District VIII—Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
AMA Expo in Ontario, California
On January 10, I flew to the AMA Expo in Ontario, California. This was the first time I had attended any AMA or modeling convention. The convention was well run by the staff, and I enjoyed the time I spent talking with the District VIII members I met there.
I spent most of my time looking at the large number of vendors' wares and talking with fellow Executive Council (EC) members and getting to know them. The Expo was well attended. Next year I plan to drive instead of fly so I can take advantage of many good deals.
On Sunday night, Bob Brown, AMA president, organized a dinner to present Jim and Linda Rice with some well-deserved appreciation awards.
Community outreach and youth programs
It is always a good time to visit schools, Civil Air Patrol groups, or even the EAA Young Eagles programs to do some community service and get your club positive publicity. I participate annually in a science fair and a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program at a museum, and I help two clubs interest young people in model aviation.
Texas City Radio Control Club (TCRCC) outreach
The Texas City Radio Control Club (TCRCC) decided to reach out to youth in surrounding communities to increase awareness and involvement with RC aircraft. The outreach proved so successful that the club decided to continue the effort.
Arranged by club members Vince Hoechten and Mike Grassmuck, a group of high school engineering students from Clear Springs High School in League City were instructed in the classroom and at the field by TCRCC members.
Thirty students and their teacher arrived at the field at 9:30 a.m. The first order of business was a short safety class given by Mike Grassmuck, TCRCC's safety coordinator. Next, the students were taken to the field for a brief explanation of the different areas such as the flight line, pilot stations, airplane taxiing lane, and spectator areas. Then it was time to fly. Flight instructors took the 30 students and their teacher up to fly; for most students, the time on the simulator paid off.
During a mid-morning break, James Grassmuck, club president, and member Mike Goza demonstrated a 42% scale aircraft and a helicopter. This generated a lot of excitement and many questions about the airplane and helicopter.
Key participants:
- Vince Hoechten — event organizer
- Mike Grassmuck — safety coordinator and instructor
- Harvey Cappel — flight instructor
- Dave Hammer — flight instructor
- James Grassmuck — club president; demonstration pilot
- Mike Goza — demonstration pilot
These students are one step closer to getting started on a new project: building a full-scale, two-seater airplane. This rare and exciting educational opportunity is possible thanks to a sizable grant from a local business. The students will be supported by a local engineer experienced in building and flying RV aircraft. Additionally, the TCRCC has committed to mentor the students with club members who have aeronautical, electrical, and mechanical engineering backgrounds. The TCRCC believes it is important to involve youth in these types of programs and plans to follow the Clear Springs project with similar programs at other area schools.
Hope to see you all at the field!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
