AMA News - Flying Site Assistance

Joe Beshar Coordinator, Eastern Region, Districts I - VI 198 Merritt Dr. Oradell NJ 07649 Tel.: (201)261-1281 Fax:(201)261-0223 E-mail: [email protected] Wes De Cou, Coordinator Western Region Districts VII - XI Voice: (480) 460-9466 Cell: (480) 540 3368 Fax: (480) 460-9434 E-mail: [email protected] Finding—Preserving—Maintaining. I WANT TO request that when E-mailing me, please be sure to include your name, telephone number, and AMA number. Please include a mailing address when requesting materials. It seems the simpler communications become, the more likely the basics tend to be overlooked. In some cases, I have been having problems responding when federal and government office E-mail addresses are used. Please use your personal E-mail address. We have always encouraged community events demonstrating appreciation to property owners for use of their land for model flying sites. This enlightens them as to the value of model aviation. I would like to share these activities from some of our members. April 27 the East Coast Indoor Modelers (ECIM) celebrated 75 years of model aircraft flying in Hangar #1 at the Lakehurst Naval Station. (Actually 2001 was our anniversary but events postponed the fall gathering.) Captain Mark Bathrick, commanding officer of the base, attended along with more than 60 ECIM members. To commemorate the event, a plaque was presented as well as a $500 donation to Navy Relief. World Indoor champion John Kagan presented the gifts. As a club, we fly two types of aircraft in the hangar, one being a slow fly remote control aircraft. Recent advances in remote control technology have allowed these airplanes to weigh less than 10 ounces and fly about as fast as a slow walk. With quiet electric power, the aircraft is under total control by the pilot. We even practice Carrier landings on a card table. The second type of airplane is the rubber-powered Free Flight models with a history dating back to 1926. The rubber-powered aircraft are far lighter, some weighing less than one gram; by comparison, a dollar bill weighs one gram. Models such as these must be transported in special boxes and handled carefully due to the delicacy of the balsa and Mylar™ constuction. These aircraft can fly as long as an hour in the calm indoor conditions in Hangar #1. The rubber-powered airplanes are flown as a sport, the end game being whose can stay up the longest. Hangar #1 hosts sactioned modeling contests Memorial Day weekend, Independence Day weekend, and Labor Day weekend. Captain Bathrick got a little stick time on one of the lightweight Radio Control (RC) slow flyers as well as a few launches of the rubber-powered aircraft. Hangar # 1 is a mecca for this rather obscure sport with members of the United States and Canadian national teams using it for practice. The hangar has also seen a host of national records set throughout the years; four in the past year alone. Who knew there was such aviation wonderment going on indoors on the base? Well, now you know. All base personnel are welcome to come see and enjoy our hobby. The best time to come is on Saturdays. Slow fly RC happens every Saturday morning and Free Flight every other Saturday afternoon. For more information, contact club president Bob Romash at [email protected] or (856) 985-6849. The Mercer County Radio Control Society held a fly-in at the Assunpink Management Area in Imlaystown NJ. This is their club's flying site, known as the Warren Kruse Flying Field. On May 25 and 26, they held the 13th annual Jumbo Jamboree. This Giant Scale fly-in is strictly for the benefit of the Sunshine Foundation, an organization that benefits physically and mentally challenged children. The club has raised roughly $3,000 or more each year. It is a great way to show appreciation and recognition for the value of model aviation to the community and donate to a just cause in support. The Palm Beach Skyhawks RC Club gains local recognition by sponsoring Project Helping Hands, a gathering for youth, providing Delta Darts as a start and graduating to RC. It's another way to enhance community relations. Project Helping Hands was started by Arty Mundell to give the young people of Palm Beach County the opportunity to experience the RC model airplane hobby. Working with Fred Wein, volunteer coordinator for the Department of Children and Families, and the Palm Beach Skyhawks club members, this program so far has been a success. During a Project Helping Hands event, the youngsters first build balsa wood and paper airplanes called Delta Darts. When completed they have a mass airplane launch and the pilots of the airplanes that remain airborne the longest win first, second, and third place ribbons. All the children receive a certificate of achievement for their building and flying skills. The club members then present a program on how airplanes fly, followed by the children flying RC models using the buddy box training system. After refreshments, the club members put on a flying demonstration for the group. -: Project Helping Hands is a monthly program that usually lasts for three or four hours. Any group that is interested can contact Arty at (561) 968-0165 days or leave a message. In the January 2002 issue of Model Aviation, my column included a field rating system developed by FSA volunteer Raymond Lefran^ois. I am pleased with the positive reception received for the release of the system. Roger George of the Miniature AeroSportsters in Thornton CO reported his results. "I just completed your flying site rating. I'm proud to say we scored 78%. "1 think we have a great site. The elevation is 5,300 feet. We have a 400 x 40-foot paved runway. We do need about 20 more feet on each end to really make it great, but we have dirt overruns that work well. "We have ducted fans that use all the runway, and do overshoot at times, but there are no obstacles. We are out on the plains, five miles northeast of Denver International Airport, and far away from all people and property. We lease from the state, and are well off the country road with locked gates and fences. "There are roughly 60 members but rarely are there more than 15 fliers out at a time. You can almost always get a frequency pin. We even listed all the frequencies that the members have so when getting a new radio, you can get one that is less used. "Our only drawback is that we have no water or electricity, but we do have two generators. Out here all water is owned by someone else, so drilling a well is out of the question. "Flying weather here is great. Rarely do we have a day we can't fly, and we don't have that many windy days. If it is a windy day and the wind is down the runway as usual, many of us fly up to 35 mph. If there is a Crosswind we stop at 15-20 mph. "We have a great brick clubhouse and a large covered area with tables. We have a potbellied stove and a propane cookstove with an oven for the ham-and-beans and chili. We have barbecue grills and smokers, mowers, snowblowers, etc. "Because we are kind of far out, most fliers come out for the whole day. We fly, lie about flying, enjoy the fellowship, and eat all day. We are a very close-knit group and when a member dies, it gets to us all. "All our member are very unselfish. We have a kids' day each summer and we get dozens of trainers for use. We usually lose one or two, but the owners smile and say it was worth it to see the the kids' smiles "We have a few things that need a little improvement. I am going to pass out copies of your site evaluation, then we can see where and if we can correct the defects."