148 MODEL AVIATION
District IV
Bliss Teague, District IV Vice President; [email protected]
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia
Bliss Teague
Vice President
625 5th Ave. SW,
Hickory NC 28602
Tel.: (828) 324-2164
Fax: (828) 267-0956
[email protected]
Associate Vice
Presidents
George Abbott, Raleigh NC;
(919) 848-6719;
[email protected]
Randy Elliott, Radford VA;
Home: (540) 239-0645; Office:
(540) 994-2316;
[email protected]
Chuck Foreman, Kill Devil Hills
NC; (252) 441-5855;
[email protected]
David Jones, Newport NC;
(252) 727-4750;
[email protected]
Ron King, Gainesville VA; (703)
765-1608; [email protected]
John Kirchstein, Newark DE;
(302) 731-2831;
[email protected]
Richard (Rick) Moreland,
Edgewater MD; (301) 261-7366;
[email protected]
Steve Moulton, Chesapeake VA;
(757) 421-4545;
[email protected]
Contest Coordinators:
RC: Andy Kane, 305 Natick Ct.,
Silver Spring MD 20905; (301)
785-3022; [email protected]
FF and CL: John Tate, 10
Hanbury Ave., Portsmouth VA
23702; [email protected]
Frequency Coordinator and
Safety Coordinator: Brad
Booth, 8416 Racine Road,
Pleasant Garden NC 27313; (336)
685-0088; [email protected]
D i s t r i c t I V V o l u n t e e r s
ON SUNDAY, February 1, 2009, John
Robinson showed up at the field with the
Wings Across America (WAA) model. We
had anticipated that John would get the
model at some point, but were unsure just
exactly when.
The goal of this project was to fly one
model in all 50 states during 2008. Well,
they didn’t make it in 2008, but that is not
the point. This has been done before, but this
project differs in one important way.
Instead of shipping the airplane from
pilot to pilot, each pilot will now deliver the
model from one pilot to the next—in person!
There are more than 300 pilots who have
agreed to participate. John was not certain of
the planed route the airplane would take in
its journey. However, recently the weather
has played a large part in that route.
John Robinson next to Statesville Model
Flyers field sign.
John got a call last week that he would
be next to fly. I got an e-mail Friday, and
tried to alert as many club members as
possible so we could have a good turnout to
witness the event. Sunday came with
relatively warm clear skies. But the winds
were 10-15 mph. A lot for a little airplane!
John had gone so far as to build a replica
so he could fly it first and ensure that the
“official flight” would be successful. This
test flight was ignoble, but didn’t result in a
crash. Now for the flight with the WAA
airplane.
I hand-launched for John and the flight
went very well, considering the wind. The
flight lasted maybe two minutes, then John
realized he was loosing battery power. He
went for a short downwind and almost made
it back to the runway.
The WAA model landed in the rough
grass just six feet short of the runway; a
successful flight considering the size of the
airplane and the strength of the wind.
John offered the transmitter and a fresh
battery to several of the club members
present, but all declined. Who wants to take
the chance of crashing the WAA airplane?
Outside of the packing carton showing
names of pilots and the dates they flew the
WAA model.
Inside of carton showing packing. Carton
contains airplane, transmitter, batteries and
charger, spare parts, and memorabilia from
completed flight.
In-flight shot to prove that the WAA
airplane flew.
—Bill Francis
Members of the Virginia Aeromodelers
Club of Bedford County, in cooperation
with the 21st Century Learning Centers
Grant, are holding classes with Moneta
Elementary Students to teach the
fundamentals of flying model airplanes and
helicopters.
The club members demonstrate the art of
model flying using their own models. The
students will build their own small models
and also be able to practice flying using
computer flight simulators.
—Sharon Slingerland
21st Century
Grant Site Coordinator-Moneta
07amanews.ar:11amanews.qxd 5/22/2009 10:12 AM Page 148
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 148