Charitable Mission for Remote Control Planes

Baseball bats and pizza pies will fly in the skies over Sepulveda Basin on Sunday.

Well, not really. The bats and pizzas are just some of the many unusual designs of remote control aircraft that will put on a stunt show at the third annual Ronald McDonald House Fun Fly.

All proceeds from the event, sponsored by the Valley Flyers Radio Control Aircraft Club, go to the Ronald McDonald House of Los Angeles. Last year, the group collected about $1,500 for the house. This year, officials are hoping to double that amount.

The program, which runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Apollo Field, located off Woodley Avenue between Victory and Burbank boulevards, includes historical aircraft, dogfights between military-style aircraft, flight training and, of course, McDonald’s hamburgers and fries. Ronald McDonald himself will make an appearance between 1 and 3 p.m.

Entry is free. All the money made for the house is from the concession stand, which is filled with food and snacks donated by McDonald’s.

“It’s a great way for families to have fun and help out a good cause,” said Bob Brooks, a spokesman for the Ronald McDonald House of Los Angeles, a charity that provides housing and support to families of children undergoing treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses.

The Fun Fly is just one fund-raising event the club sponsors. The club, made up of remote-control aircraft buffs across the Valley, tries to help a good cause whenever it can, said Ricc Bieber,a club member and organizer of the event.