May 2005 151
MANY CLUBS and members in District II
work hard to introduce model aviation to
those in our communities. In 2005, I want to
step up our efforts to help support our clubs
that engage in these types of programs.
I’ve asked Tim Pease, the driving force
behind the Oswego Valley Modelaires
Hawks youth program, to step in as our new
District II Education Coordinator and head up
this endeavor. Tim will develop an
education/training resource library as part of
our district Web site.
Shortly we will be reintroducing some
older programs such as the Delta Dart
program and introducing new programs
including the “Model Aviation magazine in
school libraries” concept. We will be creating
an interactive forum where members can
share their experiences to help others create
their own programs.
The idea behind all of this is to help our
clubs promote model aviation as a worthwhile
recreational activity. Efforts such as this often
return dividends, especially when we need the
support of our neighbors when it comes to
finding and keeping flying sites. I’ve seen
positive results when clubs have been
proactive in these types of activities.
If you already have a successful working
program, please consider sharing it with
others in our district. If you’re considering
developing a new program, swing by our Web
site for ideas. A link to our resource library
will be up soon. Tim can be contacted
through the District II officers’ page.
Tony Rossi sent the following about his
club’s first electric event held in 2004.
“The Somerset Signal Senders in Somerset
County, New Jersey, held its first-ever electric
fly on August 28, 2004. The event was held at
North Branch Park in Bridgewater, New
Jersey. Tony
Rossi was the
CD and Len
Cacciatori
assisted. Len
Ferenchak,
Joe Melick,
Dave Shields,
Alex Rossi,
and Rich
Negran also
gave a hand.
“The weather was great: a cool morning
and sunny afternoon. The club was excited
about the first electric fly. Not knowing what
to expect, we were pleasantly surprised to
have a really good turnout of 26 pilots and 30
spectators.
“Among the pilots were Joe Beshar and
Leon Shulman. Leon had a replica of his
original Banshee and Joe shared some stories
about the early days of the hobby. We had all
types of electrics including gliders, warbirds,
flying wings, and profile foam airplanes.
“I was impressed by the use of the new Li-
Poly batteries and just what they bring to the
hobby. The difference in weight and output
over the Ni-Cd is just amazing. Coupled with
the brushless motors, they really put out.
“At the end of the day we all agreed it was
well worth the effort. We are all looking
forward to this year’s electric fly on August
20, same time, same place.”
Ed Nicol (L) and Leon Shulman shared
modeling history with pilots at the fly-in.
Club swap meets and auctions fill quite a few
weekends in our district during the winter
months. Ray Juschkus, an associate vice
president, visited the Whitman Flyers Swap
Meet in Melville, New York.
Ray wrote, “A relatively new event, this
has quickly turned into one of the larger
swap meets in our district. The meet draws
large crowds from Long Island and the tristate
area.
These show only a portion of the crowd
attending the Whitman Flyers Swap Meet.
Whitman Flyers officers are (L to R) Ed
Wentworth, vice president; Lewis Schwab,
event director, and his daughter Jessica;
Steve Robinson, president; and Lee
Eichenbaum, secretary.
“The swap meet is slightly unusual
because a number of tables and booths are
reserved for commercial vendors. Several
local modeling related companies and hobby
shops attended. Plans are already under way
for the 2005 meet which promises to be
bigger and better.”
Ray also attended the 23rd Levittown Hall
Swap Meet on Sunday, January 30, 2005, and
wrote about it.
“The Nassau Flyers/Long Island Condors
hold this meet every year. They rented 36
tables to venders and individuals and more
than 50 models were sold. The head count
was more than 500 and it was pretty crowded.
“This event is always looked at as the
prelude to the Westchester Radio Aero
Modelers (WRAM) Show. A new season of
flying is but six weeks away.”
Nassau Flyers and Long Island Condors
officers are (L to R) Archie Defendini, CD;
Frank Parrinello, president; James
Romano, treasurer; and Tom Scotto, vice
president.
The outdoor flying season is nearly here in
District II. Many of our clubs have safety
seminars as part of their meeting program this
time of year. The idea is that a quick refresher
course will lead to a safer, more enjoyable
flying season. It might be something to
consider.
Plan to attend the Fourth Annual AMA
District II Fly-In to be held September 17-18,
2005, at the Adirondack Regional Airport in
Clear Lake, New York. Updates throughout
the summer can be found on our District Web
site at www.amadistrictii.org.
See you next time.
District II Report
New Jersey/ New York/
Europe
Dave Mathewson
Vice President
7271 State Fair Blvd.,
Baldwinsville NY 13027
Tel.: (315) 727-4275
Fax: (315) 635-1039
E-mail:
[email protected]
District II Web page: www.amadistrictii.org
Note: For a listing of regional AMA officials, please
consult the above District II Web site or a previous
issue of this publication.
Len Cacciatore prepares
his Dragonfly for a flight.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/05
Page Numbers: 151