Starting school clubs might
be easier than you think.
The Camelot Knight Flyers,
at Camelot Elementary School in
Orlando, Florida, is a great example of
a parent-and-teacher partnership where
the students benefit and are introduced
to modeling in a positive way.
This award-winning club, made up
of fourth and fifth grade students, is
sponsored by Camelot Elementary
science lab teacher, Richard Ellenburg,
and longtime modeler and pilot, Moses
Alicea.
How They Did It
The club received funding through
educational grants from the Air Force
Association and a local foundation.
Materials were purchased at cost from
Millenium RC, and generous donations—
airplanes and a computer flight
simulator—were provided by Colonial
Photo and Hobby in Orlando.
The sponsors purchased and built two
Slow Stick balsa models from Millenium
RC, a GWS Slow Stick, two Easy Star
powered gliders, a Multiplex Easy Cub,
and a Multiplex Fun Cub. They have
scratch-built four balsa gliders with
2-foot wingspans that competed in
the National Engineers Week student
competition called See Joe Go.
They acquired a Spektrum DX6i
and four Spektrum DX5e transmitters.
Training is done on three RealFlight
Basic Flight Simulators. All of the
airplanes are set up to be powered using
the same size three-cell battery. A large
number of batteries are kept charged
and ready to use.
Club Activities
See Joe Go is a glider-building
competition held during
National Engineering
Week. The contest is
designed for middle
school and high
school students.
Gliders are
scratchbuilt
and
launched by
rubber bands on a
table. The glider that
travels the farthest wins.
In 2011, the Camelot
Knight Flyers were invited
by Lockheed Martin
to compete, the only
elementary school to do so.
Building and flying against
much older students, the
Photos by
the author
Camelot Elementary
School principal, Janet
Medina-Maestre,
displays the first clubbuilt
model airplane!
Moses Alicea (L) and Richard Ellenburg pose
with a group of excited pilots for a photo.
Students utilize donated magazines as part of their research to
learn more about aeromodeling.
Left: As part of the test for a “pilot license,” students must
correctly identify the parts of an airplane.
54 Model Aviation April 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
Right: The students are with sponsors Richard
(L) and Moses in the Camelot Elementary
science lab.
Moses takes time to connect with the students
and ensure that all of their modeling questions
are answered.
Below: RealFlight Basic is used for flight
training. Students demonstrate their
proficiency by performing a takeoff,
circling the field, and landing a basic
model two times in a row.
group swept the competition taking first,
second, and third places.
Pilot License is designed for students
to gain expertise and flying time. They
must pass a series of tests to earn a pilot
license which provides access to flight
time.
Students must complete the following:
Correctly identify parts of an airplane;
use a computer simulator to take off; and
circle the field and land a basic model
two times in a row (twice in a row is
considered basic mastery). Students must
be able to use a transmitter and airplane
(neither under power) to demonstrate
the motion of the aircraft with each
www.ModelAviation.com April 2012 Model Aviation 55
Although we didn’t receive a caption for this
photo, it’s obvious this student knows a good
model magazine when she sees it!
movement of the transmitter (flying
away and flying toward you, and inverted
for both).
The pilot license is the first step. A
buddy-box system is used for flying and
the pilot license experience is important
to hands-on learning.
The Garden Party is an annual spring
event in which the entire school is
invited to visit the science lab and the
aeronautics students explain their
program and fly airplanes on the
physical education field. More than
300 families have attended in past
years.
About the Sponsors
Moses Alicea is a parent volunteer
who has met twice a week, every week,
for two years with the clubs. Moses has
been building and flying RC airplanes for
more than 30 years. Moses was the 2010
Camelot Volunteer of the Year and was
first runner-up in 2011.
Camelot Elementary School Facts:
Location: Orlando FL
School population: 700 at this
suburban school.
Aeronautics Club membership: 53
fourth and fifth graders (divided into
three “flights”). Each flight meets every
other week after school for at least an
hour. The clubs formed two years ago.
For the previous five years, emphasis
was on model rocketry.
Sponsors: Science lab teacher Rick
Ellenburg and parent volunteer
Moses Alicea.
