Although you are getting ready to
enjoy your summer flying, here is
coverage of winter’s indoor flying.
Colorado Associate Vice President
(AVP) Rick McCaskill attended
an annual indoor event in Sterling,
Colorado.
On March 14, the Sterling
Miniature Aircraft Association (SMA)
held its annual indoor Electric Fun Fly
at the Sterling High School gym. Phil
Pollock, SMA president, organized
this year’s event. This annual gettogether
brought approximately 25
pilots from seven clubs in northern
Colorado and southwestern Nebraska
together for flying and friendship.
Everything from small quadcopters to
foamies filled the spacious gym that is
the size of three basketball courts.
The community was invited and
there were many spectators. Several
pilots offered flights for guests and
children to try their piloting skills.
This was not only great community
outreach event, but also lots of fun
for the attending pilots.
North Dakota AVP Brandon Koch
reported on the annual Bismarck,
North Dakota, indoor flying event.
“I don’t have to tell you North
Dakota gets its fair share of cold,
miserable winter weather and,
unless you are an ice fisherman
or snowmobiler, there isn’t much
outside activity for a good part of
the year. That’s why every February,
Bismarck Parks and Recreation holds
Flurry Fest to get people rousted out
of their homes.
“Flurry Fest includes a winter golf
tournament, softball in the snow, a
citywide scavenger hunt, and because
of the efforts of the Missouri Slope
Model Aero Club (MSMAC), an
indoor Electric Fun-Fly. This is
the seventh year that MSMAC has
hosted the event at the Bismarck Fore
Seasons Indoor Driving Range. For
those of you who fly in small indoor
gyms, this is like flying outdoors
again!
“About 30 pilots signed up from as
far as 100 miles away. Everyone has
a great time flying everything from
micros to large electrics. There were
also a number of homemade foamies
designed for battle and streamer
cutting. There’s great fun in the
controlled mayhem of those events.
“With close to 300 spectators
showing up throughout the day, this
year’s event probably had the best
attendance record in its history. Not
only does it get the public involved,
it gives shop-bound pilots a day to
get in some real flying and reminds
everyone that spring, hopefully, is just
around the corner.”
On March 29, 2015, I attended
the Sioux Falls, South Dakota,
Sodbuster’s auction. This is the club’s
premier fundraiser that has been
going on for many years. The club has
mastered auction technique and, in
the span of six hours, club members
sold more than 300 items to roughly
100 registered buyers.
Sodbuster President Tim Mallatt,
in charge of this year’s auction,
said this year’s proceeds will go
toward a major field project. The
members are installing a 45 x 300-
foot fabric runway this spring. The
auction revenues were enhanced by
approximately $750 in donations by
members and guests to help to offset
the runway costs.
I unloaded a couple of white
elephant gifts, but brought home
just about as many priceless bargains.
Thank you all for the hospitality! See
you next year.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2015/06
Page Numbers: 141