District VIII
Ed Perez, from Grand Prairie, Texas, sent some pictures and an account of his visit to the Nats this summer. Thanks, Ed!
Report from Ed Perez
Bob Wilder, an indoor Free Flight (FF) and radio control (RC) enthusiast from Colleyville, Texas, invited me to attend the last three days of the Nats with him. He was to serve as an official for the indoor RC events.
To my surprise, on our arrival we were met at AMA Headquarters by our District VIII vice president Sandy Frank, who personally conducted us on a tour of the Headquarters and the National Model Aviation Museum. Following the tour, Sandy asked me to record my thoughts regarding those facilities and the competitions I was about to attend.
My first thought was, "We've come a long way!" The museum houses mostly originals (rather than replicas) of designer-built airplanes and record holders. There is everything from rubber Free Flight to contemporary models. It's obvious that just as old-timers enthusiastically adopted radio control, we will be embracing jets and electrics because of their many advantages, and they will be new additions to the AMA collection.
This was not my first Nats, but it was my first at AMA's permanent location. It is more than a full square mile of facilities with multiple flying fields in Muncie, Indiana. It is a great flying site and, with the addition of a Ball State University gymnasium for indoor events, it fully served the needs of a variety of fliers.
As I accompanied Bob and Sandy throughout the Free Flight, Outdoor Scale, and (new to me) Indoor Scale events, Bob was recognized by many for his invention of a rubber power winder. It was obvious that the Nats, in addition to being a competition, is a great way to renew old friendships and to develop new acquaintances from all around our country. The stories they all shared were a living history of our sport.
My photos are representative of modelers nationwide, not only District VIII. Of course, the competition was the reason for attending; but you can tell from the images (such as the pilot with the "Minnie Pearl" hat) that there were many fun-loving folks around as well. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them.
If you get a chance to attend future Nats, the pilgrimage is well worth the time and expense. The Headquarters' staff was most accommodating and helpful. The camaraderie was enjoyable and gratifying. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip.
Flying, fun, and fellowship.
Sandy Frank.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