Students find decorating the models to be nearly as much fun as flying them.
A typical day of buddy-box flying is never
short of eager, willing participants!
The program would not exist
without Moses. He is the primary flier
who operates the buddy box. He has
used his connection in the Central
Florida RC community to get materials
donated or at cost.
Moses serves as the primary
instructor for all airplane builds
and has shared the costs involved in
necessary purchases. In his spare time,
he competes across the southeast in
RC events and flies ultralight aircraft.
A gifted teacher, Moses connects well
with the students.
Richard Ellenburg has been teaching
science for most of his 30-plus-year
career. He was recognized as the 2008
Florida Teacher of the Year.
Richard is a Smithsonian Ambassador
and has spent time behind the
scenes with the Wright Flyer. As a
Honeywell Educator, he spent a week
in Huntsville, Alabama, at Space Camp.
He was an author of Florida’s new
science standards and he has conducted
science experiments while flying in
zero gravity.
Richard is a lifelong model rocket
builder and is an eager novice
RC pilot.
—Moses Alicea
Mojoma25@gmail.com
—Jay Smith
jays@modelaircraft.org
Sources:
Millenium RC
(407) 208-9745
www.millenniumrc.com
Colonial Photo and Hobby
(800) 841-1485
www.colonialphotohobby.com
GWS USA
(909) 594-4979
www.gwsus.com
Multiplex
(858) 748-6948
www.multiplexusa.com
Spektrum
(800) 338-4639
www.spektrumrc.com
RealFlight
(800) 637-7660
www.realflight.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/04
Page Numbers: 52,53,54,55,56
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/04
Page Numbers: 52,53,54,55,56
Starting school clubs might
be easier than you think.
The Camelot Knight Flyers,
at Camelot Elementary School in
Orlando, Florida, is a great example of
a parent-and-teacher partnership where
the students benefit and are introduced
to modeling in a positive way.
This award-winning club, made up
of fourth and fifth grade students, is
sponsored by Camelot Elementary
science lab teacher, Richard Ellenburg,
and longtime modeler and pilot, Moses
Alicea.
How They Did It
The club received funding through
educational grants from the Air Force
Association and a local foundation.
Materials were purchased at cost from
Millenium RC, and generous donations—
airplanes and a computer flight
simulator—were provided by Colonial
Photo and Hobby in Orlando.
The sponsors purchased and built two
Slow Stick balsa models from Millenium
RC, a GWS Slow Stick, two Easy Star
powered gliders, a Multiplex Easy Cub,
and a Multiplex Fun Cub. They have
scratch-built four balsa gliders with
2-foot wingspans that competed in
the National Engineers Week student
competition called See Joe Go.
They acquired a Spektrum DX6i
and four Spektrum DX5e transmitters.
Training is done on three RealFlight
Basic Flight Simulators. All of the
airplanes are set up to be powered using
the same size three-cell battery. A large
number of batteries are kept charged
and ready to use.
Club Activities
See Joe Go is a glider-building
competition held during
National Engineering
Week. The contest is
designed for middle
school and high
school students.
Gliders are
scratchbuilt
and
launched by
rubber bands on a
table. The glider that
travels the farthest wins.
In 2011, the Camelot
Knight Flyers were invited
by Lockheed Martin
to compete, the only
elementary school to do so.
Building and flying against
much older students, the
Photos by
the author
Camelot Elementary
School principal, Janet
Medina-Maestre,
displays the first clubbuilt
model airplane!
Moses Alicea (L) and Richard Ellenburg pose
with a group of excited pilots for a photo.
Students utilize donated magazines as part of their research to
learn more about aeromodeling.
Left: As part of the test for a “pilot license,” students must
correctly identify the parts of an airplane.
54 Model Aviation April 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
Right: The students are with sponsors Richard
(L) and Moses in the Camelot Elementary
science lab.
Moses takes time to connect with the students
and ensure that all of their modeling questions
are answered.
Below: RealFlight Basic is used for flight
training. Students demonstrate their
proficiency by performing a takeoff,
circling the field, and landing a basic
model two times in a row.
group swept the competition taking first,
second, and third places.
