INtheAIR
AMA HEADQUARTERS AND MEMBER NEWS
August 2007 9
AMA Life Members, Welcome!
The 30th running of the 2007 Grand Prix Melnik took place
June 2-3 at Melnik, Czech Republic, and eight of the 45 pilots
entered were on the US team.
In the Eurocup F3D events all pilots fly six rounds (four
Saturday and two Sunday). At the end of those rounds, the top
12 go to the semifinals for two rounds. Each pilot’s best flight
of the two determines the semifinals placing. The top three
from the semifinals fly for the three podium spots.
After the first six rounds, seven of the US pilots had
qualified for the semifinals. Randy Bridge was in first place,
with Gary Schmidt in second, Gary Freeman Jr. in third, Jim
Allen in fourth, Travis Flynn in sixth, Fred Burgdorf in
seventh, and Lyle Larson held on in 10th place, not far ahead of
Robert Holik in 14th place.
After the semifinals the winning order was Randy Bridge,
Gary Schmidt, Travis Flynn, Jim Allen, Fred Burgdorf, Gary
Freeman Jr., and Lyle Larson. The top seven places in the
event went to US pilots!
After the finals the results were Randy Bridge in first,
Travis Flynn in second, and Gary Schmidt in third. Gary and
Jim Allen turned in personal-best course times, entering the
sub-1-minute club; Gary finished with a 58.7 seconds and Jim
had 59.5 seconds.
Gary had three flights on his new Evolution and Jim had
Eight US pilots competed in the 2007 European Cup
championships, and seven finished in the top seven spots.
Team USA Takes the F3D European Cup!
As in years past, Pat Hartness and the Confederate Air Farce
generously allowed AMA to hold a general membership meeting
at the Joe Nall Giant Scale Fly-In, which was held May 16-19 at
the Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina. The
membership meeting took place Thursday night.
Executive Vice President Doug Holland chaired the meeting
AMA Members and Staff Gather at Joe Nall Event
The Academy recently welcomed new Life Members
Max Zaluska (Garden City Park NJ) and Jeff Jones
(Roanoke TX).
For information about becoming a Life Member, contact
AMA Headquarters at (800) 435-9262. MA
—AMA Membership Department
two on his before leaving for the event. They were awesome.
After this event the US team was ready for the F3D World
Championships, which has held in Muncie, Indiana, in June.
For more information about the Grand Prix of Melnik, visit
www.modelklub-melnik.wz.cz/index2e.htm. MA
—MA staff
since back surgery kept AMA President Dave Brown from
attending. AMA Executive Director Jim Cherry was present, as
were several district vice presidents. These gatherings present an
excellent opportunity for AMA members to exchange ideas with
the organization’s leadership. MA
—Dave Mathewson
District II Vice President
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have pressured the Corps for our lease, but we have been able to
present our facility as an asset that very few communities are
afforded. We have an excellent working relationship with our
friends at the City of Grapevine.”
This liaison’s success is apparent. When the City of Grapevine
improved the park facilities by expanding and adding soccer
fields with lights off the departure end of the runway, safety
concerns were quickly addressed. City officials worked with the
club to realign the runway.
Darrell explained:
“They very generously rebuilt and expanded our shelter; built
a new parking lot and fencing; tilled, leveled, and replanted the
grass; moved some power poles; gave us a water connection for
irrigation; and helped us procure the materials for a new sprinkler
system.
“Club members installed the irrigation system and a new
underground electrical feed. We have twice the area with nearly
1,000 feet of runway and are an integral part of the park and the
community.”
“We now get more practice at crosswind landings,” said
Dewey Walker, the club’s chief flight instructor.
“But it has definitely been a win-win for both the club and the
city, as the success of this TAG event has proven,” added Darrell.
For the last three years the 114th RC Aero Squadron has
partnered with the City of Grapevine during the city’s Outdoor
Kids Adventure Day (OKAD). The event’s goal is to get families
to enjoy the area parks and participate in outdoor activities.
Stations including archery, fishing, rock climbing, mountain
biking, etc. are set up around the park perimeter, and kids are
signed off after completing each station. The 114th handles the
RC flying station.
A sign-up podium, complete with an AMA display, organizes
students on a first-come, first-served basis. Apprentice aviators
are then ushered to one of four RealFlight G3.5 simulator
cubicles, where a club volunteer acts as a personal instructor.
