April 2006 159
IN OCTOBER of last year, I received a call
from one of AMA’s Flying Site Coordinators,
Joe Beshar, who informed me that he had
been invited to make a presentation October
25-26 at the National Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Coordinator
meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.
Last year the EPA and AMA entered into
a partnership agreement called the
Memorandum of Understanding to support
communities interested in allowing cleanedup
Superfund waste sites to be used as model
airplane flying sites.
Joe asked me to find a local AMA club
that could host a buddy-box flying
demonstration for the EPA regional
coordinators. The intention was to familiarize
the coordinators with a typical AMA flying
site and demonstrate the educational and
recreational value of aeromodeling activities.
I was going to be away the week of the
EPA meeting and needed someone to handle
Joe’s request. I made one call to Ron
Quattrochi, president of the 495th R/C
Squadron Club in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.
I asked Ron if he could run the show by
providing transportation, instructors, and
demonstration hands-on flying for the EPA
coordinators. Without hesitation, Ron said he
would take care of everything.
Jim Thompson demonstrates RC flying for the
EPA coordinators.
The following letter, written by Ron
followed by Joe’s response, tells the rest of
the story.
“Thanks, Joe. We enjoyed having the
AMA as well as Melissa Friedland and her
regional coordinators from the EPA visit us
at the Captain John Ogonoeski Memorial
Model Flying Field. I couldn’t have done this
without the assistance of our club’s intro
pilots, Jim Thompson and Dick Adams.
“The essence of the day was that RC
model flying can be a great asset to
communities, landowners, and public
officials. The airspace above former
Superfund clean-up sites is what modelers
around the nation are looking to utilize in a
safe, passive, recreational way. Daily activity
is akin to having a non-paid, full-time
watchdog, constantly patrolling the site,
preventing illegal dumping, littering, and
vandalism.
“It is a win-win situation and I am glad to
see the EPA partner with AMA toward
coming to agreement to allow more than 145
former Superfund locations to be used for
aeromodeling flying sites.
“I saw the wide smiles of those who came
to witness and try their hands at RC flying.
Please take those smiles back to your regions;
I am sure you will have a rewarding
experience working with other AMA clubs in
your area.”
Joe responded with, “Hello. Ron. I really
enjoyed being with you Wednesday morning
which proves again the great camaraderie that
exists in the modeling community. Jim, Dick,
and you did an outstanding job with the
presentation and the buddy-box
demonstration flying at the field.
“The EPA people were impressed and
hopefully it will prove fruitful to AMA clubs
and membership in acquiring flying fields as
well as benefit the EPA programs for reuse of
Superfund sites.”
We are lucky to have in District I good
people willing and able to give so readily of
their time and deliver exceptional results.
Thanks again to Ron, Jim, Dick, and the
495th R/C club.
The Pownal Superfund site in Vermont is
looking for an AMA club.
For AMA clubs and members in
Vermont, there is a Superfund site whose
administrators expressed a desire to offer it
for use as an AMA flying site. This is an
excellent opportunity. If interested, please
contact Joe Beshar at [email protected] or
(201) 261-1281.
As usual, it’s about friendship, flying, and
fun.
District I
Andy Argenio, District I Vice President; [email protected]
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Associate Vice Presidents:
Position Open: AVP for New
Hampshire
Ed Faria, Somerset MA;
[email protected]
James Gilliatt, Concord MA;
[email protected]
Ray LaBonte, Standish ME;
[email protected]
Patrick Libby, Ascutney VT;
[email protected]
Frank Ponteri, Westerly RI;
[email protected]
Bob Wallace, Avon CT;
[email protected]
Frequency Coordinators:
Kevin Richards, Attleboro MA;
[email protected]
Joel Chappell, Milford NH;
[email protected]
Educational Coordinator:
Ed Spidell, Chepachet RI;
[email protected]
Webmaster:
Paul Costa, Attleboro MA;
[email protected]
Contest Coordinator:
Barry Schubert, Portsmouth RI;
Barry_N_Schubert@
raytheon.com
District Safety Coordinator:
Les Watson, Riverside RI; lesleslie@
cox.net
District News Editor:
Steve Berhm, Jamestown RI;
[email protected]
District 1 Web Site:
www.amadistrict1.com
D i s t r i c t I Volunteers
EPA regional coordinators with AMA members Jim Thompson (third from left), Dick Adams
(sitting), Joe Beshar (far right), and Ron Quattrochi (next to Joe).
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/04
Page Numbers: 159