All modelers lost a great friend in District II Leader Member Don Typond, who passed away this past fall. Don served as District II’s representative to AMA’s Scale Contest Board and he was an accomplished professional in the publishing and model aircraft industries. This biography from the February 1997 Electric Flyers Only of Commerce Township Michigan newsletter, The Ampeer, best describes him.
“A modeler for over 50 years, Don was the former editor of Model Aiplane News, Air Progress, and Private Pilot magazines. He’s been involved in Free Flight, Wakefield, Coupe, Towline, and HL Gliders as well as indoor and outdoor Rubber Scale, Control Line Stunt, Speed, Scale, and RC Sport Scale. He is a full-scale pilot with Landplane, Seaplane, and Glider ratings. Don has published articles and original designs in Model Airplane News, Model Builder, and Flying Models magazines, and he has written in Flying and Sports Car Illustrated magazines.”
Don will be missed.
The Sky Rovers of Phelps, New York, is an active District II club, and hosts various events throughout the year. On October 25, 2014, the Sky Rovers’ annual Swap Meet and Auction was, again, a great success.
Club President Dave Reid reports that the event was larger than last year and the club was happy with the results. Modelers probably were, too! The tables were full and most aircraft went home with new owners.
Sky Rovers member and noted aviation artist and author, Ted Williams, donated one of his works to the auction. His work can be seen at www.tedwilliamsaviationart.com.
Advanced-technology unmanned aircraft are finding their way into new applications that serve communities. On October 28, 2014, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the first-of-its-kind solar farm at the former Clarkstown, New York, landfill. That is the home flying field of the Rockland County Radio Control Club (RCRCC).
The club assisted with before- and after-construction aerial pictures taken from a multicopter. RCRCC member Ed Johnson volunteered and donated photographs to the town, saving taxpayers an estimated $5,000. The photos proved valuable in demonstrating the project to residents and publicizing the project. An enlarged aerial photo on poster board was the centerpiece during the groundbreaking ceremonies. Elected officials and community leaders in attendance were impressed.
On October 28, 2014, I attended a meeting of the Roxbury Area Model Aircraft Club (RAMAC) in Succasunna, New Jersey. Several clubs were represented. The topic was club community involvement and community relationships. All clubs should maintain a proactive program of involvement and communicating to community leaders and the general public.
On Wednesday, October 29, I visited the RAMAC and Flying Hawks RC clubs’ flying fields, situated in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. One of the highlights throughout my years of modeling was flying RC Combat with RAMAC at Hialeah Parks in 1995. That is a great group of people.
Remember, it’s not about what we fly. It’s about the people and the friends we make.[dingbat]