“This year we were fortunate to have Best Buy provide the
computer towers, large-screen LCD monitors, and appropriate
INtheAIR
10 MODEL AVIATION
Assistant Scoutmaster Besse Jackson observes 114th Vice
President Jeff Makie and student on the buddy box flying the
Hobbico TAG trainer.
The 114th RC Aero Squadron in Grapevine, Texas, hosted a
Take off And Grow (TAG) Model Aviation Day April 21-22.
Despite winds of 20 mph gusting to 30 mph, more than 100
students took to the sky on buddy boxes with their AMA
Introductory Pilot club instructors during the two-day event. Held
in concert with the City of Grapevine Parks and Recreation
Outdoor Kids Adventure Day, the 114th group exceeded the
previous year’s total of 85 students.
“We are in a unique position here in Grapevine,” said club
president Darrell Barabash. “Our flying field is located on US
Army Corps of Engineers property bordering Lake Grapevine and
sits entirely within the boundaries of Meadowmere Park.”
Despite the fact that the 114th squadron has maintained a
running lease with the Corps since 1985, recent direction away
from public land management has altered the political field.
“The City of Grapevine now leases the remaining acreage of
the park from the Corps,” said Darrell. “Certainly the city could
Instructors James Bruce and Terry Fender discuss preflight and
safety. Aero Hobbies and Roy’s Hobby Shop were tremendous
supporters.
The 114th RC Aero Squadron Hosts TAG Event
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hardware necessary to run the software
and give the kids a realistic idea of what
to expect,” said Darrell. “In fact, member
Shane Allen uploaded a panoramic of the
114th flying field using the photo field
import feature to achieve an uncanny
level of realism.”
After roughly 15 minutes of getting
used to the controllers, the students
adjourn to the flightline where clubdesignated
flight instructors discuss the
importance of safety and preflight
procedures. Then they go out to the
runway for an introductory flight.
“The two G3.5s and two trainers
complete with buddy boxes from the
TAG award were put to use the week we
received them,” said Dewey. “We were
able to rotate four trainers to keep pace
with the flow of the simulators.”
“Sometimes a family wanted to go as a
group, and you certainly can’t disappoint
the little ones,” said Jeff Makie, 114th
vice president and instructor. “So the 12-
year-old would get the takeoff, the 10-
year-old would be on the box for the
landing, but the 5-year-old would boast of
the three loops she’s convinced she
accomplished.”
Before the event the 114th RC Aero
Squadron posted flyers at every school in
the district, and neighboring homeowners
received personal invitations. With the
City of Grapevine Parks and Recreation
INtheAIR
August 2007 11
Main Street Days followed the TAG event in Grapevine TX. The G3.5 simulator
stations helped promote AMA and model aviation.
114th RC Aero Squadron instructors James Bruce and Len Minco introduce the G3.5
RC simulator to Scouts. The local Best Buy electronics was a TAG event sponsor.
promoting the OKAD, there was the
potential for a Disney-like wait.
Anticipating that, the 114th offered
complimentary hot dogs, hamburgers, and
beverages. Additional sponsor PepsiCo
provided an entire pallet of Gatorade.
The open-house atmosphere and
strategically timed demonstrations during
trainer-maintenance downtime kept those
on the list and spectators content. Music
set the tempo, and a public-address system
was essential as “on-deck” announcements,
safety reminders, sponsor
acknowledgments, and event promotions
were constantly broadcast.
“The feedback we get after the flight
ends is probably the most important phase
of the total experience,” said Dewey. “A
short debrief not only yields information
on how we did short-term but hopefully
plants the seed for the longer-term goal,
which is success in championing model
aviation.”
The 114th retained a list of every
student who participated in the TAG
event. Those younger than 8 years old
were not included in the final tally, but
adults were counted.
“Getting the parents interested is
paramount,” said Darrell. “It will be
interesting to see how many become AMA
members or who will show up at the field
over the next few Thursdays.”
The 114th holds a free instruction night
every Thursday evening using club
trainers.
Club members will be discussing ways
to improve for next year, but their
attention was already focused on the City
of Grapevine Main Street Days festival,
which was held May 18-20. The four
simulator stations were up and running
during the event.
