District II Report - 2008/04
I am impressed with the staff at AMA Headquarters and the Executive Council. To a person, we are working to develop meaningful member programs and are dedicated to providing you with a high level of service.
I hope that each of you can travel to Muncie, Indiana, at some point to visit your National Flying Site. I think you will be proud of our Academy!
Park Pilot Program
The new Park Pilot Program, which kicked off with a press conference at the AMA Ontario Convention in January, was described in this publication. This program can be a valuable tool to increase membership in your club and in establishing park-flyer sites, but action is required on your part.
Please stop by your hobby shops and make sure they are aware of this program and that they have the AMA license station on their counter. Your dealer is a key player in directing the new park pilot where to go to learn to fly.
When these new pilots show up, please welcome them and offer your assistance. If you need more information about the program than what is available on AMA's website, please contact the AMA staff. Increasing AMA's membership will benefit all of us!
New Associate Vice Presidents
District II has two new associate vice presidents (AVPs). Welcome:
- Tom Bickford, Tupper Lake, New York — (518) 359-2218; [email protected]. Tom will be working with clubs in northern New York.
- Eric Williams, Schenectady, New York — (518) 356-2057; [email protected]. Eric has assumed the AVP duties from Adam Sattler in the Albany region.
Both Tom and Eric are avid modelers and are known to most aviation enthusiasts in their parts of the district. They are excited about their new positions and will bring a high level of activity to the region.
District II is indebted to Jim Lewis and Adam Sattler for their many years of dedicated service as AMA AVP volunteers.
Middlesex Modelers — CL Racing
Walt Gifford of the Middlesex Modelers reported that control-line (CL) racing is alive and well at Mountain View Park in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Several contests are held each year and the main interest is the PDQ Flying Clown event. Club members make the journey to the U.S. Nationals each year and are top contenders.
The club also has a novice program for sport fliers who want to try a racing event. All are welcome to come out and enjoy the speed and beauty of CL racing with the Middlesex Modelers.
RAMAC Events (Roxbury Area Model Airplane Club)
Marguerite Gargiulo, CD and event director of New Jersey's Roxbury Area Model Airplane Club (RAMAC), is a real proponent of our hobby. She reported on two events that RAMAC sponsored last May.
Model Aviation Day (May 7)
- The club moved into Saint Theresa School in Succasunna, New Jersey, from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m., working with children from kindergarten through sixth grade.
- The program started with indoor electric helicopters, small airplanes, and a dirigible flown by John Gill, Dave Nuetzel, Frank Granelli, and Vinny Gargiulo. The kids were laughing and quite amazed.
- Jurgen Appis and Miriam Morris helped the children build balsa airplanes in the classrooms. Over 200 children built and then flew their balsa airplanes outside in mass launches. This was the club's third year for the event and they plan to continue this educational experience.
Take Off and Grow (TAG) weekend
- The following weekend RAMAC tied their Model Aviation Day air show to AMA's Take Off and Grow (TAG) program, which requires clubs to be an Intro Pilot Program club.
- RAMAC qualified and was provided two complete trainer aircraft and radios to teach with, two Great Planes flight simulator programs, and an AMA TAG banner to assist in their efforts. The goal was to increase club membership.
- Trainer pilots Frank Granelli and Vince Gargiulo conducted ground school and flight procedures with prospective pilots and then took them up for flights. Rob McClellan and his five-year-old son Devin were among the participants; they enjoyed it so much they joined RAMAC. Rob is an experienced helicopter pilot and young Devin learns quickly.
- Dino DiGiorgio, of Top Gun fame, contributed a terrific static display of his scale aircraft.
In Memoriam
On a sad note, I received word that William (Bill) James Burris, a member of the Finger Lakes Air Pirates, passed away last May at the age of 83. Bill was an avid free-flight (FF) pilot and dabbled in RC. He overcame a 100% disability from World War II to raise a family and enjoy his hobby. The district is lessened by Bill's passing.
Until next month, keep 'em "Three in the green."
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
