Happy New Year!
It’s always fun to look back on the previous year and see all that was accomplished, but it’s easy to get caught up in the past and forget to move forward. To begin 2014, I would like to challenge each club with a few questions.
Do you fly for a cause? Is your club an active community participant? Do you have events to raise money for a local worthy cause? What can your club do?
I received the following from Tom Burdin, public relations director of the Greater Cincinnati Radio Control Club (GCRCC) that illustrates “flying for a cause.”
On July 13, 2013, the GCRCC hosted its 21st annual Kid Fly. Each summer, the club invites the families of the Spina Bifida Coalition of Cincinnati to a picnic at the club’s flying field where the main thing on the menu is flying model airplanes. Families from the Cincinnati area join together for the thrill of flight and some good food.
The club provides trainer aircraft, instructors, and safety pilots for any family member who wants to try his or her hand on the sticks, but it is the kids who always win. This year the club was joined by the Chick-fil-A of West Chester, Ohio, which supplied more than 100 chicken sandwiches for the event.
At the end of the afternoon, GCRCC President Richard Kuns presented Spina Bifida Coalition Executive Director Beth Yantek with a check for $5,200 to support the coalition’s activities. This money was raised by the club through an internal auction of “stuff” and the sharing of profits from the club’s Flying Circus which is in its 53rd year.
Thank you GCRC for all of your hard work and promoting model aviation. I urge each club to get involved with your local city and county municipalities and “fly for a cause.” It’s great public relations and will go a long way toward helping your club in the future should you need assistance in obtaining or maintaining your flying field.
Here in the eastern United States, our outdoor flying can be put on hold because of the cold winter weather; however, not everyone lets this stop them from flying. Meet Roy Bender of the Lancaster RC Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I’m told that Roy has flown at least once a month for the last 25 years.
Roy is one of the club’s best pilots and as the head instructor he has taught many pilots to fly. Thank you Roy for your dedication in the promotion of model aviation and I hope you fly every month for many years to come.
Final flight: I received word that AMA Life Member (L90) Russ Nitsch passed away on October 21, 2013. I met Russ when I was a youngster flying Pattern with his son, future Top Gun winner Terry Nitsch.
Russ was a fixture for many years at the AMA Nats providing custom-made name badges for modelers. Russ was a great ambassador for model aviation and will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Russ and his family.
Until next month, go fly and have fun!
