District II Report
District II Website
Have you visited the District II web site lately? The site's URL is www.amadistrictii.org.
Features include a virtual District Event Calendar. Members can enter their own event information directly into the calendar. Unlike the AMA Contest Calendar, which is limited to only AMA-sanctioned events, the district calendar is available for posting information regarding any event—sanctioned or not.
The District II Forum is a place where AMA and District II information—as well as general information—is shared with our members.
Doug Crawford, the district webmaster, has created two features that may be of interest to clubs:
- Web space for District II clubs at no charge as a subdomain of the district site (an alternative to free sites that include pop-ups or forced advertising, and a benefit for clubs that currently pay for web space).
- The ability for each club to have its own online forum (private, if desired).
Club members may find these tools useful for communications within the club. Our plan is to make the district site and the District II email news list the primary means of communication within the district.
If you haven't visited in a while, swing by and take a look.
New Year's Day Fly-Ins
Many clubs in our district hold events on New Year's Day. It's a great way for members to get together, get in a few flights, and celebrate the beginning of another new year.
Roger Chillemi wrote that this year the Suffolk Falcons held their 10th annual New Year's Day Fly-In Breakfast at the club's field in Westhampton, New York. Members of the club turned a group photo into a get-well card for member Ken Langsdorf, who was unable to attend. The card and picture surely put a smile on Ken's face.
Events Attended
Associate Vice President Ernie Nikodem attended the Flying Knights of Hamburg Scale Rally on August 7–8, 2004. This popular event draws participants from throughout western New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Canada. More than 60 pilots put in 130-plus flights on Saturday alone. Saturday's activities ended with the traditional Knights Pilot Dinner. Excellent weather brought out so many spectators that the concession—stocked for the weekend—sold out early Sunday.
Ernie also attended the John Grigg Memorial Sailplane Contest on September 29, 2004, in Lockport, New York. As many of you will remember, John Grigg was a former AMA District II vice president and AMA president and an avid sailplane enthusiast. The Niagara County Model Aircraft Club sponsored the event. While the weather that day was cool with light winds and sunny skies, muddy conditions created by unusually wet weather earlier prevented the field from being usable for powered models. Fortunately, the sailplane pilots were able to work around the conditions and the contest was a success.
In Memoriam — Hal deBolt
I completed this column on February 10, 2005, and I received word at that time that we have lost a true modeling legend. Former District II member Hal deBolt passed away earlier that day in Florida at the age of 86.
Hal reached a level as a modeler that few of us will ever see. During his career, he was the recipient of virtually every major award and recognition a modeler could receive. He was a tenacious individual who wasn't afraid to fight for what he believed in. He was a strong supporter of AMA, yet wasn't afraid to challenge AMA leadership if he felt the organization needed a nudge in a different direction.
Hal will be remembered for his countless contributions to modeling during his lifetime. He leaves this world with the respect of those of us who realized that his primary concern was for the well-being of the hobby that was his life.
A more-detailed description of Hal's life and accomplishments begins on page 171.
See you next time.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
