District X - 2010/08
Sonoran Desert Flyers at the Oro Valley Parks and Recreation Fair (April 24)
On Saturday, April 24, the Sonoran Desert Flyers, Inc., an electric RC club from Oro Valley (a northwest suburb of Tucson, Arizona), participated in the Oro Valley Parks and Recreation Fair at James D. Kreigh Park. The club was invited by the Oro Valley Parks Department because it is a licensed user of Oro Valley’s Naranja Park.
Four model flight simulators were set up under a tent and 12 electric RC model aircraft were displayed. Eight club members attended. They demonstrated flying model aircraft on the simulators and helped kids and parents try flying the airplanes on the simulators. The eight members also had a static display to show off their airplanes.
The fair was well attended and the Sonoran Desert Flyers’ booth was popular. Several families joined the members at their field the next day for buddy-box flying. Some parents even seemed eager to get their kids into the hobby.
Willie McCool Regional Park Open House (May 8, 2010)
The first annual Willie McCool Regional Park Open House was held Saturday, May 8, 2010, in North Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was sponsored by the PropNuts R/C Club and the Rebel Squadron, which coordinated with the City of North Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Department to use the park.
The open house was intended to thank the neighborhood adjacent to the park for sharing the area with the modelers from both clubs and to give area families a chance to see what goes on and meet the modelers. An estimated 100 guests attended.
Features of the event included:
- Models on static display
- Two computer flight simulators
- Flying demonstrations: jets, warbirds, aerobatic, and electric models
- Three trainer aircraft with instructors staffed by Rebel Squadron club members
Anyone who participated in simulator or trainer aircraft flying received a free raffle ticket. The raffle prizes were two RTF trainers complete with radios. A free hotdog and hamburger lunch was grilled on site for everyone.
Neighborhood participation was steady throughout the day. Children were particularly attracted to the simulators and many went on to fly the trainer aircraft as well. The Rebel Squadron trainer pilots worked hard throughout the day to give everyone who signed up a chance to fly an RC model.
The flying demonstrations attracted much attention from visitors, especially when the turbine jet modelers from Pahrump, Nevada, flew several demonstrations in short succession. Several adults from the neighborhood thanked the modelers for sponsoring the event and expressed their support for the modeling activities that take place at the park regularly.
The raffle winners were two children from the adjacent neighborhood.
From the modelers’ perspective, the McCool Regional Park open house was successful. The goal from the onset was to foster a good relationship with the neighborhood, which was important because RC modelers who use McCool Park had previously worked with the City of North Las Vegas to halt efforts by a very vocal minority to close McCool Park to RC flying activities.
Sponsoring the open house and witnessing the visitors’ enthusiasm confirmed the long-held belief among modelers that a majority of the neighborhood does not have a problem with the model-flying activities taking place at McCool Park. Should any further conflict arise, the PropNuts and Rebel Squadron RC clubs will be able to rely on support from the neighborhood.
Members of both RC clubs put a great deal of work into planning and executing the open house. Their collective efforts benefit everyone who enjoys McCool Park and they are to be commended for volunteering their time on everyone’s behalf. Seeing the positive expressions on visitors’ faces as they participated in the open house activities was ample payment for the effort. The look of enthusiasm on the faces of the two children who claimed their raffle prizes made the entire event worthwhile.
Greg Thomas President, PropNuts R/C Club
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
