District II - 2006/08
Dave Mathewson, District II Vice President
[email protected] New Jersey, New York, Europe
It looks as though the outdoor flying season is finally here for all of us in District II. Events of all sorts are happening every weekend. Many of our members enjoy visiting and participating in the fun-flys, rallies, and competitions that clubs sponsor.
Events can be anything from a low-key fun-fly to all-out, hotly contested competitions. Attending these events is a great way to meet other members and see what they are doing throughout the district.
If you want to see what's taking place in your area, you can find a listing in the AMA Contest Calendar in Model Aviation (MA) or you can visit our district website at www.amadistrictii.org.
Joe Nall fly-in (South Carolina)
I attended the annual Joe Nall fly-in, held every spring in South Carolina. I ran into several members from our district there. Some were flying but most were attending as spectators.
This was my first time there and I have to tell you, this is one outstanding fly-in. Hundreds of pilots and thousands of spectators visit the field during the four-day event. There were several dozen model vendors on site and flying took place from nearly sunup until who knows when.
In addition to flying from the main runway, there was a float pond nearby that was exceptionally active. In the evening there was time set aside for night flying as well as an area designated for smaller electric models that were equipped with spread-spectrum radio systems. This eliminated the need for any type of frequency control for the modelers flying electrics. Flight demonstrations each day featured various models flown by some of our best pilots.
Joe Nall is the type of event where you can attend as a pilot or spectator and still enjoy being there. It didn't hurt that the sun was shining each day and the temperatures hovered in the eighties. Returning to reality, when we got home that Saturday night the weather report called for a frost warning and possible snow flurries.
If you haven't had a chance yet to visit, you might want to consider it. If you like model airplanes, you'll like the Joe Nall.
Cradle of Aviation Museum model expo
In March, District II associate vice president Ray Juschkus invited me to a model expo in which several District II clubs were participating at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. Ray wrote the following:
"The Cradle of Aviation Museum is located on Long Island at the site of the old Mitchel Field Airport. The museum was opened in May 2002. A beautiful building with an all-glass façade, the museum is home to more than 65 aircraft. The atrium holds aloft a Grumman F11F Tiger Jet. This is just one example of the many high-quality models on display at the Cradle of Aviation's first annual Model Expo.
"This year the museum sponsored a model exposition and invited several of the local clubs to participate. The result was an exhibit that included nearly 50 models as well as model engine collectors' displays and flight simulators.
"The Silent Electric Flyers of Long Island (SEFLI) club had a display of all-electric-powered models. Tom Hunt, president of SEFLI, was there to answer the many questions people asked about electrics.
"Also making a visit was Dave Mathewson, AMA District II vice president, and his lovely wife Ginger. John Clarke, an avid modeler and one of the 150 volunteer museum tour guides, gave Dave and Ginger a VIP tour of the museum.
"During the two-day event, a scratch-built model was framed out while guests watched it take shape. The museum plans to hold the expo again next year and we hope to make it bigger and better. For further information about the museum, go to www.cradleofaviation.org."
Thanks to Ray, and thanks to John Clarke for the tour of the museum. His background and knowledge of the exhibits made for a terrific experience.
Garden State Circle Burners awards banquet
On April 2, 2006, my wife and I attended the annual Garden State Circle Burners (GSCB) awards banquet. The Circle Burners are one of AMA's premier CL (control-line) clubs. In addition to holding several competition events annually, the club conducts its area's largest swap meet and is heavily involved in the AMA's Intro Pilot Program.
Master of ceremonies for this year's dinner was club president Mike Cooper. Mike presented a series of awards to Circle Burner members in recognition of their various accomplishments throughout 2005.
Special guests at this year's dinner were John and Buzz Brodak. In addition to John being a past president of the Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association (PAMPA), an AMA Special Interest Group, John and Buzz are owners of Brodak Manufacturing, a prominent model-manufacturing company in the control-line arena. The Circle Burners wanted to show their appreciation to John and Buzz for all of the positive contributions they've made to CL modeling during the last several decades.
2006 District II Fly-In
The 2006 District II Fly-In will be hosted this year by the Jersey Coast Sport Fliers (JCSF) and held at its club field in Colts Neck, New Jersey, on August 12–13, 2006. The JCSF flying site is located in Dorbrook Park.
- Dates: August 12–13, 2006
- Location: Dorbrook Park, Colts Neck, New Jersey
- Gates open: 8:30 a.m.
- Flying starts: 10:00 a.m.
- More information: www.jcsportfliers.org
Hope to see many of you there.
See you next time.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