Pilot License is designed for students
to gain expertise and flying time. They
must pass a series of tests to earn a pilot
license which provides access to flight
time.
Students must complete the following:
Correctly identify parts of an airplane;
use a computer simulator to take off; and
circle the field and land a basic model
two times in a row (twice in a row is
considered basic mastery). Students must
be able to use a transmitter and airplane
(neither under power) to demonstrate
the motion of the aircraft with each
www.ModelAviation.com April 2012 Model Aviation 55
Although we didn’t receive a caption for this
photo, it’s obvious this student knows a good
model magazine when she sees it!
movement of the transmitter (flying
away and flying toward you, and inverted
for both).
The pilot license is the first step. A
buddy-box system is used for flying and
the pilot license experience is important
to hands-on learning.
The Garden Party is an annual spring
event in which the entire school is
invited to visit the science lab and the
aeronautics students explain their
program and fly airplanes on the
physical education field. More than
300 families have attended in past
years.
About the Sponsors
Moses Alicea is a parent volunteer
who has met twice a week, every week,
for two years with the clubs. Moses has
been building and flying RC airplanes for
more than 30 years. Moses was the 2010
Camelot Volunteer of the Year and was
first runner-up in 2011.
Camelot Elementary School Facts:
Location: Orlando FL
School population: 700 at this
suburban school.
Aeronautics Club membership: 53
fourth and fifth graders (divided into
three “flights”). Each flight meets every
other week after school for at least an
hour. The clubs formed two years ago.
For the previous five years, emphasis
was on model rocketry.
Sponsors: Science lab teacher Rick
Ellenburg and parent volunteer
Moses Alicea.
Students find decorating the models to be nearly as much fun as flying them.
A typical day of buddy-box flying is never
short of eager, willing participants!
The program would not exist
without Moses. He is the primary flier
who operates the buddy box. He has
used his connection in the Central
Florida RC community to get materials
donated or at cost.
Moses serves as the primary
instructor for all airplane builds
and has shared the costs involved in
necessary purchases. In his spare time,
he competes across the southeast in
RC events and flies ultralight aircraft.
A gifted teacher, Moses connects well
with the students.
Richard Ellenburg has been teaching
science for most of his 30-plus-year
career. He was recognized as the 2008
Florida Teacher of the Year.
Richard is a Smithsonian Ambassador
and has spent time behind the
scenes with the Wright Flyer. As a
Honeywell Educator, he spent a week
in Huntsville, Alabama, at Space Camp.
He was an author of Florida’s new
science standards and he has conducted
science experiments while flying in
zero gravity.
Richard is a lifelong model rocket
builder and is an eager novice
RC pilot.
—Moses Alicea
Mojoma25@gmail.com
—Jay Smith
jays@modelaircraft.org
Sources:
Millenium RC
(407) 208-9745
www.millenniumrc.com
Colonial Photo and Hobby
(800) 841-1485
www.colonialphotohobby.com
GWS USA
(909) 594-4979
www.gwsus.com
Multiplex
(858) 748-6948
www.multiplexusa.com
Spektrum
(800) 338-4639
www.spektrumrc.com
RealFlight
(800) 637-7660
www.realflight.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/04
Page Numbers: 52,53,54,55,56
Starting school clubs might
be easier than you think.
The Camelot Knight Flyers,
at Camelot Elementary School in
Orlando, Florida, is a great example of
a parent-and-teacher partnership where
the students benefit and are introduced
to modeling in a positive way.
This award-winning club, made up
of fourth and fifth grade students, is
sponsored by Camelot Elementary
science lab teacher, Richard Ellenburg,
and longtime modeler and pilot, Moses
Alicea.
How They Did It
The club received funding through
educational grants from the Air Force
Association and a local foundation.
Materials were purchased at cost from
Millenium RC, and generous donations—
airplanes and a computer flight
simulator—were provided by Colonial
Photo and Hobby in Orlando.
