District VII 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 142 Model Aviation July 2013 www.ModelAviation.com
I recently returned from the spring
Executive Council (EC) meeting in
Muncie, Indiana. For those of you who
aren’t familiar, the EC is composed
of the AMA president, executive vice
president, district vice presidents,
executive director, and the National
Aeronautic Association president. We
meet quarterly to conduct the business
of the Academy and our members.
The meeting agenda is a busy one—
filled with business and committee
reports from publications, safety, and
education to name a few. Proposed
changes or additions to how the
AMA and its programs operate are
presented and then voted on by the
EC. The meetings are open to all AMA
members and we encourage anyone to
attend.
Muncie is an easy driving distance
for most in our district, and of course,
you’ll also be able to visit AMA’s
world-class National Model Aviation
Museum and arguably the best flying
facilities anywhere.
Information on EC meeting dates and
times can be found on AMA’s website
at www.modelaircraft.org. If you’re
able to make the trip, I believe you’ll
find the experience to be informative
and rewarding.
This month’s event report comes
to you from Michigan District VII
Associate Vice President Noel Hunt.
Noel is a fan of Scale and warbird
aircraft and will report on some of the
great meets held in southeast Michigan.
Judging by the number of dedicated
events, there is significant warbird
interest in southeast Michigan. I had
the good fortune to attend four of them
last flying season.
The Detroit Aero Modelers (DAM)
club held its inaugural event and took
the opportunity to recognize active and
veteran military members. Attending
were active Marine Lance Cpl. Tarek
Aljida and Lt. Col. Alex Jefferson, a
Tuskegee Airman. Both addressed the
pilots and spectators.
The Pontiac Miniature Aircraft
Club (PMAC) has a large contingent
of warbird enthusiasts. PMAC and
the Radio Control Club of Detroit
(RCCD) events have been held
annually for several years.
RCCD’s event was graced with
flybys of a rare, full-scale Navy N3N
belonging to Jim and Nancy McDaniel.
At 29 years running, the most
established of the four events is the
Flying Pilgrims R/C Club’s annual Fall
Phase Out for Fun. All International
Miniature Aircraft Association-size
airplanes are welcome at this event, but
a significant number of the aircraft are
warbirds.
All four events were well attended.
It’s great to see the wide variety of
models ranging from frame-and-cloth
World War I string bags, to the World
War II heavy metal and more modern
military aircraft. However, as others
have observed about events, it is also
great to get together with friends—
longtime and new—who share a
common passion for aviation’s military
history.
There is also the satisfaction of
presenting our interpretation of these
historically important machines to the
spectators who are always drawn by
the action. There’s nothing like big
warbirds thundering down the airfield
in simultaneous, low flybys, then
inviting spectators to view the aircraft
parked midfield and chatting with
them about our hobby.
Thanks to the respective clubs and
their CDs for the good times. How
about joining us in 2013?
Let’s make the Flying Pilgrim’s 30th
annual Fall Phase Out for Fun on
September 14 and 15 even bigger than
usual. This one is worth the drive.
The DAM recognized active and veteran military
personnel, who were accompanied by aircraft
from four arms of the US military: a Marine
Skyraider, an Air Force Texan, a Navy Corsair,
and an Army Hawk.
The lineup of warbirds at the PMAC lunchtime
review.
There’s nothing like a round engine and two
wings! A full-scale Navy N3N on a photo pass at
the RCCD warbird event.
Associate Vice Presidents: Bruce Baier, Oshkosh WI; (920) 233-1127; [email protected]; Lee Frederickson, Ada MI; [email protected]; Randall Gibson, Lansing MI;
[email protected]; Bud Gorman, Knife River MN; [email protected]; Don Held, Elmira MI; (231) 584-2662; [email protected]; Noel Hunt, Shelby Twp. MI; (586)
677-1540; [email protected]; Bob Johnson, Fon Du Lac WI; [email protected]; Mark Robotti, Lindstrom MN; [email protected]; Marc “Doc” Shelstrom,
Lancaster WI; (608) 732-4077; [email protected]; Lloyd Swanson, Cedar Rapids IA; (319) 373-0947; [email protected]; Kent Woods, Ames IA; (515) 232-8180; woods229@
msn.com. Contest Coordinators: Wayne Yeager (RC Michigan), (517) 260-0132; [email protected]; Michael J Haller (RC non-Michigan), Fon Du Lac WI; (920) 979-9452;
[email protected]. Frequency Coordinators: Al Schwartz, Roseville MN; (651) 633-2286; [email protected]; Pete Waters, Northville MI; (248) 924-0223; petewaters@
charter.net.
Tim Jesky
Vice President
District VII—Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
[email protected]
2886 E. Country Ln., Monroe MI 48162
Tel.: (734) 384-6085;
www.amadistrict-vii.org
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field One that Associate Live Oak town_TX; Coordinator: District dist8vp@6608 Tel.: www.Flying Pilgrims members parked their aircraft
for spectators to view. This picture was taken
after the spectators vacated the flying field so
flying could resume.
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