District II - 2011/04

April 2011 147
THE MARCH MA cover and articles about
where we are with the FAA should have
grabbed your attention. This is a call to
action for every AMA member—not just RC
fliers—to help us secure the future of all
model aviation.
Talk to your friends, relatives, and
workmates about enlisting their help too!
We need you to visit AMA’s Web site and
download a letter, talking points, elected
Federal representatives’ addresses, and
engage each of them with a letter. This is not
the time to think someone else will do it.
This first round needs to be completed in
April and we may need a second round of
letter writing to occur after the FAA makes
public the NPRM (Notice for Proposed
Rulemaking), possibly in June or July.
It is vital that you participate and that we
act as one unified body of modelers. If you
don’t have Internet access, talk with one of
your friends about getting the information,
or call AMA and we will send you what you
need.
James Sizemore and Lynn Spencer of the
FAA, and AMA’s Dave Mathewson and Rich
Hanson answered questions at the meeting
during the AMA Expo.
Concerned AMA members at the AMA/FAA
roundtable discussion in Ontario, California.
Heroes are typically regular people who rise
to the occasion in a crisis. Most of you know
about or have seen the FPV video over New
York City. I won’t glorify the pilot by listing
his name and it is important to note he wasn’t
an American citizen. He didn’t care about
how his flights would impact modeling here.
Enter Mike Casey, Pennsylvania Avenue
Radio Control Society (PARCS) president.
Because of the FPV flight, the New York
Police Department’s (NYPD) Aviation Unit
and the FAA contacted PARCS, and in a
knee-jerk reaction, almost closed down
model flying at Floyd Bennett Field and in
the five boroughs of New York because of
this FPV video.
To make matters more complicated, the
FAA requested a meeting with Mike to
discuss the situation. Mike turned to AMA
and we enlisted the help of Rich Hanson,
AMA’s Government Affairs Liaison
representative.
Mike downloaded some of the wealth of
information on AMA’s Web site and,
combined with the PARCS club info and
rules, he made a verbal presentation to the
NYPD Aviation Commander. The NYPD has
a long history with PARCS and recognizes
that they fly professionally and safely.
When the FAA Regional Administrator
contacted NYPD, and the JFK Tower,
PARCS was highly recommended. There
were other details and efforts put forth by
Mike Casey and PARCS Vice President
Vinny Caratozzolo who was a lot of help to
Mike, but you get the idea.
The FAA no longer saw a need for a
meeting and instructed PARCS to carry on.
For his effort and this level of service, we
awarded Mike with AMA’s Distinguished
Service Award at the Westchester Radio
AeroModelers (WRAM) show.
Mike Casey, my aviation friends, is my
definition of a hero. Thank you, Mike!
PARCS President Mike Casey showing the
club’s field rules.
Mike Casey and Vince Caratozzolo with
Mike’s F-15.
I learned from The Fly Paper, newsletter of
the Tri-County RC club in Jew Jersey, that its
last charter member, Robert “Bob” Mackey,
passed away Tuesday, November 30, after a
long battle with cancer. He leaves a loving
wife, Joyce, and many friends behind.
Bob and approximately six other men
formed the club in March of 1968. From that
time on Bob held all of the club offices, some
a couple of times and some for years. As an
active and involved member, Bob was a CD
at both our Scale and Pattern contests.
The following is a photo of Ray Juschkus
together with his wife, Carol, and daughter
Karen, taken during Ray’s Hall of Fame
Induction at the NEAT Fair last September.
Until next month, secure our future and take
a youngster flying.
District II
Gary Fitch, District II Vice President; [email protected]
New Jersey, New York, Europe
Gary Fitch
1298 Slab City Rd.,
Franklinville NY 14737;
Tel.: (716) 341-2813
www.amadistrictii.org
Associate Vice
Presidents
Frank Granelli,
Rockaway NJ; (973) 625-
4995; [email protected]
Tom Murray, Basking Ridge NJ;
(908) 766-5656;
[email protected]
Tony Rossi, Somerset NJ; (917)
320-2665; [email protected]
Peter Seiffert, Baldwinsville NY;
(315) 635-6370;
[email protected]
Terry Terreniore, Endicott, NY;
(607) 748-8246; amad2terry@
stny.rr.com
Eric Williams, Schenectady NY;
(518) 356-2057;
[email protected]
Frequency Coordinator:
Kevin Coleman, Middletown NJ;
(212) 975-2988; kcoleman@
cbs.com
CL and FF Contest
Coordinator: Dave King, South
Plainfield NJ; (908) 769-5149
Webmaster: Ray Kappes,
Clifton Park NY; webmaster@
amadistrictii.org
For a complete listing of
district officers and volunteers,
please visit the District I1 Web site
or see a previous issue of MA.
District II Volunteers