Author: Lawrence Tougas
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/11
Page Numbers: 145

District X—Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah

Vice President

Jerry Deebach of the Tucson Radio Control Club shares an afternoon he spent at a recent aviation seminar.

FAAST Seminar at Sierra Vista Municipal Airport

A bright, sunny Saturday morning in southern Arizona was the stage for an FAA Safety Team (FAAST) seminar held at the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport. This field is unique in that it is also the home of Libby Army Airfield. The U.S. Army, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and, during certain times of the year, the U.S. Forest Service occupy the south side of the airport, with civilian operations on the north side. The U.S. Army also has a major training center for unmanned aircraft at nearby Fort Huachuca. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) site trains soldiers, U.S. Marines, and Australian military personnel.

The flight instructor, who is the FAAST representative in our area, works at the UAS training school as an instructor, as do I. When she asked if I could set up a display and provide a speaker for this event, I told her the AMA would be glad to interact with our full-scale cousins.

AMA participation

AMA legislative liaison Rich Hanson stepped up, along with Kevin Houser, District X associate vice president. Between the three of us and the president of the Tucson Radio Control Club (TRCC), Bill Barnitz, the AMA participation came to life fast. AMA headquarters staff shipped display goods and a tradeshow backdrop. On show day, a number of TRCC members drove to Sierra Vista to join a group of local RC fliers. The indoor display was in the same hangar as the seminar.

Outside on the ramp, the Army brought two UAVs for display: the Shadow 200 and the Grey Eagle. This was the first time most in attendance had seen either of these aircraft up close.

During the breaks, the AMA booth space and static displays were swarmed with curious full-scale pilots. The quality and size of these models amazed everyone. Bill Barnitz of the TRCC gave a great presentation on RC flying and spoke of the interaction between AMA and the FAA.

Tours and extras

After a fine lunch provided by the City of Sierra Vista, there was a question-and-answer/photo session. Fort Huachuca provided vans for transportation to its museums, which have a rich history in Old West Arizona. The TRCC members were treated to a tour of the air traffic control tower, with its breathtaking view.

What a great day for AMA to interact with its FAA big brothers and get a chance to see the UAVs that are saving the lives of our military personnel.

Thanks

Thanks go to FAAST representative JC Shine for asking us to help with this event, and to:

  • Rich Hanson
  • Kevin Houser
  • Lt. Col. Tim Timmons
  • Joe Nelson

for their great photos.

More information

Please take a moment to check out the District X website at www.ama10.org. There you'll find an expanded article and more photos.

Until next month, may you have nothing but happy landings.

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.