The sponsors purchased and built two
Slow Stick balsa models from Millenium
RC, a GWS Slow Stick, two Easy Star
powered gliders, a Multiplex Easy Cub,
and a Multiplex Fun Cub. They have
scratch-built four balsa gliders with
2-foot wingspans that competed in
the National Engineers Week student
competition called See Joe Go.
They acquired a Spektrum DX6i
and four Spektrum DX5e transmitters.
Training is done on three RealFlight
Basic Flight Simulators. All of the
airplanes are set up to be powered using
the same size three-cell battery. A large
number of batteries are kept charged
and ready to use.
Club Activities
See Joe Go is a glider-building
competition held during
National Engineering
Week. The contest is
designed for middle
school and high
school students.
Gliders are
scratchbuilt
and
launched by
rubber bands on a
table. The glider that
travels the farthest wins.
In 2011, the Camelot
Knight Flyers were invited
by Lockheed Martin
to compete, the only
elementary school to do so.
Building and flying against
much older students, the
Photos by
the author
Camelot Elementary
School principal, Janet
Medina-Maestre,
displays the first clubbuilt
model airplane!
Moses Alicea (L) and Richard Ellenburg pose
with a group of excited pilots for a photo.
Students utilize donated magazines as part of their research to
learn more about aeromodeling.
Left: As part of the test for a “pilot license,” students must
correctly identify the parts of an airplane.
54 Model Aviation April 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
Right: The students are with sponsors Richard
(L) and Moses in the Camelot Elementary
science lab.
Moses takes time to connect with the students
and ensure that all of their modeling questions
are answered.
Below: RealFlight Basic is used for flight
training. Students demonstrate their
proficiency by performing a takeoff,
circling the field, and landing a basic
model two times in a row.
group swept the competition taking first,
second, and third places.
Pilot License is designed for students
to gain expertise and flying time. They
must pass a series of tests to earn a pilot
license which provides access to flight
time.
Students must complete the following:
Correctly identify parts of an airplane;
use a computer simulator to take off; and
circle the field and land a basic model
two times in a row (twice in a row is
considered basic mastery). Students must
be able to use a transmitter and airplane
(neither under power) to demonstrate
the motion of the aircraft with each
www.ModelAviation.com April 2012 Model Aviation 55
Although we didn’t receive a caption for this
photo, it’s obvious this student knows a good
model magazine when she sees it!
movement of the transmitter (flying
away and flying toward you, and inverted
for both).
The pilot license is the first step. A
buddy-box system is used for flying and
the pilot license experience is important
to hands-on learning.
The Garden Party is an annual spring
event in which the entire school is
invited to visit the science lab and the
aeronautics students explain their
program and fly airplanes on the
physical education field. More than
300 families have attended in past
years.
About the Sponsors
Moses Alicea is a parent volunteer
who has met twice a week, every week,
for two years with the clubs. Moses has
been building and flying RC airplanes for
more than 30 years. Moses was the 2010
Camelot Volunteer of the Year and was
first runner-up in 2011.
Camelot Elementary School Facts:
Location: Orlando FL
School population: 700 at this
suburban school.
Aeronautics Club membership: 53
fourth and fifth graders (divided into
three “flights”). Each flight meets every
other week after school for at least an
hour. The clubs formed two years ago.
For the previous five years, emphasis
was on model rocketry.
Sponsors: Science lab teacher Rick
Ellenburg and parent volunteer
Moses Alicea.
Students find decorating the models to be nearly as much fun as flying them.
A typical day of buddy-box flying is never
short of eager, willing participants!
The program would not exist
without Moses. He is the primary flier
who operates the buddy box. He has
used his connection in the Central
Florida RC community to get materials
donated or at cost.
Moses serves as the primary
instructor for all airplane builds
and has shared the costs involved in
necessary purchases. In his spare time,
he competes across the southeast in
RC events and flies ultralight aircraft.
A gifted teacher, Moses connects well
with the students.
Richard Ellenburg has been teaching
science for most of his 30-plus-year
career. He was recognized as the 2008
Florida Teacher of the Year.
