AMA News: District IX - 2008/02
Editor's Note
Hi folks! It’s cold here in Kansas City and not much outdoor flying is going on.
I have been busy with the launch of the Park Pilot Program and working with our new president. I am confident Dave Mathewson will lead us to a very bright future!
I am using this month to catch up on articles several of you sent me a few months back. So with that, here you go!
News from Wyoming (reported by John Moyer)
The Rawlins Prop Nuts hosted a fun-fly on Saturday, June 16, at the club’s flying field. Activities during the day included flight demonstrations by club members and the following:
- RC pilots from the Casper Club joined and flew their airplanes.
- One pilot from Casper, Tom Rorabaugh (who previously lived in Rawlins), flew a beautiful large-scale Piper Cub.
- Small balsa airplanes were given to all youngsters who attended.
- Club members gave introductory flight lessons to anyone who was interested, which is encouraged by AMA.
Fred Hildebrand, Associate Vice President for AMA District IX, attended and flew one of his airplanes.
Judy Dixon, a member of the Rawlins City Council, spoke to the crowd during the dedication ceremony. She stressed the importance of activities and groups such as the Prop Nuts and emphasized the need for volunteer groups and the city to work together for the betterment of the community.
The weather was typical for Rawlins — a clear sky with a few puffy clouds and, of course, no wind. Domino’s Pizza had a stand set up for the crowd, and DeShan Shinkle from the Rawlins Recreation Center provided a portable sound system.
We sincerely thank the city and its various departments that helped make this fun-fly a success. We are looking forward to next year with more pilots, larger crowds, and, of course, no wind.
Hutch Bunch Annual Picnic
On the weekend of September 22, I was treated to an outstanding time by a small rural RC club in south-central Kansas. Jim Harris, club secretary, had been e-mailing me for the last three years, inviting me to come to Hutchinson. I finally made the commitment and traveled 3.5 hours to Hutchinson.
Not expecting much in such a remote location, I was pleasantly surprised. This small club has the biggest of hearts and made me feel welcome from the moment I hit town. Jim and club president Gordon Warnken met me at the hotel, treated me to lunch at an outstanding hamburger grill, and then we spent the afternoon at the world-famous Cosmosphere.
If you’ve never heard of the Cosmosphere, it’s one of the best-kept secrets in Kansas. This small town of approximately 50,000 hosts a Space Camp and Space Museum that contains more Russian space artifacts than the Smithsonian. To give you an idea of how magnificent it is, the actual Apollo 13 along with the Liberty Bell space capsules are there, plus much more space memorabilia. There’s even an IMAX theater!
The fun didn’t stop there. On Sunday, I joined the club members at their field for a day of flying, fellowship, and food. What a great time — thanks to all for a super weekend!
Shawnee Mission RC Club
My home club held its annual Citywide Fly-In, which was well attended even though the weather was a bit foul. Our president, Shane Sternecker, reported the following:
“For those of you who couldn’t make it to the Citywide this month, boy did you miss out on some fun. The morning started off a little cold and rainy, but a little later on it warmed up and turned out to be a beautiful day. The food was excellent (Rich Cansler: el supremo cocinero) and there were many wonderful prizes to win — especially the hats!”
That’s it for this month. Next month I’ll fill you in on some additional trips I made around the district. Until then, have fun and keep in touch!
Mark
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
