District IX - 2010/10
Jefco Aeromod'lers and Chatfield State Park
Bruce Ream, our associate vice president (AVP) from Colorado, submitted this update on his flying club.
The Jefco Aeromod'lers of Littleton, Colorado, enjoy a special relationship with Chatfield State Park, where our field is located. Each year we invite the park rangers and other park personnel to the field to try their hands at RC flying. After a couple of hours of flying, the club provides lunch for everyone.
During the year the rangers provide the club with security for events and the field. Occasionally, if someone comes to the field and won’t obey the safety rules, they handle the problem. What great service!
Other park personnel:
- Plow the road and parking areas.
- Clean the toilets.
- Empty the trash (sometimes a crashed airplane).
- Help the club with new projects at the field.
This year we had almost perfect weather, and everyone who wanted time on the buddy boxes got to fly. This gives each ranger a better perspective on how hard it is to fly and control the airplanes. When they come to the field to enforce the rules, they have a better understanding of what the RC flier may or may not have done.
Jefco has a park-liaison person (Tom Elliot) who meets with the park personnel about once a month to address any issues the park may have and, vice versa, any issues the club may have.
The club also has a Long Range Planning Committee that meets with the head of the park about three times a year to review future plans and determine what approvals may be needed for upcoming projects. The club continues to upgrade its facilities, and the park is an integral part of our success.
Flying Site Development Grant Program
District IX was fortunate this year to have three clubs benefit from AMA’s Flying Site Development Improvement Grant Program. Crosswinds R/C Club in Castle Rock, Colorado, was one of the proud recipients. AMA awarded more than $32,000 nationwide. Congratulations!
Crosswinds R/C Club
The Crosswinds club takes advantage of the warm summer months by holding its monthly meetings at the flying site.
2010 RC Expo and Swap Meet
The 2010 RC Expo and Swap Meet was held for the second year by the Arvada Associated Modelers. This kind of event tends to grow each year by word of mouth; this year was no exception.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
