AMA News: District X-2007/12

AMA’S Take off And Grow (TAG) program,
aimed at expanding and growing the hobby,
was test marketed in 2007. From all accounts
TAG was a huge success as AMA chartered
clubs across the country piloted the new
program. Given the encouraging results,
AMA is expanding and enhancing the
program for 2008.
One of the District X clubs participating
in the evaluation was the Red Barons RC
Flying Club of Roseville, California. The Red
Barons stepped forward at the AMA
Convention in January 2007 and came
onboard as one of the first clubs in the
country to partner in assessing the new
program.
David McCreary, the club’s training
coordinator, spearheaded the task and quickly
focused the club’s efforts toward
implementing the program. Club president
Mike Saras embraced the project and
scheduled the kickoff event to coincide with
the Red Barons’ grand opening of its new
flying site on June 2, 2007.
All of the District X clubs participating in
the 2007 TAG program did a tremendous job
of organizing and implementing the new
program. What makes the Red Barons’
achievement so significant is that the club
had recently lost its field and had just gone
through the arduous task of locating,
developing, and constructing a new flying
site.
In 2006, the club received a $5,000 AMA
Flying Site Assistance Grant to help develop
the new field and the Red Barons invested
more than $70,000 in the site. After working
many months building the new site, the club
members amplified their efforts to complete
the finishing touches in time for the event.
The Red Barons’ new site is located 25 miles
northwest of Roseville at the Sleep Train
Amphitheater in Marysville, California.
The Red Barons’ board members show off
their new site during a visit by the District X
Vice President Rich Hanson and Associate
Vice President Jim Giffin in February. Pictured
are (L-R) Larry Holloway, Gary Smith, Mike
Saras, Bob Preston,
and Keith Roberts.
Sarah’s dad
looks on as
the young
TAG participant receives assistance from Red
Barons’ club member Rollie Giambastiani.
Club president and flight instructor Mike
Saras is at the master controls.
Who would have thought that in a desert
state such as Arizona and in one of the hottest
places in the country, Lake Havasu City, you
would find an
AMA club
dedicated to flying
off the water? The
Havasu Sport
Flyers Association
(HSFA) is
celebrating its
eighth year as just
such a club. The
members fly off the
beach at Rotary
Park on Lake
Havasu near the
world-famous
London Bridge.
The HSFA was
organized for the
sole purpose of
flying RC float planes. The flying site is
provided and maintained free of charge by
the Parks and Recreation Department and the
club has a specific permit to fly from sunrise
to 12 noon daily. Flying is only permitted
when the HSFA recovery boat is on site and
available for aircraft retrieval.
The HSFA pit and launching area is in full
swing. Club president Bill Welch in the
foreground is monitoring the flight operations
as HSFA members enjoy a beautiful day at
the lake.
The club’s recovery boat—if the airplane is
too big, just tow it in!
Photos courtesy of Tarry (TJ) Roberts,
HSFA public relations officer.
Until next time, Keep ’em Safe and Keep
’em Flyin’
Departed friend and
member Ray Young
(L) with Frank Diskin,
HSFA’s co-founder,
treasurer, and the
recovery-boat captain.