District I
Andy Argenio, District I Vice President [email protected]
States
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
The sport of aeromodeling began with free-flight (FF) models and has evolved into many categories and special-interest areas.
Today, 95% of our membership is involved with radio control (RC), and as a result we sometimes forget to recognize and promote free flight (FF), control line (CL), and soaring as the worthwhile modeling activities that they are.
The pictures in this column were sent to me by Mark Fineman. They were taken at the Glastonbury Modelers Flying Aces meet held September 18, 2005, in Durham, Connecticut.
All of the events were FF rubber-powered scale contests for models that were traditionally constructed using a balsa framework and covered in tissue.
Mark wrote, "Free Flight has a special significance within District I. The modern Flying Aces movement was created by Dave Stott and the late Bob Thompson, both Connecticut residents. These two men and the Flying Aces clubs invented and popularized Peanut Scale and Embryo Endurance flying."
With winter coming, you might want to check out some of the indoor FF activity in your area. Go online to the National Free Flight Society (NFFS) at www.freeflight.org for event listings, contest calendars, and club contacts.
Free Flight clubs in District I
- Glastonbury Aero Modelers — Glastonbury, Connecticut
- Merrimack Valley Air-Istocrats — Littleton, Massachusetts
- New England Wakefield Group — Everett, Massachusetts
- SAM 7 — Vernon Rockville, Connecticut
I will be covering CL, soaring, and other special-interest activities in future columns. Your continued input is needed and most helpful.
As the year comes to an end and flying events wind down, I am looking forward to finishing the airplanes I started but never found the time to complete. Owning a hobby shop, being an active modeler, and performing the duties of a district vice president are challenges, to say the least. Change has been the order of this year. I welcome your suggestions and comments on district and AMA matters. Together we can modify and prioritize our goals and objectives to address current needs.
I want to thank all the members who have supported this year’s revitalization plan for District I. On behalf of the district team, please have an enjoyable and safe holiday season.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
