August 2003 161
I ATTENDED the Spartanburg Sky Knights’
spring competition fun-fly at the club field. I
was there part of two days. The weather had
been very bad all week, but when I arrived on
Saturday, the weather was perfect.
This is one of the best snaps I’ve ever
taken at a fun-fly. All of the people were on
the field, including fliers, families, and
spectators. I want to thank them publicly for
posing and allowing me this nice picture.
Included here are Steve Westbrook, contest
director (CD); Tommy Tomasson; Gerald
(Beanie) Rudisail; Mausa Simpson; Bill
Henderson; Eric Henderson; Jim Schulties;
Brian Schulties; Bradley Petty; Phil West;
Brad Simmons; Roger Couture; David E.,
Devon B., and Lynn Stewart; J.C. Cochran;
Leslie Nodine; Jason Lemons; Buzz Jones,
club president; Steve Scott; Harold Call;
Gary Hale.
This club is one of the oldest in our
district. First formed in 1946-47, it has existed
for 57 years. In tribute to the club’s longevity,
I asked the Executive Council for an Award
of Excellence at the April meeting. It passed
unanimously.
CD Steve Westbrook is holding a sample
prize for a winner. Also shown are Lynn
Stewart and Roger Couture. (In the picture
of everybody, Lynn is sitting next to
grandson Devon and son David.) All three
are judging various contest flights.
Twenty-five or more years ago, the club
was given rights to a big, flat landfill. That’s
where the club is today. Throughout the years
the landfill settled and the paved runway
became wavy. Some of the field settled below
the runway area so you have to climb up an
embankment to the runway. Miraculously, a
lake formed in the lowest part. Some say there
are fish in it.
Pictured are J.C. Cochran (L) and Buzz
Jones. The photo says everything and the
sign on the lake is self-explanatory. The
Spartanburg Sky Knights are AMA’s District
V Club of the Month.
Wait! Here’s another Club of the Month. I
attended the West Alabama Aero Modelers
(WAAM) fun-fly in Tuscaloosa. Club
president and CD Eddie Fulmer personally
invited me.
Here is Eddie in the middle, instructing the
fliers regarding the field and safety rules at
the start of the flying.
The fun-fly featured a balloon bust,
streamer-cutting Combat, and various
aerobatics.
Eddie Fulmer is a good CD. He explained
all the dos and don’ts and kept control over
the entire fun-fly. The main purpose of all
fun-flys, fly-ins, contests, and the like is to
have fun, enjoy flying, and enjoy watching
model airplanes.
Fliers and spectators alike, enjoying the
show, having fun, watching others fly, and
relaxing in the Alabama sun, That’s what
model airplanes are all about.
Front (L-R): Gary Owen; Frank Baity;
Steven Staub; Bill and Carolyn Shuman;
Gene Sims. Back: Don Lee and John
Markham.
Behind the steel fence is a bleacher for
spectators. Later in the day, it was packed
with onlookers. The WAAM club started in
1976 and now has 100 members. The City of
Tuscaloosa owns the property and is happy
with the WAAM club on its 40 acres.
There is one more Club of the Month. I
attended the Warbirds Over Alabama Giant
Scale Fly-In. This big fly-in was sponsored
by The Flying Cs club and the Southern
Scale Warbirds Association (SSWA). CD
Ted Cowen is president of the Flying Cs and
Chris Joiner is the founder of the SSWA.
Both were present at the fly-in.
Pictured here are Beverly Cowen, Flying
Cs’ secretary/treasurer, Ted Cowan, and
Michael Montgomery, field marshal.
Ted Cowan owns the land the flying field
is on. He has 40 acres for flying and 20 more
for overfly. Very few controversies arise in
the club. Ted has two rules: 1) obey all safety
rules, and 2) don’t break rule number 1. All
new members know the rules; that or out!
The fly-in was a big success. There were
41 pilots and 500 spectators.
Harry Schremp, Roy Roberts, Jeff
Whicford, and Bob Thacaer are all
relaxing, enjoying the day, and watching
the flying on the Flying Cs’ field.
All three clubs are our AMA Club of the
Month for this month, all will receive a
framed plaque signed by myself and by our
Executive Vice President. All three will get a
cloth platch for each club member.
District V Report
Frequency Coordinator: Jim McNeill,
Associate Vice Presidents
James Alvis, Jackson MS (601) 956-4978
Sherwin Arculis, Huntsville AL (256) 883-9838
Malcolm Boartfield, Marietta GA (770) 977-4126
Ron Chidgey, Pensacola FL (850) 476-8639
Rod Gier, Cocoa FL (321) 636-2148
Michael Gregory, Greenville SC (864) 244-8660
Louise Izzo, Wintersprings FL (407) 699-4929
Richard Jackson, Charleston SC (843) 744-4575
Bob Laine, Goldmine GA (770) 466-5336
Richard MacEntee, Palmetto FL (941) 729-1524
Joseph Micalizzi, Fajardo PR (787) 863-9163
Fred Mulholland, Tampa FL (813) 962-7020
Nancy Riley, Lake Placid FL (863) 699-1215
Melvin Sires, Aiken SC (803) 649-4073
Manny Sousa, Gulf Breeze FL (850) 932-6383
Jim Stewart, Gardendale AL (205) 631-6968
Ward Van Duzer, Gainesville GA (770) 718-0122
Lee Webster, Manchester TN (615) 728-3283
Bud Williams, Gray TN (423) 477-0772
Alabama / Florida / Georgia /
Mississippi / Puerto Rico /
South Carolina / Tennessee
Jim McNeill
Vice President
617 South 20 Avenue,
Birmingham AL 35205
Tel.: (205) 322-2127
Fax: (205) 252-2654
E-mail: [email protected]
District V Web page:
www.modelair.org/
aug03.qxd 5.23.03 9:17 am Page 161
Edition: Model Aviation - 2003/08
Page Numbers: 161