Author: Dave Mathewson
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/05
Page Numbers: 151

District II Report - 2005/05

Contact

Dave Mathewson Vice President

Note: For a listing of regional AMA officials, please consult the District II website above or a previous issue of this publication.

Education & Outreach

Many clubs and members in District II work hard to introduce model aviation to people in our communities. In 2005, I want to step up our efforts to help support 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 website. Shortly we will be reintroducing 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 in 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 program, please consider sharing it with others in our district. If you’re considering developing a new program, visit our website for ideas. A link to our resource library will be up soon. Tim can be contacted through the District II officers’ page.

Somerset Signal Senders — First Electric Fly (2004)

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 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.”

Swap Meets and Auctions

Club swap meets and auctions fill many 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 tri-state area.

“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 vendors 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.”

Safety Seminars

The outdoor flying season is nearly here in District II. Many clubs schedule safety seminars as part of their meeting programs at 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 for your club.

Fourth Annual AMA District II Fly-In

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 website at www.amadistrictii.org.

See you next time.

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.