District XI - 2014/09
I contacted Associate Vice President (AVP) Reeves Lippincott about which event would be a good one to attend and when would be a nice time to visit some Alaskan fliers. He suggested a Pattern event on June 21, followed by an International Miniature Aircraft Association (IMAA) event on June 22. The two longest days of the year provided ample flying time to hold two events in the same weekend.
A rainstorm canceled the Pattern event, but the weather cleared for the Big Bird event the following day. The scenery was breathtaking!
Wasilla — IMAA Gary Rude Memorial Fun Fly (Groeshel Field, June 22)
The annual IMAA Gary Rude Memorial Fun Fly was held at Groeshel Field, near Wasilla, Alaska, on June 22. Gary founded the Alaska IMAA chapter.
There were big, impressive electric gliders and World War I aircraft, but everyone kept an eye on Patrick Martin to see when he would fly his CARF-Models F4U Corsair with the big gas radial engine. Patrick put on a thrilling and masterful scale flying presentation.
During the lunch gathering I presented Reeves Lippincott with a Certificate of Appreciation for 25 years of service in District XI.
Reeves was recovering from back surgery and wanted to introduce Robert Stephens to me. Bob, who will replace Reeves as the Alaska AVP, is an AMA Life Member and has been involved in RC as a competitor and contest director. Contact Bob if you find yourself in the Anchorage, Alaska, area and want to check out what's going on.
There are several large clubs near Anchorage, and I was told that they find a way to fly all year.
2014 Indoor Free Flight Nationals (Kibbie Dome, Moscow, Idaho — June 26–30)
The 2014 Indoor Free Flight Nationals were held June 26–30 at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho. With a more-than-150-foot ceiling, this is a world-class indoor free flight site. It's big enough to split the flying into two areas (light and lighter).
Phil Sullivan was the contest coordinator and kept track of the times for all 40 contest categories. The 23 contestants each entered several events; Phil stayed close to the laptop to enter times.
The building was open for flying from 6:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m. for glider flights, then 9:30 a.m.–10:00 p.m. for rubber and electric flying. Only one door was used to enter the dome to minimize drafts.
When the contestants walked out to launch their airplanes, it looked like they were in slow motion. The airplanes are so fragile that the contestants walked at their flying speeds—very slow. When a jogger ran through the dome, loud voices yelled, "No running, really! No running!" The jogger seemed oblivious to what was going on.
There are many event names that mean little to novice pilots, such as:
- Easy B
- Bostonian
- Manhattan
- Coconut
- Penny Plane (weight of a penny: 3.1 grams)
The F1D class is truly a wonder: a wingspan of 21.65 inches and a weight of about 1.4 grams. It's easy to count the revs per minute when they only turn about 45 revolutions per minute. Some 34-minute flights were recorded in the Kibbie Dome. These competitors are the true artists of our hobby.
Vintage R/C Northwest Fly-In (Medford, Oregon — August 29–30, 2014)
The Rogue Eagles Radio Control Club will host its fifth annual Vintage R/C Northwest Fly-In on August 29–30, 2014. RC airplanes that were designed before 1978 qualify for this relaxed vintage flying event. This event, held in Medford, Oregon, is all about revisiting memories of the good old days of RC. It's the only event of its kind in the Northwest. Come and enjoy!
For more information:
- Bruce Thorpe — (541) 583-1708
- Email: [email protected]
There are still many more events this year, so you may see me at one near you.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
