District XI Report - 2009/09

THE 41ST ANNUAL Arlington,
Washington, Fly-In and Aviation Convention
took place July 8-12, 2009. It was a
wonderful opportunity to showcase RC
building and flying. Attendance was good
and the show included more than 1,000 fullscale
aircraft ranging from jet fighters to
ultralight homebuilts, and many beautifully
restored aircraft of all ages.
Arlington Fly-In event organizers Bruce
Angell and Barbara Tolbert teamed with Joe
Goffin, vice president of the Arlington Eagles
RC Flyers, and this year the model aviation
community was invited to participate and to
be part of the air show itself with demo
flights on each day in a 10-minute window.
Three clubs—The Arlington Eagles,
Skagit RC, and the Whidbey Island RC
Society—were involved in filling a 900-
square-foot tent with more than three dozen
RC models of all sizes, four flight simulator
stations, wood and Styrofoam model gliders,
a raffle, and handouts from each of the three
clubs and the AMA.
The handout gliders were provided by the
Washington State Department of Aviation,
Tim’s Hobbies in Everett, and from the
participating clubs that kitted many of the
foam gliders. There was much interest in
everything we were showing, but that really
wasn’t surprising. Most of the pilots and
many of the spectators started their interest in
aviation with model aircraft at various levels.
Lynn King was the CD for the flying
demo. The flying was to take place in the
afternoon with the specific time to be
announced each day at the performing pilots’
meeting. We did our own announcing for our
part of the show with yours truly on the mike
for the PA setup and a local radio station.
The first two days were to be a glider tow
demonstration using Lynn’s 53-pound
Rockwell Thrush with its 14 HP radial engine
and his 30% DG1000 sailplane with its 18-
foot wingspan.
Wind was a problem because it was
always strong and exactly across the taxiway.
Lynn got blown out the first day but was able
to fly the second with Steve Dentz operating
the tug. The next two days featured turbinepowered
jets. On Friday, an F-15 flown by
Bill Broderick and an F-16 flown by Roberto
Flores were to have fkights. Roberto
declined, fearing that his landing gear wasn’t
up to the strong crosswind, but Bill put on a
show that the crowd loved.
Saturday featured the King Cat of Al
Watson and Chuck Bower’s F9F Panther.
More wind. Chuck didn’t think that his
airplane could safely handle the crosswind
but Al, after a knee knocking takeoff, showed
everyone what his aircraft could do.
Nick Kolias explains the operation of his 25%
scale, turbine-powered McDonnell Douglas
MD500E helicopter from Vario in Germany.
Kids perfected their flying skills on our four
simulators.
On Sunday, Nick Kolias, from the
Cascade Model Helicopter Club, was on hand
with his 43-pound McDonnell Douglas MD
500E in border patrol colors. He didn’t get a
flight off because the whole show was
canceled on Sunday because of the weather.
The University of Washington displayed
its design of a quiet, turbine-powered 1:22-
scale supersonic passenger jet model. Chuck
Bower, of the Whidbey club, has been the
school’s advisor for several years—and it
does fly!
Of course the FAA was on hand to check
out the performing aircraft and get the
necessary waivers signed by the performers.
This included the models and they were very
knowledgeable about what we were doing,
AMA, turbine waivers, etc. A very
professional relationship between the model
aviators and the FAA people was apparent.
According to Barbara, the results more
than met expectations and all are looking
forward to working together at the 2010
Arlington Fly-In, July 7-11.
District XI
Bruce Nelson, District XI Vice President; [email protected]
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington
Bruce Nelson
Vice President
807 E. Vicksburg St.,
Spokane WA 99208
Fax: (509) 467-1852
Cell: (509) 863-7096
[email protected]
Associate Vice
Presidents
Rick Allison, Issaquah WA;
[email protected]
Darrell Anderson, Great Falls MT;
[email protected]
Al Culver, Wilder ID;
[email protected]
Jerry Holcomb, Vancouver WA;
[email protected]
Gene LaFond, Wenatchee WA;
[email protected]
Reeves Lippincott, Wasilla AK;
[email protected]
Mike Mosbrooker, Oak Harbor
WA; [email protected]
Claude Tanner, Boise ID;
[email protected]
Frequency Coordinator
Phil Tallman, Medical Lake WA;
(509) 299-5102;
[email protected]
District RC Coordinator
W.T. (Bill) Smith, Seattle WA;
[email protected]
Web site: www.yosemiteflash.com/
xiama.htm
District XI Volunteers
September 2009 173
Gilbert J. Coughlin, a longtime Tacoma, Washington resident and avid Free Flighter,
passed away in May of this year. Born in 1930, Gil developed a lifelong passion for
airplanes and flying. Gil served in the Army during the Korean War and afterward began
a career at Boeing Aircraft Company that spanned more than 35 years, working on
cutting air and space craft.
At varying times in his life, Gil raced catamarans,
flew ultra light aircraft, sailed, water skied, restored
sports cars, backpacked, and enjoyed motorcycles.
Gil’s model building and flying skills were
considered world class. In 1956 he represented the
US at the World Wakefield competition in Sweden.
He spent his retirement years fabricating highquality
models, participating in competitions and
modeling events, collecting engines, and teaching
modeling techniques, and working with youth
through the Science Olympiad.
Gil will be missed by many modelers in the area.