AMA News: District II — 2007/03
As I sit down to write this edition of our District II column, it is December 31, 2006. The local weather report for the central New York area is calling for unusually warm temperatures tomorrow—somewhere in the mid-50s—and we’re all looking forward to our traditional New Year’s Day gathering at the field to get in that first flight of the year. Tomorrow, January 1, 2007, also marks the beginning of my last term in office as your district vice president. As many of you know and as I wrote in my last campaign statement, I’m a strong proponent of term limits. I truly believe that any membership organization such as ours continuously needs new blood with fresh ideas and enthusiasm to remain viable.
Although I intend to run for the AMA presidency in this fall’s elections, this will be my last term as District II vice president. In the last few years my wife and I have visited more than half of the nearly 200 AMA-chartered clubs in our district. My goal for the remainder of my term is to visit as many of the clubs we haven’t yet seen as we can.
NEAT Fair (Northeast Electric Airplane Technology)
In District II we’re fortunate to be the home of several of the premier modeling events held each year throughout the country. My last column focused on the Mid-Hudson RC Society’s 40th annual Rhinebeck Jamboree.
Each year in the week after Rhinebeck, the Silent Electric Fliers of Long Island (SEFLI) hosts the annual Northeast Electric Airplane Technology (NEAT) Fair. Held in the southern tier area of New York, NEAT has grown to become—arguably—one of the largest electric-only events held in the world. Ray Juschkus, District II associate vice president, was a volunteer at the 2006 NEAT Fair and sent the following:
“This year’s NEAT Fair was a success with more than 300 pilots registering to fly. The number of all-electric-powered model aircraft on the site was more than twice the number of pilots. During the three days of the fair there were more than 1,000 recorded official flights.
“Flying each day began at sunrise and lasted well into the evening with lighted models filling the night sky. Add to that more than 40 vendors exhibiting their products, and this year’s event was one of the best yet.
“The weather cooperated all three days, bringing more than 3,000 spectators out to watch the nonstop flying activities. Saturday’s spectator count broke all attendance records for NEAT.
“In addition to the regular flying there were the usual noon flying demonstrations. One of the most impressive performances was by Dr. Keith Shaw, who flew his Czechmate and was caught on radar at speeds of more than 150 mph.
“Other demonstrations included Northeast Sailplane Products with a nice aerobatic show featuring the company’s new Accord; Team FMA flying an outstanding aerobatic performance with Greg Covey’s beautiful Edge 540; and NEAT CD Tom Hunt wowing the crowd with his Me109 Messerschmitt.
“This year’s NEAT Fair was a success thanks to the dedication of the members of the SEFLI and the efforts of several of the participants who stepped in to share some of the duties necessary for a successful event. As one of the finest modeling fly-ins held each year in the country, NEAT has become the place to be in the Northeast in mid-September.”
I have attended each of the annual NEAT Fairs and can tell you that he is right. It’s well worth the trip to Downsville, New York, to be a part of this event.
Next month’s column will include a report on the “other” part of the annual NEAT Fair: the micro RC indoor flying event hosted by the Boston Micronauts.
The Impulse revival
Approximately 50 years ago, when RC modeling was getting started, there were two popular kits on the market: the deBolt Live Wire Trainer and the Guillows Trixter Beam. A third one, not as well known, was kitted by Berkeley Models called the Impulse. Long Island architect and modeler Bill Johnke designed it.
Bill, 88, surfaced this summer. MAN’s technical editor Bob Aberle struck up a conversation with him and decided that he would revisit the Impulse design that was originally published in the February 1954 Model Airplane News. Bob converted the model to electric power. Last October, Bob and Ray Juschkus took Bill out to the Stillwell Woods flying field in Syosset, New York. Bill not only had the opportunity to watch Bob’s version of the Impulse in flight, but received a few minutes on the sticks flying a model that he designed more than five decades before.
See you next time...
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