“This event has an average attendance
of 125,000 and we will have a large
display booth right in the middle of Main
Street,” said Darrell. “The 114th RC Aero
Squadron will once again be on station and
actively promoting our passion that
embraces one of the foundations of our
great country: aviation.” MA
—Daniel Cole
District VIII
08sig1.QXD 6/22/07 11:44 AM Page 11
12 MODEL AVIATION
INtheAIR
• On the cover Luther Hux’s wife,
Dawn, holds this month’s feature RC
project. The Snapshot Twin is the twinengine
version of his June 1980
Snapshot designed for RC aerial
photography. This design incorporates a
mechanism to haul and release a scale
model of the Space Shuttle glider.
• Other construction features include
Michael Saponara’s jetlike Auroroa—
an RC swept-back-wing project for 1/2A
power using an Ace foam wing—and
James M. Petro’s CL Wing Master,
which is a 1/2A profile model that is
ideal for sport flying or getting started
in CL modeling.
• Don Srull invites readers to make
profile models for fun and test. A
detailed explanation of and full-size
plans for a profile Shinden are
included.
• J.E. Albritton and Walt Perkins show
how to make a mold for lightweight,
sturdy fuselages for the Shadow IV CL
Speed model.
• Dave Ritchie presents the history of
Carl V. Carlson: a famous modeler and
gas-model pioneer.
• Those who have been following the
AMA Building Fund will be happy to
learn that it
has finally
reached its
goal of
$160,000.
• In product
news, E&R
Hobbies
releases its
improved Quadra engine, which sells for
$169.95. Pow’rwinch has new launch and line
retrieval units for $275 and $225 respectively.
Zap-a-Gap Super Glue now comes in 1/4-, 1/2-,
and 1-ounce containers. MA
—Rich LaGrange
AMA Librarian
25 Years Ago in MA: August 1982
AMA VIPs Visit Kansas City and Omaha
Since the Academy’s new Executive
Director, Jim Cherry, came onboard in
December, people from AMA’s insurance
broker, Koch, have wanted him to visit
their offices in Omaha, Nebraska. In
addition, a newly chartered club—the
Omahawks—recently earned AMA’s Gold
Leader Club award, which is a big
accomplishment.
The easiest (and most affordable) way
to get to Omaha is to fly into Kansas City,
AMA Executive Director Jim Cherry
instructs Cameron Bretsen while Mark
Smith holds the trainer button.
Jim Cherry presents Omahawks
President Steve Culver with a Gold
Leader Club award.
Kansas, and then drive north. I worked out the
logistics and the meeting dates were set for
May 26-27!
Dave Mathewson, AMA’s Insurance
Committee chair and District II’s vice
president, had not met with the Koch
personnel either, so he accompanied us. I also
serve on the Insurance Committee.
Not wanting to miss an opportunity for
Kansas City modelers to meet Jim and Dave,
I arranged a meet-and-greet for them, hosted
by the Shawnee Mission Radio Control Club.
Jim and Dave met many modelers, discussed
their vision for AMA, and answered several
questions from the audience.
We left for Omaha early the next morning.
When we arrived at the Koch building we
went on a tour of the facility and met several
key employees who handle our account. Then
we were treated to lunch by Koch President
Scott Trofholz.
That afternoon Dave, Jim, and I headed to
the Omahawks’ field and enjoyed the day
flying my models. We even had the
opportunity to put our insurance agent and his
son, Paul and Cameron Bretsen, on my trainer
so they could get some stick time. I was the
instructor pilot and Jim did a great job of
talking the students through the maneuvers.
The Omahawks’ normal monthly meeting
began at 7 p.m., and the club president, Steve
Culver, dispensed with much of the normal
business to allow time for Dave and Jim to
talk about current “happenings” at AMA and
the new and exciting activities that are
planned.
Jim began the awards ceremony by
expressing his pride in being the former
president of his club in Florida, which is
also a Gold Leader Club. Then I had the
honor of pinning the Leader Club pin on
Steve. We asked the Omahawks to stand in
line so we could hand out the pins and
congratulate each member individually.
I am aware of the long hours Jim Cherry
puts in for AMA. On behalf of District IX
and the Omahawks, I thank him sincerely
for taking the time to make this award
presentation.
I also want to announce how pleased I
am with what the Omahawks has
accomplished. It is a club by which others
can be measured. MA
—Mark Smith
District IX Vice President
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