McGinnis receiving his Distinguished Service Award. One of the most prestigious awards given by the AMA is the Distinguished Service Award. It was an honor and pleasure to present this award to Travis McGinnis at his local club meeting in District IX. Travis has held various positions in the AMA. He most recently chaired the AMA Education Committee, which initiated the award. Congratulations again to Travis! A picturesque float flier on Long Lake in Arvada CO.Float flying has always been a rewarding facet of our hobby. It seems to be picking up in District IX. Long Lake in Arvada, Colorado, has been a popular hangout for float fliers. Although the lake is more of a pond and can present some challenges, the pilots always thoroughly enjoy their experiences there. Liftoff from the glistening pond.This pilot speaks German.One of the district’s associate vice presidents is Tom Neff, who is also president of Airpark Elite. This club has been a leader in teaching youngsters how to fly. The club ran into some bad luck at its flying site when a new owner refused to let them fly there any longer. We all know that a flying site is the glue that holds clubs together. Tom was able to locate property for a new field, and with AMA’s help, started construction. The runway is roughly 60% completed and the club is trying to locate funding for a 2-inch asphalt overlay that will cost approximately $35,000. Members are currently flying off the compacted roto mills. That works, but it is a little rough. You have to start somewhere and Airpark Elite members have finished a storage shed and are currently focusing on the runway.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2013/02
Page Numbers: 148
