AMA News: District IV-2011/12
Triad Aero Modelers Swap Meet
The Triad Aero Modelers held their annual swap meet at the fairgrounds in Lexington, North Carolina, this past spring.
This is one meet you want to attend. Members provide carts and help bring merchandise in to set up, and they assist with loading leftover items after the event. As one member put it, "This is Southern hospitality."
In the spring, modelers typically try to stock up for the upcoming flying season and renew friendships for the coming season. What we really do is swap with one another. The event is a great opportunity to trade for or buy something you need.
MARKS HLG Contest (Fruitland, Maryland)
The Mid-Atlantic Radio Kontrol Society (MARKS) held its inaugural HLG (Hand‑Launched Glider) Contest in Fruitland, Maryland, on May 21–22. The event was sanctioned by AMA and the Eastern Soaring League (ESL) and followed F3K rules.
- Contestants: 15
- Dates: May 21–22
- Sanctioning bodies: AMA and Eastern Soaring League (ESL)
- Rules followed: F3K
Club members and participants had a positive experience, and the club plans to hold the event again next year.
Some contestants came from as far away as North Carolina and New York. The gliders weighed roughly 9 to 10 ounces. Rounds were approximately 10 minutes long and consisted of different tasks, such as achieving specific flight times or getting as close to—or just over—the target time.
These gliders are powered only by the pilot’s initial toss. They can reach amazing heights with little effort thanks to their special design. In one 5‑minute task, a glider climbed so fast it temporarily disappeared into a cloud.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