Richard is a Smithsonian Ambassador
and has spent time behind the
scenes with the Wright Flyer. As a
Honeywell Educator, he spent a week
in Huntsville, Alabama, at Space Camp.
He was an author of Florida’s new
science standards and he has conducted
science experiments while flying in
zero gravity.
Richard is a lifelong model rocket
builder and is an eager novice
RC pilot.
—Moses Alicea
Mojoma25@gmail.com
—Jay Smith
jays@modelaircraft.org
Sources:
Millenium RC
(407) 208-9745
www.millenniumrc.com
Colonial Photo and Hobby
(800) 841-1485
www.colonialphotohobby.com
GWS USA
(909) 594-4979
www.gwsus.com
Multiplex
(858) 748-6948
www.multiplexusa.com
Spektrum
(800) 338-4639
www.spektrumrc.com
RealFlight
(800) 637-7660
www.realflight.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/04
Page Numbers: 52,53,54,55,56
Starting school clubs might
be easier than you think.
The Camelot Knight Flyers,
at Camelot Elementary School in
Orlando, Florida, is a great example of
a parent-and-teacher partnership where
the students benefit and are introduced
to modeling in a positive way.
This award-winning club, made up
of fourth and fifth grade students, is
sponsored by Camelot Elementary
science lab teacher, Richard Ellenburg,
and longtime modeler and pilot, Moses
Alicea.
How They Did It
The club received funding through
educational grants from the Air Force
Association and a local foundation.
Materials were purchased at cost from
Millenium RC, and generous donations—
airplanes and a computer flight
simulator—were provided by Colonial
Photo and Hobby in Orlando.
The sponsors purchased and built two
Slow Stick balsa models from Millenium
RC, a GWS Slow Stick, two Easy Star
powered gliders, a Multiplex Easy Cub,
and a Multiplex Fun Cub. They have
scratch-built four balsa gliders with
2-foot wingspans that competed in
the National Engineers Week student
competition called See Joe Go.
They acquired a Spektrum DX6i
and four Spektrum DX5e transmitters.
Training is done on three RealFlight
Basic Flight Simulators. All of the
airplanes are set up to be powered using
the same size three-cell battery. A large
number of batteries are kept charged
and ready to use.
Club Activities
See Joe Go is a glider-building
competition held during
National Engineering
Week. The contest is
designed for middle
school and high
school students.
Gliders are
scratchbuilt
and
launched by
rubber bands on a
table. The glider that
travels the farthest wins.
In 2011, the Camelot
Knight Flyers were invited
by Lockheed Martin
to compete, the only
elementary school to do so.
Building and flying against
much older students, the
Photos by
the author
Camelot Elementary
School principal, Janet
Medina-Maestre,
displays the first clubbuilt
model airplane!
Moses Alicea (L) and Richard Ellenburg pose
with a group of excited pilots for a photo.
Students utilize donated magazines as part of their research to
learn more about aeromodeling.
Left: As part of the test for a “pilot license,” students must
correctly identify the parts of an airplane.
54 Model Aviation April 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
Right: The students are with sponsors Richard
(L) and Moses in the Camelot Elementary
science lab.
Moses takes time to connect with the students
and ensure that all of their modeling questions
are answered.
Below: RealFlight Basic is used for flight
training. Students demonstrate their
proficiency by performing a takeoff,
circling the field, and landing a basic
model two times in a row.
group swept the competition taking first,
second, and third places.
Pilot License is designed for students
to gain expertise and flying time. They
must pass a series of tests to earn a pilot
license which provides access to flight
time.
Students must complete the following:
Correctly identify parts of an airplane;
use a computer simulator to take off; and
circle the field and land a basic model
two times in a row (twice in a row is
considered basic mastery). Students must
be able to use a transmitter and airplane
(neither under power) to demonstrate
the motion of the aircraft with each
www.ModelAviation.com April 2012 Model Aviation 55
Although we didn’t receive a caption for this
photo, it’s obvious this student knows a good
model magazine when she sees it!
movement of the transmitter (flying
away and flying toward you, and inverted
for both).
The pilot license is the first step. A
buddy-box system is used for flying and
the pilot license experience is important
to hands-on learning.
