David Roberts, of the Georgia Model Aviators (GMA), sent the following:
“Hey Kris! Thank you very much for visiting the GMA airfield to meet the club members. We are proud of how multifaceted the club is. We hope that Forsyth County, Georgia, that owns the property, continues to appreciate what we bring to the surrounding area.
“A strong collection of local companies, including the great Extreme Flight RC, Atlanta Hobby, UAV Experts, and Commuter Car appreciate being close to the GMA airfield and 300-plus member Georgia Model Aviators club.
“The Georgia Tech Aerospace Systems Lab/Aeronautics competition team and first-in-the-nation Creekview High School Rocketry Team are education partners with the GMA club. We are reaching out to the STEM [science, technology, engineering, and math] programs in the local schools to further engage as a community resource.
“At the 25th Anniversary GMA Family Day 2014, we fed more than 200 guests and pilots. Sixty-five pilots registered to fly, so we had something in the air the whole time.
“Jerry Smith, our very own AMA Model Aviation Hall of Famer, did take a bunch of pictures. Attached is an image that can be attributed to him. In this picture is a good collection of GMA members including Chris Hinson of Extreme Flight RC; Jase Dussia, 2014 XFC Champion; Curtis Cozier, active in the International Miniature Aerobatic Club and Operations Manager at Extreme Flight RC; Pedro Sanchez, Top Gun contender; Cliff Whitney of Atlanta Hobby/UAV Experts; Earl Partridge, GMA founder; and Jerry Smith.
“The other image was taken by Natalie Cranor of Atlanta Hobby and it’s a picture of Jase Dussia flying and Chris Hinson spotting. In the air is a prototype 94-inch MXS from Extreme Flight RC pulled by a DA-70 twin.
“Thank you again for visiting.”
Andrew Griffith, District V associate vice president and associate editor of Fly RC, sent this in:
“The North Alabama Radio Control Association (NARCA) hosted its annual aerotow event at Epps field from October 1-5, 2014. Epps Field, a private airfield owned by George Epps, is located in Harvest, Alabama, a suburb north of Huntsville. The Epps family name is splashed all over aviation history in the state of Alabama and Mr. Epps generously makes the field available to the NARCA club.
“Other than the Horizon Hobby aerotow, which generally attracts 50-plus pilots, many aerotow events consider 15 pilots and a tow plane or two a good turnout. The 2014 NARCA aerotow attracted 35 pilots, six tow planes, and at least 60 gliders.
“The Friday morning rain turned out to be a minor blessing, as many of the participants met at the Rocket Center in Huntsville, which would have made the 10-hour drive worth it by itself.
“Although the weather was a little uncooperative much of the weekend, a lot of towing and flying got done and there were times that two tow planes were launching planes as fast as they could be readied and clear of the runway.”[dingbat]
