutely mind-blowing:
On-Site Hobby Shops
My favorite was Gonzo Hobby, whose owner showed incredible hospitality during our visit. This shop is on-site at the flying club and rivals the size and inventory of the best hobby shops anywhere:
- Full range of Extreme Flight aircraft
- Falcon propellers in wood and carbon fiber
- Complete selection of tools and advanced radios
- Extensive glue and adhesive section
- Full rows of GP engines (76s, 123s)
- Flight mounts, tubing, tanks, and fuel systems
- Wiring and extension leads
- Foamies, 3D models, and everything in between
How convenient would it be to have a fully-stocked hobby shop right at your flying field? I’d love to hear in the comments if any of you have similar facilities at your clubs!
Hangar Facilities
The complex features multiple types of hangars:
Club Hangar: A free facility for club members where they can store their models on-site. The variety was incredible – everything from 3D aerobatic planes to massive turbine jets. I didn’t see any helicopters during my visit, so I’m not sure if they’re flown there regularly.
Private Hangars: Yes, you can actually buy or rent private hangars designed specifically for model aircraft (not full-size planes). One hangar I toured belonged to someone who keeps just a small part of his collection there – including a 6-meter Aeroflot XXL, a Sky Master F-14 XL still in its crate, and multiple other large-scale jets. He flies in from Austria for weekends!
Workshop: There’s an on-site workshop that members can use, complete with workbenches, tools, and plenty of space for repairs and building.
Additional Amenities
- Flight schools teaching newcomers how to fly
- RV parking for visitors
- On-site café
- Vending machines for drinks
- Covered pit area with power for charging
- Sofas and seating in the shade
- LED lighting throughout the facility
The Flying Area: Purpose-Built Perfection
The actual flying area is equally impressive. A fenced safety perimeter separates the pits from a very long, very wide tarmac runway. Yellow blocks mark ten different starting positions – five on each side. During busy times, one side is used for takeoffs and the other for landings, but during the event, they separated jets on one side and props on the other.
A secondary fence provides a safe viewing area for pilots and spectators. While the pylons in the background look close, trust me – they’re not. There’s essentially nothing around this complex, making it perfect for flying large, fast models safely.
The Flying: World-Class Pilots and Aircraft
Over three days, I witnessed some of the most impressive RC flying I’ve ever seen. The variety was staggering:
- Massive turbine jets
- 3D aerobatic aircraft
- Scale warbirds
- Sukhoi fighters
- Large Fieseler Storch
- Fox gliders (every club has one!)
- F-104 Starfighters
- And much more
The hospitality extended to actually handing me a transmitter and asking if I wanted to fly! I ended up flying Ryan’s Extreme Flight prop plane – my first time flying petrol in ages and my first time flying in another country. It wasn’t spectacular (I have plenty of excuses ready), but it was incredibly fun and memorable. Thank you, Ryan!
The Cost: More Affordable Than You’d Think
Here’s something that surprised me: club membership costs approximately £100 per year. Not per month – per year. For access to all these facilities, that’s an absolute bargain.
As for visiting, my entire trip cost about the same as attending Jet Power in Germany. The flights were around £400, and hotels can be found at reasonable prices, especially if you book strategically.
Coming Up: Mad For It Event in February
If this has piqued your interest, there’s another event coming up in February called “Mad For It” at the same location. This will be a much larger event, and I’ll be helping promote it on my YouTube channel, Facebook, and Instagram in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for dates and details!
Final Thoughts
Dubai National Day 2024 was absolutely out of this world. The facilities, the flying, the hospitality – everything exceeded expectations. Special thanks to Andy Williams, Chris Williams (who did all the driving during our 20-hour days), and Phil Williams from ProBuild UK, as well as everyone who showed such kindness during my visit.
I have to say “wow” about a dozen times in describing this experience, but that single word really does sum it up. This isn’t just the best RC flying complex I’ve seen – it might genuinely be the best in the world.
Have you ever visited a flying facility like this? Do you know of other world-class RC complexes? I’d love to hear about them in the comments. And if you’re thinking about making the trip to Dubai for the February event, I can tell you from experience – it’s worth every penny.
All the individual flight videos from this trip will be uploaded separately to my YouTube channel in a Dubai playlist, so make sure to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you don’t miss them!
