District V Report - 2004/05
Jim McNeill Vice President
Who’s Who in AMA District V
Last year I created a Who’s Who in AMA District V and finally all the pieces have come together. Book I was for 2003. It is a bound pamphlet with 56 entries, most featuring a color picture, of their partial life stories in modeling. The framed list of these modelers is hanging with honor in AMA Headquarters. The plaque is approximately 8 x 18 inches.
Book II for 2004 is being collected now. It will feature members not in the first edition. If you have been a member for 10 years, send me a résumé of your modeling career. I have a form I can send you to fill out. In addition to being on the Headquarters’ honor wall, you will receive a cloth patch you can wear showing you are in AMA’s Who’s Who for District V. There is a limit of 100 members for this year.
Indian River Kontrol Society Big Bird Fly-In
I attended the Indian River Kontrol Society’s (IRKS) ninth annual Big Bird Fly-in in Viera, Florida. Gerry Armstrong was the Contest Director. The IRKS club has a beautiful clipped grass field. With 305 members, it is one of the largest clubs in the United States. International Miniature Aircraft Association (IMAA) guidelines were followed and hundreds of spectators attended the two-day event.
TRAC Club Assistance
TRAC club members showed up in droves and helped officiate for three days. A partial list of those who helped includes:
- Mark Kasunic
- Gary Dennison
- Dixie Cutrone
- Tom Perry
- Bud Roane
- Bubba Beyer
- Richard Grambling Jr.
- Mark Poole
- Cliff Manley
- Dan Jarnette
- Lee Royer
- Richard Grambling Sr.
- Douglas Gregory
- Al Leadbeater
- Phil Veach
- Lynda Bryson
- Tom Dobyns
- Dale Kai
- Steve Formanek
- Ron Long
Forrest Waller Sr. and Jr.
This father-and-son team of Forrest Waller Jr. and Forrest Waller III used to live in South America. They built a Fokker Dr.I from balsa wood 32 years ago. Rather than buying balsa at a hobby shop, they cut down a balsa tree in their backyard, let it dry for a year, then sawed it up for their airplanes.
Avon Park Silent Sunday and Swap Meet
I attended the Avon Park, Florida, Silent Sunday and Swap Meet sponsored by the Sebring Model Airplane Club. The club hosted a big swap meet and a Glider and Electric Fun-fly. A quarter mile away on the same field the club was attempting a Glider and Electric flying event, but the wind picked up uncontrollably and everybody packed up to go home.
30th King Orange Control Line International
I attended the 30th King Orange Control Line International at the Naval landing strip at Whitehouse Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The X-47 Flyers Club hosted and conducted the three-day affair. Fliers came from all over the United States to participate. Incredibly, the X-47 Flyers Club has only eight members.
The X-47 Flyers were honored with a Club of the Month award and presented with a large, three-color flag, which almost immediately went up the flag pole under the American flag. I was there on Saturday and AMA Executive Director Joyce Hager was there on Sunday.
Photos
Pictures of each of these clubs are on the District V website: http://www.modelair.org. There are more than 1,000 color pictures of events in the district taken by your District V officers.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
