AMA News: District II-2011/12
HAPPY HOLIDAYS District II members!
I received this report from Associate Vice President (AVP) Tom Bickford of Tupper Lake, New York, concerning two events in which he participated.
Valley of the Giants Airshow (Westport, NY)
July 2 and 3 you could hear the thunder of airplanes over the quaint village of Westport, New York — a small village near Lake Champlain in upstate New York. The airshow, Valley of the Giants, was put on by the Champlain Valley Flyers.
It was the 10th International Miniature Aircraft Association (IMAA) event; there had been a 10-year break between the ninth and tenth. Forty-two pilots from across the Northeast attended, enjoying great weather and flying. Spectators lined the safety fence with wide eyes watching the large airplanes, and the pilots put on a great show.
Adirondack Cloud Splitters Fun-Fly (Malone, NY)
The Adirondack Cloud Splitters, Malone, New York, held their fun-fly July 23 and 24. The field was in perfect shape and had five new 30-amp electric camper hookups.
They had a good turnout of pilots who flew both Saturday and Sunday. Jason Finley put on a great show with his 33% Extra, and Brian Douglas demonstrated a large selection of electric and nitro models. Gary Vaillancourt came all the way from Old Forge, New York, to perform with his fast control-line model. He also helped mow the grass with his Toro mower, but to the amazement of the crowd, it took off and flew.
CL Endurance Record — Walt Gifford
Dick Perry, CL Navy Carrier Contest Board Chairman, told me he approved an AMA CL Endurance record for District II’s own Walt Gifford.
Walt achieved this at a Middlesex Modelers contest. Flying a Sig Sky Ray, he started the flight but a storm quickly rolled in. Walt pressed on, kept his lines tight, flew through the inclement weather, and completed his record flight. Afterward, the sun came out. Walt appreciated the Middlesex Modelers sticking with him through the rain.
NEAT Fair and Awards
The 2011 edition of the Northeast Electric Aircraft Technology (NEAT) Fair was held, although the area had previously flooded. The property owner and the Silent Electric Flyers of Long Island (SEFLI) club worked to get the site in great shape. Contest Director Tom Hunt and SEFLI members had things running well and the weather, although a little cool, cooperated.
I had the honor of presenting three of our members with awards:
- John Maggs (Albany area) — District II Service Award for outstanding commitment to our members and the hobby.
- Dick Allen (Binghamton area) — District II Service Award for outstanding commitment to our members and the hobby.
- Ray Juschkus (Long Island) — AMA Fellowship Award, AMA’s highest honor.
Ray is stepping down after 32 years of volunteer service with the Academy as an AVP. Thank you, Ray, for everything you have done for us!
Dennis Andreas has been named as Ray’s replacement. Thanks for volunteering, Dennis — you have some very big shoes (and a camera) to fill!
Until next month … Help secure our hobby and take a child flying.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
