District VII - 2012/07

Now that the flight season is in full
swing in the district, I hope everyone
has gotten his or her thumbs loosened
up and has shaken off all the rust. It’s
also a good time to take another look at
your field operations to make sure we’re
doing all that we can to keep our fellow
club members and spectators safe.
Have you made any changes to your
field? Have you added new equipment,
moved the pits, or built a new
structure? Often, the changes can lead
to unintended consequences that aren’t
discovered until an incident happens.
Those second looks can potentially save
some big headaches down the road.
I’d like to offer up some fresh news
on the FAA Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, but at the time of this
writing, there’s nothing new to offer.
The rule is still scheduled to be released
in July. A great way to keep up on the
current happenings is to visit the AMA
website at www.modelaircraft.org and
click on the Government Relations
link. Hopefully, we will have heard
something by the time this issue goes to
press.
The following report on the Toledo
Show, along with some interesting
nuggets on the show’s origins, comes
from District VII Associate Vice
President Noel Hunt:
In 1952, a small group of men formed
the Radio Control Club of Detroit
(RCCD). One of them, Willie McMath,
is still an active RCCD member and
he said that the group held a show
so purveyors of RC equipment could
present their goods.
After two annual shows, it was
believed that more people would attend
the event if it was closer to the Ohio
Turnpike. So, RCCD turned the show
over to the Weak Signals R/C Club, and
look what that great club has done with
the show! This was the 58th year of the
largest RC show in North America, the
Weak Signals Toledo Show, which was
held April 13 to 15.
This was my seventh year to attend.
Others surely will write detailed
accounts of the show, and because
I could only be there for one day, I
focused on my few priorities. First, I
like to see and touch new products. I
get a better appreciation for them by
experiencing the products in “3-D.”
I also like to meet and chat with the
people behind the products: the aircraft
designers, the product developers, and
the enthusiastic distributors. It was
great to chat with Sierra Giant Scale
representatives and explore options for
a future project.
There is plenty to see, no matter what
one’s interest. Lately, warbirds have
turned my head. Then, of course, there
are the things I just can’t live without,
and show prices often are available.
I drooled over the center display of
aircraft competing for awards. The
beautifully detailed model replicas
reassure me that model building is still a
strong part of our hobby.
This year, I attended a presentation
by Dave Darr and Jim Dolly to get
some tips on aerotowing. Their seminar
answered the questions I had, except
one: Is anyone in southeast Michigan
interested in aerotowing? If so, contact
me.
For many of us, the most enjoyable
aspect of the show is meeting model
aviation friends we may only see once a
year. In District VII, we are fortunate to
live so close to Toledo and the greatest
RC show. Thanks, Weak Signals.
Take a kid flying