District III
Heart of Ohio Huckfest (Thistledown Flyers)
On September 11, 12, and 13, 2009, the Thistledown Flyers hosted the Heart of Ohio Huckfest at the club’s field in Napoleon, Ohio. The Huckfest was organized by the Flying Giants and was one of five such events held across the country in 2009.
More than 100 pilots and over 200 aircraft joined the fun at Thistledown Field. Although officially a three-day event, flying began as early as Wednesday when the first pilots arrived.
Aircraft of all types were welcome — from Giant Scale 3-D airplanes to small foamies to helicopters, and everything in between. Weekend highlights included:
- Night flying under stadium lights
- The Snap-A-Saurus competition
- The E-ROC (Electric Race of Champions), a pylon race for small electrics
On Saturday night, participating pilots were treated to a steak barbecue right at the flying field. It was another great fall fly-in at Thistledown Field, full of fabulous flying and good friends.
The Thistledown Flyers hope you’ll plan now to join them for next year’s event. More information and photos are available at www.thistledownflyers.com.
Dick Rader Memorial Fly-In (Clarksburg Model Aviation Club)
The Clarksburg Model Aviation Club held its annual Dick Rader Memorial Fly-In at Don Harrold Field in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The fly-in is named after one of the club’s founding fathers, Dick Rader, and the field is believed to be the oldest model airplane field in the state, first used in the 1930s.
The weather was ideal, with temperatures in the low-to-mid 80s and barely any wind. Attendance was good, featuring everything from park flyers to Giant Scale aircraft and 3-D helicopters.
By all indications, everyone who attended had a good time and most were looking forward to returning next year. If you are visiting the Clarksburg area and want to connect with a good group of modelers, visit the club’s website at www.cma1193.com.
Southwest Ohio Seaplane Float Fly (Loveland Prop Busters)
On Sunday, September 20, the Loveland Prop Busters sponsored the second annual Southwest Ohio Seaplane Float Fly at William Harsha (East Fork) State Park in Bethel, Ohio, roughly 25 miles east of Cincinnati.
The weather was less than desirable, with flying limited to breaks in steady downpours. The float fly is held on the beach area, which offers ample space for parking and pitting and a very clean sandy shoreline. The beach water area provides plenty of room to take off and land in the prevailing winds.
Because of the rain, an early prize giveaway was held after lunch.
The Loveland Prop Busters work closely with the Ohio Parks Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to secure this site as well as the club’s land-based flying site on East Fork State Park property. Facilities include:
- A 30 x 300-foot paved asphalt runway
- Surrounding 80 acres of unobstructed overfly area
- Club-maintained site and flight instruction for new members
Check the club at www.lovelandpropbusters.org. Plans are underway for the 2010 float fly, which will be held on the third weekend in September.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
