September 2006 169
DURING MY TRAVELS this year, I have
been in contact with many members who are
asking one particular question. This question
is foremost in the minds of the Executive
Council as well. What seems to be the
reason for a decline in membership?
In my opinion, there is no one answer but
in fact a number of reasons that might be
considered. Today’s lifestyle offers many
different opportunities for leisure time that
weren’t available when I was growing up.
The youngsters now have soccer, tennis,
basketball, and hockey that can be played
year-round at indoor facilities. Baseball and
football are still active but not the way they
used to be. Of course, there is the computer
to sit in front of for hours playing games.
When I was growing up, it was baseball in
the summer, football in the fall, and hockey
when the ponds froze.
Then there was aeromodeling and we
couldn’t wait until spring to try out our new
airplanes that we had built during the winter.
They were stick models with balsa
propellers and a rubber-band motor that we
had to wind up. I look back over my years of
aeromodeling and actually feel sad for those
who are getting into our hobby now because
they aren’t getting the same exposure I did.
There is always the one reason we all
will face. The bottom line is if we don’t get
out to publicize what we now have as a
hobby/sport, there won’t be anyone to take
our place.
David Munzell of the Chesaning Area
Model Flying Club sent in this report of the
club’s May Glider Challenge.
There were two circles set up—a 30-foot
one and a 60-foot circle—to try and land in
as well as a timing event. The winner of the
challenge was club president Tom Hanzek.
I finally had a chance to visit the Tulip City
Air Force Giant Scale fly-in. The weather
cooperated and everyone had a great time.
One highlight of the show was the arrival of
the Grey Haired Hooligans, a full-scale flyby
with two T-34s and a poor man’s
Mustang (Navion).
The Grey Haired Hooligans: flying lead was
John Workman in the silver T-34 followed by
Tom Hibiske with the T-34 and Bill Klungle
in the Navion.
I had a great story lined up. I thought I had
some good digital shots of this event but
there were no pictures on the disk, so to the
TCAF I apologize.
Til next time, have fun, fly safely, and
promote our hobby/sport. C.A.V.U.
District VII
Bill Oberdieck, District VII Vice President; [email protected]
Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Bill Oberdieck
Vice President
Box 1076,
Southgate MI 48195
Tel.: (734) 283-4813
Fax: (734) 283-0650
www.amadistrictvii.org
Associate Vice
Presidents
Larry Brannan, Grand
Rapids MI; (616) 956-6012;
[email protected]
Ed Bucki, Rockwood MI;
(734) 379-4054; thebuckster@
sbcglobal.net
Bud Gorman, Knife River MN;
[email protected]
Don Held, Elmira MI;
(231) 584-2662; [email protected]
Thomas D. Lazar, Marshall WI;
[email protected]
Jon McVay, Mount Vernon IA;
(319) 895-6527; [email protected]
Tom Pierce, St. Clair MI; (810)
367-6450; tom_pierce_48079@
yahoo.com
Mark E. Robotti, North
Lindstrom MN; 76214.1624@
compuserve.com
Tom Ryan, Milwaukee WI; (414)
881-0070; tomcat@
execpc.com
Frequency Coordinators
West: Al Schwartz, Roseville
MN; (651) 633-2286
East: Pete Waters, Northville
MI; (248) 486-4800
Flying Site Coordinator
Joe Beshar, [email protected]
District VII Volunteers
donations to the museum fund.
In return, the museum has offered its
substantial parking area (adjacent to the
flying site) for the modelers’ use and what is
referred to as the “ready room,” a secondfloor
meeting area the club will use for its
gatherings.
I met with the club members and their
attitude is perfect. They are willing to do
whatever it takes to convince the tenants and
the property-management group that they are
“value added” at the site. They are reaching
out to tenants to ensure that they understand
model aviation and to see if any of them
would like to participate in the hobby.
They’re getting considerable interest,
they’re working hard, and they won’t stop
with a no answer.
From the flightline a pilot can see the
rolling foothills above Oakland, a vast
expanse of taxiway and aircraft parking ramp,
and a gorgeous view of the San Francisco
skyline. What’s not to work hard for?
We’ll have some great pictures of the
site and a short progress report after the
grand opening event, scheduled for later
this year.
Continued from page 161
Flying Site Assistance
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/09
Page Numbers: 169