April 2006 163
AS YOU READ THIS, the spring flying
season should be in full swing, at least in
Florida! Many events are held this time of
year in central and south Florida. The
weather is usually mild and sunny! However,
don’t forget all the great swap meets either!
I hope everyone is gearing up for a fun
year of flying.
My travel time is very busy as well. I
hope to meet many of you again this year at
the Southeastern Modeler’s Show in Perry,
Georgia. We are scheduling a get-together
with all the District V AMA members on
Saturday during the show.
Roughly 10 of our district’s associate vice
presidents (AVPs) who are planning to attend
as well. I hope you will drop by and visit!
I want to welcome my newest AVP, Lamar
Blair. Lamar will be covering the northern
part of Alabama for me. If you are in that
area, look for Lamar at one of your club
events or meetings.
January 19-20, the Pilotos RC del Noroeste
in Puerto Rico held an exhibition at the Plaza
del Norte Mall in Arecibo. More than 1,400
tickets were sold for the raffle of a Thunder
Tiger .60 trainer with an O.S. .60 two-stroke
engine and a four-channel Hitec radio.
Armin Velazquez and Andres, another club
member, flew electric indoor helicopters.
They were safe and impressive to the laymen.
La Sorpresa Hobby Shop’s owner Armin
Velazquez donated the model. Mr.
Velazquez’s beautiful daughter sold most of
the tickets at the mall. Obviously, it is much
better to have a beautiful girl than a group of
grumpy old men selling tickets! The winner
will be selected at next Sunday’s fly-in at the
club’s facility.
There were 18 models exhibited from the
mall’s second floor. The exhibition was
located in a strategic place in the mall in front
of the food court and bathrooms.
Luis Cordero, the club’s president who
can be seen in the middle of the group of men
in the photo, did an excellent job with the
exhibition. This type of activity helps
promote our hobby. Maybe more clubs
should try this.
Jhon Russell, AVP in Alabama sent in the
following report.
“Another club in central Alabama also
started the New Year off right! West
Alabama Aeromodelers (WAAM) held its
2006 Kick-Off Fun-Fly with more than 50
pilots from around the area attending. Fun,
food, fellowship was the highlight of the
day’s activities!
“There were several spectators on hand
who even got a chance to fly the club’s
trainer with an instructor. Everyone who
attended really had a great time, despite the
weather. No one let the rain showers keep
them out of the sky. Once the showers went
by, pilots who wanted to fly launched their
airplanes and really put on a show!
“Helicoptors, airplanes of all sizes, and
even a couple of E-machines took to the air.
With all of this activity going on in my
coverage area, 2006 is shaping up to be a busy
year for RC pilots in central Alabama.”
WAAM pilots getting in some flight time on
New Year’s Day.
WAAM member Harry McWilliams shared a
buddy-box flight with his father-in-law Tom
Bowen. Tom has expressed an interest in
learning to fly, and Harry is more than happy
to help him earn his wings.
A group of senior pilots share a moment
between flights. Everyone really enjoyed the
day, despite the weather.
Associate Vice Presidents:
Alabama
Lamar Blair, Decatur AL;
(256) 351-8445; l.blair@
worldnet.att.net
Jhon P. Russell, Mount Olive
AL; (205) 213-5240;
[email protected]
Florida
Gene Martine, Jacksonville FL;
[email protected]
Jim Saiff, Tampa FL; (813)-969-
4262; jsaiffchipmunkrc@
earthlink.com
Jose Soto, Apopka FL;
[email protected]
Georgia
Bob Dixon, Macon GA;
[email protected]
Nick Wright, Moultrie GA;
[email protected]
Freddie L. McClellan, Marietta
GA; (770) 402-6570; fred@
amadistrict-v.org
Mississippi
Paul Verger, Biloxi MS;
(228) 826-4892
Terry W. Boston, Byhalia MS;
(662) 838-5541; TBoston1@
midsouth.rr.com
Puerto Rico
Richard Prann, San Juan PR;
Day (800) 424-1322; Cell (787)
643-0373; [email protected]
South Carolina
Jim Fender, Batesburg SC;
(803) 414-2591; fenderjw@
bellsouth.net
Tennessee
Charles R. Anderson,
Chattanooga TN; (423) 227-
6725; [email protected]
Albert Glenn, Memphis TN;
(901) 647-4211);
[email protected]
Owen Maupin, Collegedale TN;
[email protected]
Billy Miller, Blountville TN;
(423) 677-9230;
[email protected]
Dick Tonan, La Vergne TN;
[email protected]
Safety Coordinator: Red
Schofield, Newberry FL; (352)
331-8410; redscho@
bellsouth.net
Frequency Coordinator: Nick
Wright, Moultrie GA; (229) 324-
7674; [email protected]
D i s t r i c t V Volunteers
District V
Tony Stillman, District V Vice President; [email protected]
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/04
Page Numbers: 163