District IX 2013/07

ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news 144 Model Aviation July 2013 www.ModelAviation.com
When I hear the term float-fly in District
IX, I immediately think of Darrell Watts
who is one of our avid water aviators
from the Kansas area. Darrell doesn’t
limit his activities to Kansas. He helps
promote float-flys in surrounding states
as well. He has also been helping Pat
McGhee on the Heart of America Float
Fly.
The Polaris in action.
Darrell has been working on a new,
10-foot wingspan Widgeon and its
maiden voyage is imminent if it has not
already happened. Darrel gives use some
insider information about one of the
most popular models in his area. It is
the Model Aero Polaris, which has the
reputation of being one of the most easyto-
fly, predictable aircraft to touch down
on water. It is not uncommon to see 16
or more of them at the float-fly.
Denver is fortunate to have a great
facility such as the Wings Over the
Rockies Air and Space Museum located
in our area. The facility houses a large
number of full-scale aircraft, some
models, and displays relating to space
exploration. The museum’s mission
statement is “To educate and inspire
people of all ages about aviation and
space endeavors of the past, present, and
future.”
The aeromodeling community gives
a presentation and has static displays
in this facility every year. Tom Neff,
your District IX associate vice president
(AVP), has arranged to initiate a
new program in partnership with the
museum. The district has made a cash
donation to assist a program for teaching
youngsters and others to fly RC aircraft.
Tom will assist with instruction.
For the past six years, the Pikes Peak
Soaring Society (PPSS) has sponsored a
Delta Dart building session, held once
a week during the summer camping
season of the Denver Area Council of
the Boy Scouts. The camp on the Boy
Scouts Ranch in Elbert, Colorado, is
typically seven weeks and is held in June
and July. District IX will assist the club
this year in helping with the program to
promote youth educational activities.
Tom Neff has strong desire to develop
young fliers and is a great teacher. He
took on the task of giving a kindergarten
class lessons in building the AMA FPG-9
plate glider. The kids had a great time
and we hope we planted seeds for a
future generation of AMA members.
Associate Vice Presidents: Norm Berger, Parker CO; (732) 763-0301; [email protected]; Bob Hatch, Montrose CO; [email protected]; Tom Neff, Aurora CO; (303) 829-5416;
[email protected]; Brenda Schuette, Auburn KS; [email protected]; Steve Spier, Cheyenne WY; (307) 630-2066; Mike Tallman, Wichita KS; [email protected]; Jim Tiller, Rapid
City SD; [email protected]; Ed Paasch, Omaha NE; (402) 391-2855; [email protected]. Webmaster: Norm Berger, [email protected]. Contest Coordinator: Mac Strader,
Overland Park KS; [email protected]
Jim Wallen
Vice President
District IX—Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
[email protected]
7322 W 82nd Way, Arvado CO 80003
Tel.: (303) 421-9061; www.amadistrict-ix.org
Proud kindergarten students from Colorado Springs show off their new aircraft.
I recently events held in Multirotor by innov8tivedesigns.event many force, for of ranged even a central batteries, camera, from which were lifting, and see most new technological with with began aircraft.
Techinstein Zvoigzne the can Associate Barton, 6242; com; 5789; com. Kennedy District ama.1827 Tel.: AVP Tom Neff, who is partnering with the Wings
Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.
Visit www.modelaircraft.org/nats
13july.indd 144 5/21/2013 12:39:36 PM