The Garden Party is an annual spring
event in which the entire school is
invited to visit the science lab and the
aeronautics students explain their
program and fly airplanes on the
physical education field. More than
300 families have attended in past
years.
About the Sponsors
Moses Alicea is a parent volunteer
who has met twice a week, every week,
for two years with the clubs. Moses has
been building and flying RC airplanes for
more than 30 years. Moses was the 2010
Camelot Volunteer of the Year and was
first runner-up in 2011.
Camelot Elementary School Facts:
Location: Orlando FL
School population: 700 at this
suburban school.
Aeronautics Club membership: 53
fourth and fifth graders (divided into
three “flights”). Each flight meets every
other week after school for at least an
hour. The clubs formed two years ago.
For the previous five years, emphasis
was on model rocketry.
Sponsors: Science lab teacher Rick
Ellenburg and parent volunteer
Moses Alicea.
Students find decorating the models to be nearly as much fun as flying them.
A typical day of buddy-box flying is never
short of eager, willing participants!
The program would not exist
without Moses. He is the primary flier
who operates the buddy box. He has
used his connection in the Central
Florida RC community to get materials
donated or at cost.
Moses serves as the primary
instructor for all airplane builds
and has shared the costs involved in
necessary purchases. In his spare time,
he competes across the southeast in
RC events and flies ultralight aircraft.
A gifted teacher, Moses connects well
with the students.
Richard Ellenburg has been teaching
science for most of his 30-plus-year
career. He was recognized as the 2008
Florida Teacher of the Year.
Richard is a Smithsonian Ambassador
and has spent time behind the
scenes with the Wright Flyer. As a
Honeywell Educator, he spent a week
in Huntsville, Alabama, at Space Camp.
He was an author of Florida’s new
science standards and he has conducted
science experiments while flying in
zero gravity.
Richard is a lifelong model rocket
builder and is an eager novice
RC pilot.
—Moses Alicea
Mojoma25@gmail.com
—Jay Smith
jays@modelaircraft.org
Sources:
Millenium RC
(407) 208-9745
www.millenniumrc.com
Colonial Photo and Hobby
(800) 841-1485
www.colonialphotohobby.com
GWS USA
(909) 594-4979
www.gwsus.com
Multiplex
(858) 748-6948
www.multiplexusa.com
Spektrum
(800) 338-4639
www.spektrumrc.com
RealFlight
(800) 637-7660
www.realflight.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/04
Page Numbers: 52,53,54,55,56
Starting school clubs might
be easier than you think.
The Camelot Knight Flyers,
at Camelot Elementary School in
Orlando, Florida, is a great example of
a parent-and-teacher partnership where
the students benefit and are introduced
to modeling in a positive way.
This award-winning club, made up
of fourth and fifth grade students, is
sponsored by Camelot Elementary
science lab teacher, Richard Ellenburg,
and longtime modeler and pilot, Moses
Alicea.
How They Did It
The club received funding through
educational grants from the Air Force
Association and a local foundation.
Materials were purchased at cost from
Millenium RC, and generous donations—
airplanes and a computer flight
simulator—were provided by Colonial
Photo and Hobby in Orlando.
The sponsors purchased and built two
Slow Stick balsa models from Millenium
RC, a GWS Slow Stick, two Easy Star
powered gliders, a Multiplex Easy Cub,
and a Multiplex Fun Cub. They have
scratch-built four balsa gliders with
2-foot wingspans that competed in
the National Engineers Week student
competition called See Joe Go.
They acquired a Spektrum DX6i
and four Spektrum DX5e transmitters.
Training is done on three RealFlight
Basic Flight Simulators. All of the
airplanes are set up to be powered using
the same size three-cell battery. A large
number of batteries are kept charged
and ready to use.
Club Activities
See Joe Go is a glider-building
competition held during
National Engineering
Week. The contest is
designed for middle
school and high
school students.
Gliders are
scratchbuilt
and
launched by
rubber bands on a
table. The glider that
travels the farthest wins.
