District X Report - 2009/08

THE PACIFIC Aviation Museum at Pearl
Harbor held the “Biggest Little Air Show on
Ford Island,” on March 21, 2009, on historic
Ford Island on Oahu, Hawaii. The first
annual event featured the Birds of Paradise
Air Show Team, which conducted
superfluous model flight demonstrations
throughout the one-day event before a crowd
totaling roughly 1,000 people.
The original WW II concrete apron
fronting Hangar 37 was used as the runway.
The former seaplane hangar that survived the
fateful December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl
Harbor was completely restored and houses
Phase I of the Pacific Aviation Museum. The
structure provides an ideal setting for an
aviation museum, allowing impressive floor
and overhead exhibits highlighting the attack
on Pearl Harbor and the first year of WW II
in the Pacific.
Future Phases 2, 3, and 4 will feature
more stories of WW II, as well as Korea,
Vietnam, and the Cold War. A neat gift shop
featuring everything to do with aviation and a
restaurant make the museum a definite
“must” for anyone interested in aviation. For
more information about the museum, go to
www.pacificaviationmuseum.org.
Kudos goes to Pacific Aviation Museum
for a well-planned event and to the Civil Air
Patrol (CAP) Cadets for their manpower
support. Show center was organized with a
generous spectator seating area, organization
kiosks, military displays, and a food
concession area.
The museum’s Grumman F-14 Tomcat,
one of the last two US Navy Tomcats to fly
in service, was on display, along with an
interesting line-up of military vehicles
courtesy of the Hawaii Historic Arms
Association and the Hawaii Military Vehicle
Preservation Association. The entire day was
blessed with near-perfect weather
conditions—15-20 mph trade winds under
partly cloudy skies.
The opening ceremony was conducted by
the Navy Sea Cadet Honor Guard, with an
impressive rendition of the National Anthem
by the museum’s Education Director, KT
Budde-Jones. Mike Machado, air show
announcer, together with air boss/team
manager Mark Malczon, ran the flightline
flawlessly and coordinated more than 80
flights by day’s end. Mike also doubled as
door prize announcer, keeping the event
lively and fun in between performances.
Team members Billy Chandler, Bill
DeRego, Mark Goodin, Jeremy Lindhe, Mark
Malczon, and Ron Reeve impressed
spectators with realistic warbird
demonstrations. These 1/5-scale models were
hard to distinguish from full-scale aircraft
thanks to scalelike flying by team members
and the historic airfield setting.
Urban Lindhe’s huge 46% Ultimate Bipe
and Ryoji Koike’s composite 33% Extra 330
thrilled audiences with Precision Aerobatics
and dazzling 3-D maneuvers, while Tim
Chrismer, Duke Chung, and guest pilots
Larry DeRego, Woody Hoppler, and Andy
Ruiz intrigued spectators with authentic jet
turbine and helicopter demonstrations. Many
were amazed that real turbine engines can
now power models.
A big thank-you to Ken DeHoff, Pacific
Aviation Museum’s Executive Director, and
KT Budde-Jones, for their vision,
enthusiasm, and support. A great partnership
has evolved, which will undoubtedly benefit
both the museum and model aviation in
Hawaii.
Clear Channel Radio and go! Airlines
deserve special recognition for the generous
door prizes that made the day fun and
exciting. The air show was an overwhelming
success, drawing hundreds into the museum
as well. Plans are already in the making for
another museum air show later this year.
Congratulations Birds of Paradise for a
great air show performance!
This report and pictures were submitted
by Hawaii associate vice president Wayne
Hamada.
District X
Jim Giffin, District X Vice President; [email protected]
Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah
Jim Giffin
Vice President
Box 494688,
Redding CA 96049
Tel. (916) 760-8291
[email protected]
www.ama10.org
Associate Vice
Presidents
Tim Attaway, Chula Vista CA
(619) 427-6392
Darwin Barrie, Chandler AZ
(480) 946-8955
Mike Brown, Bella Vista CA
(530) 549-3005
Greg Clemensen, Las Vegas NV
(702) 870-6242
Wayne Hamada, Honolulu HI
(808) 521-7733
Marc Karpowich, Logan UT
(435) 232-1873
John Lockwood, Clovis CA
(559) 298-1606
Rick Maida, Morgan Hill CA
(408) 778-6885
Scott Malta, Merced CA
(209) 723-4202
Bill Malvey, Ladera Ranch CA
(949) 481-8624
Jerry Neuberger, Santee CA
(619) 258-4477
Bob Reynolds, Tucson AZ
(520) 296-8183
Jon Wilson, Ryde CA
(916) 776-2797
Frequency Coordinators
George Steiner, Sacramento CA
(916) 362-1962
Eloy Marez, Santa Ana CA
(714) 540-4935
District X Volunteers
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