Miles Reed Memorial Fly-In: On July 13, 2014, I attended the 16th annual RC Eagles fly-in Boliver, Ohio. I have attended this event many times, however, this year was special to me and many area modelers because the event was dedicated to the late Miles Reed.
Miles, a modeler from Canton, Ohio, was a hero of mine and many others. I first met Miles as a 14-year-old kid who entered his first Pattern contest with an Aeromaster biplane in Canton in 1969.
When I registered to fly, I didn’t know which class to fly. I watched fliers and noticed Miles Reed was the best pilot at the event, so I asked him for some guidance. Miles took me under his wing and coached me throughout the contest and when it was over I won my class.
I became hooked on Pattern flying and it was because Miles took the time to help a beginner. My story is just one example of how Miles helped countless modelers through his lifetime.
Miles left this world in 2009 but his legacy will carry on. At noontime during the event, CD and one of Miles’ best friends Gary Villard conducted a ceremony honoring Miles for all he had done to help their club and that their annual event would forever be known as the Miles Reed Memorial Fly-In.
Miles was an inspiration to modelers everywhere and was always on the cutting edge of the hobby, be it Pattern, fun-flys, Giant Scale, and in later years flying his beautiful Challenger biplanes.
Thank you RC Eagles for honoring Miles Reed by renaming your annual event. Miles Reed may be gone, but he will never be forgotten.
Jeff Black, District III associate vice president (AVP) in Pennsylvania, has been busy this flying season attending many events. Jeff sent me several pictures of his activities and I thought I would share them to illustrate some of the activities an AVP does while helping AMA.
Although volunteering your time and talents to promote model aviation does take effort, the results can be rewarding for both the individual and AMA. Thank you, Jeff, for all you do to promote model aviation and the AMA.
Until next month, fly safely and responsibly, and have fun![dingbat]
Bernie Oldenburg of the Cleveland Aeromodel Society presents a picture of Miles Reed and Sean Tucker taken at the Cleveland Air Show to Gary Villard CD for the Miles Reed Memorial Fly In
