District VIII - 2011/05

May 2011 147
I HAVE BEEN up to my ears in FAA
work, closing a hobby shop, and moving my
wife’s business to a new building, so I have
only been flying a couple of times and
attended a swap meet.
However, one of my flying days was truly
enjoyable. Five seasoned modelers descended
on the Community Bible Church in San
Antonio, Texas, on a Saturday to fly with a
group that has no AMA affiliation. There
must have been 15 kids—teenaged and
younger—some flying hand-launched gliders,
some flying Guillows rubber-powered
models, and many flying micro RC aircraft.
Many had questions or troubles, and at
one point I looked around and saw each of
the five of us with a child at our elbows,
down on a knee helping youngsters learn
and enjoy our super hobby. Wish I would
have had a camera, but believe me the five
of us have it in our minds eye!
The organizer asked me to discuss AMA
at the break and several of the families came
to the hobby shop for information and
assistance. Great day!
I asked Mark Johnston, New Mexico
associate vice president, to provide input for
this month’s column. Here is his report of
activities he has been enjoying.
“On February 4th and 5th Brian Regan
and I traveled to a place called Granite Gap,
about 30 miles from Lordsburg, New
Mexico. AMA Director of Education Bill
Pritchett joined us and we presented model
aviation to Gene Turner and several other
folks who are planning a fairly large
community for rocketry, astronomy and
model aviation. It is a place for schools and
others to attend in a camp environment that
may also be used for AMA members to fly
and conduct events.
“The site is within two hours of Tucson
AZ, Las Cruces NM, and El Paso TX. We
took a ¼-scale Dr.I, ¼-scale S.E.5, a Tiger
Moth, and numerous electric aircraft
including an A380 Jet and a Trex 600.
“We had a good time representing AMA.
Brian lands the S.E.5.
“Many AMA folks will be talking more
to the organizers/owner to help establish the
ultimate flying site. It could be a place to
hold major events and get folks from all
over the west to attend. The education side
of this facility should be second to none—
something we sorely need to do more of as a
community of modelers.
“The Albuquerque Soaring Association
(ASA) invited me to represent AMA at their
Zoom to Engineering fair at the National
Museum of Nuclear Science and History.
“About 400 people visited the event and
museum. We set up videos from the AMA
library, three simulators, and a static display
with several sailplanes and helicopters.
Handouts from AMA included magazines,
beginners guide to model aviation, and some
model aviation school club flyers.
Taylor Collins, Mary Moskal, and Mark
Johnston at the booth.
“Charlie Zaffery brought a slow stick for
demos. Steve Moskal, president of ASA,
brought a display fuselage of an airplane
mounted on a tripod and radio to show how
it works and we flew some Blade Helis.
Mary Moskal demos the glider.
Charlie with the Slow Stick and audience.
“Taylor Collins had a helicopter on a
large tripod with a camera mounted on the
front.
“There was a radio with the display so
participants could pan and tilt the camera.
Mary Moskal, Richard Dick, Brian Regan,
and Terry Pierce also helped with the event.
We generated a lot of interest in model
aviation and were asked to do a similar show
at the National American Indian Science and
Engineering Fair in late March.”
Thanks for a great report Mark.
Keep up with the FAA effort! Have fun and
fly safely. See you on the flightline.
District VIII
Jim Rice, District VIII Vice President; [email protected]
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Jim Rice
Vice President
4810 El Gusto San
Antonio TX 78233
Tel.: (210) 213-0299
www.AMA-Dist-8.org
Associate Vice
Presidents
Jack Hogan, Chandler TX;
(903) 849-4193 (Evenings)
Bill Holland, Edmond OK;
(405) 562-1327
Mark S. Johnston, Albuquerque
NM; (505) 823-0158
Jim D. Marshall, Alton TX; (956)
984-9474
Jon Martin, Rayne LA; (337) 783-
2759
Jack Matlock, Live Oak TX;
(210) 413-4846
Randy Ritch, Magnolia TX;
(281) 701-3121
Doug Staines, Belton TX;
(254) 780-3512
Ron Stanfield, Maumelle AR;
(501) 851-1697
Cliff Town, Dumas TX; (806)
935-3063; town_cliff@hot
mail.com
Pat Willcox, Kingwood TX;
(281) 358-1750
Frequency Coordinator
Gene Kent, Tomball TX;
(281) 255-4805
Safety Coordinator
David Oates, Texarkana TX;
(903) 826-7919; davidoates@
sherrodservices.com
AMA Display Coordinator
David Johns, Deer Park TX;
(281) 476-4820
RC Contest Coordinator
Douglas E. Powell, Wichita Falls
TX; (940) 691-8348;
[email protected]
CL/FF Contest Coordinator
Bill Lee, Chandler TX;
(903) 852-5599; [email protected]
District VIII Volunteers
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