District IX
Contact
Mark Smith, District IX Vice President; [email protected]
Territory
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Wyoming
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Because of my limited space, I’m going to hold off on telling you about our 2006 marketing plans until next month. Thus, to quote that great orator from the South, "Let’s get ’er done!"
Aerotow (Kansas R/C Soaring and Electric Club)
Out of curiosity and an interest in gliders, I attended my first Aerotow event sponsored by the Kansas R/C Soaring and Electric Club. Those tow planes and huge scale gliders are awesome! I want to recognize the warm hospitality I encountered and plan to meet up with these gentlemen again in the near future. I had a ball! Thanks to Lee Estingoy (club president) and Bernard Wolfard (contest director). What a great group of glider enthusiasts!
Arvada Associated Modelers (AAM) — You-Too-Can-Fly airshow and open house
The Arvada Associated Modelers (AAM) sponsored a You-Too-Can-Fly airshow and open house. As reported by good friend Larry Hansen, vice president of the Arvada, Colorado club, AAM is the largest club in the United States. The club members revealed some of the secrets to their success, including an open house for the public and a "can do" attitude.
"This event keeps the club in the public eye as a source of pride for the city. It helps stimulate new membership—always needed to keep a club healthy—and it keeps our status with the city fathers intact. Inviting the mayor and city councilmen out to the event to shake hands with 3,000 constituents doesn’t hurt either.
"Holding civic-minded events such as these are essential to maintaining the kind of stature required to make this club a source of pride throughout our town. It’s why this club has the growing membership it boasts, and how it managed such a good arrangement with the City of Arvada.
"The key words at AAM are 'Let’s be as inclusive as we can and never try to be exclusive!' These are the watchwords that keep the club going. Mixing RC internal-combustion airplanes, helicopters, gliders, and electrics seems like a tricky thing to do but if you want to make it work, you can!
"This event has grown steadily since its inception. Brian Copfer and Bert Sutton, names that should be familiar to those of you who follow competitive RC flying, were the headliners in Aerobatic Precision Flying.
"Gary Jones wowed the crowd with his turbine-powered F-15 and helicopters abounded. Local electric fliers impressed the audience with airplanes flying aerobatic maneuvers and some electric-powered craft that exceeded 100 miles per hour. More than 100 spectators also got a chance to fly on a buddy box and enjoy the thrill of flight."
If you are not already doing something like this, I would urge you to do so. I’m sure Larry would be happy to discuss details with you. You can find more information on our District IX website.
Dakota Skymasters — Casselton, North Dakota annual fun-fly
In Casselton, North Dakota, the Dakota Skymasters held their annual fun-fly, as reported by Al Foell. Held on August 13, 2005, the annual event was a big success. "We have a lot of fun here," said Al Foell, club president. "We get together with other folks who love to fly. It’s a real passion for all of us."
The club’s home base is a four-year-old building at the west end of the Casselton Airport. "That was a real labor of love for a lot of folks. A short taxi from the building is a lush green runway. It really is a great facility," said Jim Edinger. "The runway area is huge for our takeoffs and landings."
That’s it for this month. Until next month, have fun and keep in touch!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
