District I
Contact
Andy Argenio, District I Vice President [email protected]
Coverage
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
For 16 years, I have directed my club’s air show and fun-fly on the last weekend in July. My friend Jim McCormack, International Miniature Aircraft Association (IMAA) assistant director, has invited me to the Otis Giants Air Show in Falmouth, Massachusetts, on the same weekend each year. Finally, my event took place a week earlier, and with District I Safety Director Les Watson, I had the pleasure of attending another of New England’s finest events.
Perfect weather and a history of entertaining Cape Cod vacationers and residents with an RC air show that features some of the best fliers and model aircraft from the Eastern United States drew 30 pilots with more than 60 airplanes.
These giant warbirds, aerobatic aircraft, multiengine models, and turbine-powered jets dazzled the spectators. A big hit of the show takes place at noon when the spectators are allowed one hour in the pit area for close-up viewing of the aircraft and the opportunity to interview pilots and learn more about these large-scale RC models. Refreshments are served each day and an RTF airplane is raffled on Sunday afternoon. Later in the afternoon a full-scale Coast Guard helicopter from the Otis Air Base performs a fly-by demonstration.
The following story will tell you why I will always remember this event.
On Sunday afternoon it was announced that the Coast Guard helicopter could not perform the demonstration because of an emergency mission. Shortly afterward a spectator asked if her two children could enter the pit area and take a closer look at some of the model aircraft. A club member told her that the time for viewing had ended an hour earlier.
As I watched the children’s expressions of disappointment, I wanted to do something. I told the club member I would take the children into the pit area and be responsible for showing them the aircraft. Their frowns quickly changed to smiles and we proceeded to view and talk about all the model aircraft.
After we finished, the mother asked if I would like to see her husband’s airplane. “Of course,” I said, erroneously assuming that she would point me in the direction of his model airplane. Before I knew it, she dialed her cell phone and put me in touch with the flier of an airplane much larger than anything found on the field that day. Lieutenant Commander Mike Staier asked me what time and how low I wanted him to fly his full-scale U.S. Coast Guard HU-25 Falcon jet over the crowd and airfield. He thanked me for being so kind to his children and agreed to do a fly-by within the next 20 minutes.
What a joy it was for me, the crowd, and club members as this HU-25 Falcon, designed for search, rescue, and law-enforcement missions, performed a low pass over the club field especially for us. We often forget it is the little things that we do without any expectations that result in the most rewarding and memorable experiences of our lives. And so, a great weekend and precious experience came to a close at the Otis air show with the Staier family, who call themselves “fans of model aviation.”
This year the Otis Giant Air Show will be the District I IMAA Mini Festival. If you attend, I guarantee a great time at a fine flying site with friendly club members. Check the club Web site at www.flyomacrc.com/index.html.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
