District VIII—Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Mark Johnston
Vice President
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 6608 Beck Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109
- Tel.: (505) 823-0158
- Web: www.amadistrict-viii.org
In January, I attended AMA Expo 2015 and the AMA Executive Council meeting. During the event, Jim Rice spoke about safety on the main stage.
In 2008 AMA established a Standards Workgroup as part of the sUAS regulatory process. Since that time, members of the group have devoted hundreds, if not thousands, of hours to the project.
The results of the group’s work were seen in the passage of Section 336, the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, AMA’s extensive safety programming submitted to the FAA, and in other areas of the regulatory effort. At the general membership meeting, members of the group were honored with Fellowship awards.
On December 6, 2014, the Alvin R/C Model Airplane Association in Alvin, Texas, held a fun-fly open to local AMA members. The only conditions were that all AMA and club flight and safety requirements applied. There were no landing fees, and food (breakfast tacos and lunch hamburgers) was free; donations were accepted.
The week before the event it rained off and on, and on the day of the event it continued to rain shortly before daylight. As the sun came up the rain cleared and, magically, it became a flyable day. Participation was not quite what had been hoped for, but despite the bad weather and Christmas shopping, more than 30 pilots and spectators attended.
It was a lot of fun with local RC friends and spectators, and everyone got his or her share of flight time either on the field or on the simulator in the clubhouse.
Jack Matlock has stepped down as associate vice president (AVP) in San Antonio, Texas, so he can improve his golf game and spend more time building in the shop with Jim Rice. Thanks to Jack for all of the support he has provided to District VIII and AMA throughout the years.
Ed Valls has volunteered to take over as AVP in the San Antonio area. Ed served in the Air Force and worked in the government sector for many years. He is an avid modeler, beginning with RC in 1973. His father served as an AVP under Sandy Frank.
Ed flew competitive Free Flight (FF) from 1964 until 1983, then flew Control Line aerobatics. In 1973 he began flying RC aircraft using a homemade radio kit from Heathkit, a Goldberg Falcon 56, and a K&B engine. He has competed at the Nats in FF and, most recently, RC Precision Aerobatics. Ed has flown nearly every kind of RC model; his current interests are warbirds, RC Pattern, and RC jets (both turbine and electric-ducted fans). He has lived and flown models in Texas, Colorado, and California.
At the Executive Council meeting during AMA Expo 2015, we also approved another National Aeromodeling Heritage Historic Site. Congratulations to the Fort Worth Thunderbirds for being the second site in District VIII. I will be traveling to the club later in the year for the plaque unveiling at the flying site.
Hope to see you all at the field!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
