AMA News District IX - 2010/02
From the District Vice President
I want to thank all the members in District IX for your support, which has allowed me to continue to represent you as your district vice president. My focus has been, and will continue to be, to provide a better conduit that represents our members' concerns and interests to the Academy.
Denver RC Eagles Hosts Civil Air Patrol
On October 17, the Denver RC Eagles (DRCE) hosted the Parker, Colorado, wing of the Civil Air Patrol. The club provided ground school, buddy-box experience, and a wealth of goodwill and genuine fun to seven cadets during a four-hour period on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.
Instructors for the event:
- Dick Hamilton (lead instructor)
- Larry Everett
- Frank Precopio
- Tom Bell
The Civil Air Patrol is always a good organization for clubs to partner with for flying activities.
Propeller Safety Reminder
Walt Stroessner, of the Crosswinds club, reminds us of the inherent dangers of propellers. It seems as though every week we hear of a member becoming complacent and putting their hand in a propeller for a preventable reason. More often than not, it is not a novice who makes this tragic mistake but an experienced member who gets lax and takes things for granted.
Suggestion:
- Safety officers should consider giving a safety lecture to their members. It might save a finger.
Propbusters R/C Club — Introduction to Radio Control Airplanes
Jim Tiller, our associate vice president from South Dakota, reported on a community education class organized with the Black Hills Special Services Cooperative (BHSSC). The BHSSC has provided education and community services in western South Dakota for over 28 years and organizes community education classes for residents.
Class overview:
- Title: Introduction to Radio Control Airplanes as a Hobby
- Purpose:
- Give basic flying instruction.
- Emphasize the wide variety of activities and interests in aeromodeling.
- Course description: Designed to introduce participants to the hobby of radio-controlled airplanes. Classroom sessions included assembly of a six-foot-wingspan RC airplane, simulator flights, and basic flight principles. Field sessions provided individual flight instruction under the supervision of an instructor pilot.
Instructors:
- Clancy Kingsbury
- Jim Tiller
Schedule and activities:
- Classroom nights: October 19 and October 21
- Discussed basic flight principles and terminology.
- Introduced the AMA Sport Aviation website as a resource for beginners.
- Emphasized the variety of aeromodeling interests with a show-and-tell of airplane types and some YouTube videos.
- Assembled an ARF trainer for field use.
- Projected RealFlight G4 onto a screen for simulator instruction.
- Field sessions: originally scheduled October 24–25; postponed due to weather to October 31 and November 1
- Each student received multiple flights on the newly assembled Alpha trainer.
- Emphasized basic maneuvers (figure eights, takeoffs, landing approaches), flightline safety, and etiquette.
Results and feedback:
- Five students signed up for the class.
- Students gave very positive feedback.
- The $70 instructor fee from BHSSC will go to the Propbusters.
Acknowledgments:
- Propbuster president Doc McGuigan
- Secretary Ken Corrin
- John Pondish
- Special thanks to Clancy Kingsbury (owner of Who's Hobby) for donating materials that made the class a success.
Notes and future planning:
- All students were at or beyond retirement age. Given the large retired population in the community, this is not unusual.
- For future offerings, consider targeting promotion toward retirees as a potential source of new club members.
Keep the sunscreen on to keep the cancer off! Till next time.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
