I AM IMPRESSED with the staff at AMA
Headquarters and the Executive Council. To a
person, we are working to develop
meaningful member programs and are
dedicated to providing you with a high level
of service.
I hope that each of you can travel to
Muncie, Indiana, at some point to visit your
National Flying Site. I think you will be
proud of our Academy!
The new Park Pilot Program, which kicked
off with a press conference at the AMA
Ontario Convention in January, was
described in this publication. This program
can be a valuable tool to increase
membership in your club and in
establishing park-flyer sites, but action is
required on your part.
Please stop by your hobby shops and
make sure they are aware of this program
and that they have the AMA license station
on their counter. Your dealer is a key player
in directing the “newbie park pilot” where
to go to learn to fly.
When these new pilots show up please
welcome them and offer your assistance. If
you need more information about the program
than what is available on AMA’s Web site,
please contact the AMA staff. Increasing
AMA’s membership will benefit all of us!
District II has two new associate vice
presidents (AVPs). Welcome Tom Bickford
of Tupper Lake, New York, ([518] 359-
2218; [email protected]) who will be
working with the clubs in northern New
York. Former AVP Jim Lewis decided it
was time to settle down.
Eric Williams of Schenectady, New
York, ([518] 356-2057; rcpilot@
nycap.rr.com) has assumed the AVP duties
from Adam Sattler in the Albany region.
Both Tom and Eric are avid modelers
and known to most aviation enthusiasts in
their parts of the district. They are excited
about their new positions and will bring a
high level of activity to the region.
District II is indebted to Jim Lewis and
Adam Sattler for their many years of
dedicated service as AMA AVP volunteers.
Tom Bickford is the new AVP from northern
New York.
Walt Gifford of the Middlesex Modelers
reported that CL racing is alive and well at
Mountain View Park in Middlesex County,
New Jersey. Several contests are held each
year and the main interest is the PDQ Flying
Clown event. Club members make the
journey to the US nationals each year and are
top contenders.
Pictured is the world’s fastest Clown
Racer that Walt built. It features a highly
modified O.S. Max engine, custom-made
tank, and an original-design carbon-fiber
propeller. The club also has a novice program
for sport fliers who want to try a racing event.
All are welcome to come out and enjoy the
speed and beauty of CL racing with the
Middlesex Modelers.
Marguerite Gargiulo, CD and event director
of New Jersey’s Roxbury Area Model
Airplane Club (RAMAC), is a real proponent
of our hobby. She reported on two events that
RAMAC sponsored last May.
“Model Aviation Day was held May 7 of
last year. The club moved into Saint Theresa
School in Succasunna, New Jersey, from 9-
11:30 a.m., working with children from
kindergarten through sixth grade. They started
their program flying indoor electric
helicopters, small airplanes, and a dirigible
flown by John Gill, Dave Nuetzel, Frank
Granelli, and Vinny Gargiulo.
“The kids were laughing and really quite
amazed! They then went into their classrooms
where Jurgen Appis and Miriam Morris
helped them build balsa airplanes. Over 200
children built and then flew their balsa
airplanes outside in mass launches! This was
the club’s third year for this event and they
are planning on continuing this educational
experience.
“The following weekend RAMAC
members tied their Model Aviation Day Air
Show event with AMA’s Take Off and Grow
(TAG) program which requires clubs to be an
Intro Pilot Program Club. RAMAC qualified
and was provided two complete trainer
aircraft and radios to teach with, two Great
Planes flight simulator programs, and an
AMA TAG Banner to assist in their efforts.
The goal was to increase club membership.
“The trainer pilots selected were Frank
Granelli and Vince Gargiulo. They went
through the ground school and flight
procedures with prospective pilots and then
took to the air. Rob McClellan and his fiveyear-
old son Devin were two of the
participants and they loved it so much they
joined RAMAC. It was noted that Rob is
quite a helicopter pilot and young Devin
learns very quickly.
Marguerite Gargiulo with the TAG banner.
Rob and Devin McClellan were two of the
TAG participants.
“Dino DiGiorgio, of Top Gun fame,
helped out by putting on a terrific static
display of his Scale aircraft.”
On a sad note, I received word that William
(Bill) James Burris, member of the Finger
Lakes Air Pirates passed away last May at the
age of 83. Bill was an avid FF pilot and
dabbled in RC. He overcame a 100%
disability from World War II to raise a family
and enjoy his hobby. The district is lessened
by Bill’s passing.
Until next month, keep ’em “Three in the
green.”
District II
Gary Fitch, District II Vice President; [email protected]
New Jersey, New York, Europe
Gary Fitch
1298 Slab City Rd.,
Franklinville NY
14737; Tel.: (716)
341-2813
For a complete listing of
district officers, please see
the District I1 Web site at
www.amadistrictii.org/.
D i s t r i c t I I
April 2008 171
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/04
Page Numbers: 171