Author: Mark Johnston
Edition: Model Aviation - 2014/05
Page Numbers: 149

District VIII 2014/05

Mark Johnston

Vice President

By now, the weather is warmer within the district, the cold has passed, and we are all happy to get out to the nearest field to fly and test our newest creations. For some of us, the winter weather was mild; for others, not so much. Things to do before your first flight of the season include checking batteries, and on older aircraft, check the links, servos, and all electronics.

In the last month, a few Associate Vice Presidents (AVPs) have stepped down for many reasons. Bobby Smith, Jon Martin, and Pat Willcox will be missed for the contributions they made throughout the many years they served as AVPs. Their efforts are appreciated by me and everyone who worked with them. A big thanks to all three for their commitment to AMA, District VIII, and the local clubs they supported.

Randy Brown will be taking over for Pat Willcox in the Houston area. Randy was a safety officer for District VIII and ran against me in the election. It took me a while to convince him to come back. Randy has been a key part of our district and the clubs he has supported. He also holds the title of AMA District VIII Transportation Director. Welcome aboard again, Randy!

Jerry Walters is the replacement for Jon Martin and lives in Maurice, Louisiana. He has been an AMA member for 25 years, is an active club member, and is a CD (Contest Director). Jerry has the entire state of Louisiana to cover for us and will do a great job for the clubs in the state. Please do not hesitate to call him for help, or if you would like to have him come to an event in Louisiana. Welcome, Jerry!

Stewart Moore is replacing Bobby Smith in northeast Texas and has been an AMA member for 60 years. Stew has been a CD since the early 1970s. He flies different types of models and looks forward to his AVP duties. Welcome aboard, Stew!

All of the District VIII AVPs are outstanding, and I believe that we have the best district. Many modelers visit our area and go home impressed. I recently received a letter from an AMA member in Connecticut named Michael McKee. He spent several weeks driving around Texas with his wife, camping and vacationing. In the process, he found the Beaumont Radio Control Club, which treated him like "one of the guys," showing what I would call good ol' southern Texas hospitality. He was impressed by the club and the local hobby shop and took the time to write a letter to me, Bob Brown, and Dave Mathewson. Everyone in this district should be commended for actions such as this. I am amazed at the hospitality I see throughout the district.

On March 1, I traveled to San Antonio to visit the Tri-City Flyers and attend the club’s annual swap meet. Rusty Koehler ran the event and did an outstanding job. The Tri-City Flyers Annual Swap Meet was well attended, and plenty of money and merchandise changed hands throughout the two-day event. Jim Rice was the official auctioneer, with help from AVP Jack Matlock.

Every year, AMA awards money as part of its Flying Site Improvement Grant Program. Last year, six clubs in our district submitted applications and four received grant funds to help with runway repairs, clubhouse repairs, and other projects. At least one project I know of would not have been completed last year without the help of the grant. This year, I have signed five applications to forward to AMA Headquarters. The process has become quite competitive. Many changes were made to the program in the last year, including a rule that after a club is awarded grant funds it is ineligible to receive another AMA Flying Site Improvement Grant for three years. This is a wonderful program that assists clubs by awarding up to 10% of the cost of a project.

Hope to see you all at the field!

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.