In 2011, the Camelot
Knight Flyers were invited
by Lockheed Martin
to compete, the only
elementary school to do so.
Building and flying against
much older students, the
Photos by
the author
Camelot Elementary
School principal, Janet
Medina-Maestre,
displays the first clubbuilt
model airplane!
Moses Alicea (L) and Richard Ellenburg pose
with a group of excited pilots for a photo.
Students utilize donated magazines as part of their research to
learn more about aeromodeling.
Left: As part of the test for a “pilot license,” students must
correctly identify the parts of an airplane.
54 Model Aviation April 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
Right: The students are with sponsors Richard
(L) and Moses in the Camelot Elementary
science lab.
Moses takes time to connect with the students
and ensure that all of their modeling questions
are answered.
Below: RealFlight Basic is used for flight
training. Students demonstrate their
proficiency by performing a takeoff,
circling the field, and landing a basic
model two times in a row.
group swept the competition taking first,
second, and third places.
Pilot License is designed for students
to gain expertise and flying time. They
must pass a series of tests to earn a pilot
license which provides access to flight
time.
Students must complete the following:
Correctly identify parts of an airplane;
use a computer simulator to take off; and
circle the field and land a basic model
two times in a row (twice in a row is
considered basic mastery). Students must
be able to use a transmitter and airplane
(neither under power) to demonstrate
the motion of the aircraft with each
www.ModelAviation.com April 2012 Model Aviation 55
Although we didn’t receive a caption for this
photo, it’s obvious this student knows a good
model magazine when she sees it!
movement of the transmitter (flying
away and flying toward you, and inverted
for both).
The pilot license is the first step. A
buddy-box system is used for flying and
the pilot license experience is important
to hands-on learning.
The Garden Party is an annual spring
event in which the entire school is
invited to visit the science lab and the
aeronautics students explain their
program and fly airplanes on the
physical education field. More than
300 families have attended in past
years.
About the Sponsors
Moses Alicea is a parent volunteer
who has met twice a week, every week,
for two years with the clubs. Moses has
been building and flying RC airplanes for
more than 30 years. Moses was the 2010
Camelot Volunteer of the Year and was
first runner-up in 2011.
Camelot Elementary School Facts:
Location: Orlando FL
School population: 700 at this
suburban school.
Aeronautics Club membership: 53
fourth and fifth graders (divided into
three “flights”). Each flight meets every
other week after school for at least an
hour. The clubs formed two years ago.
For the previous five years, emphasis
was on model rocketry.
Sponsors: Science lab teacher Rick
Ellenburg and parent volunteer
Moses Alicea.
Students find decorating the models to be nearly as much fun as flying them.
A typical day of buddy-box flying is never
short of eager, willing participants!
The program would not exist
without Moses. He is the primary flier
who operates the buddy box. He has
used his connection in the Central
Florida RC community to get materials
donated or at cost.
Moses serves as the primary
instructor for all airplane builds
and has shared the costs involved in
necessary purchases. In his spare time,
he competes across the southeast in
RC events and flies ultralight aircraft.
A gifted teacher, Moses connects well
with the students.
Richard Ellenburg has been teaching
science for most of his 30-plus-year
career. He was recognized as the 2008
Florida Teacher of the Year.
Richard is a Smithsonian Ambassador
and has spent time behind the
scenes with the Wright Flyer. As a
Honeywell Educator, he spent a week
in Huntsville, Alabama, at Space Camp.
He was an author of Florida’s new
science standards and he has conducted
science experiments while flying in
zero gravity.
Richard is a lifelong model rocket
builder and is an eager novice
RC pilot.
—Moses Alicea
Mojoma25@gmail.com
—Jay Smith
jays@modelaircraft.org
Sources:
Millenium RC
(407) 208-9745
www.millenniumrc.com
Colonial Photo and Hobby
(800) 841-1485
www.colonialphotohobby.com
GWS USA
(909) 594-4979
www.gwsus.com
Multiplex
(858) 748-6948
www.multiplexusa.com
Spektrum
(800) 338-4639
www.spektrumrc.com
RealFlight
(800) 637-7660
www.realflight.com
