Focus on Education - 2003/05

Chipman Middle School Alameda Aer-O-Nuts
The list of students taking part in the class. Teachers are identified in bold print.
BILL OSBORNE and
the Alameda Aer-O-Nuts
(AON) have been flying
model airplanes and
teaching others to fly
model airplanes for a
long time.
Bill sent me a large
folder full of information
that shows just how long.
These folks have worked
with schools, military
organizations, parks
departments, airports, and the list goes on!
Most recently, the Aer-O-Nuts worked with the Chipman
Middle School in Alameda, California. I received a ton of
information and pictures concerning their work with the school.
I only have so much room, but I will attempt to show their
efforts by including the following information. The first describes
the program and participants and the second is a thank you letter
with a twist.
For some background on Alameda and the Osborne Flying Field,
the following came from Alameda at Play:
“Location: Doolittle Drive near Harbor Bay Parkway, Bay Farm
Island. Size: 1.3 acres. Site acquired: 1946; 1955. Opened: 1947.
“Flight has long formed part of Alameda’s heritage. In 1910,
the Bay Area’s first air meet was staged at old Neptune Gardens.
Within three years of Lindbergh’s 1927 crossing of the Atlantic,
Alameda had two commercial airports within its borders, and the
city would achieve fame as a base of operations for the Pan
American Clippers and the aircraft carriers of the Pacific Fleet.
“Model airplanes are one facet of the public’s fascination with
flight. Local enthusiasts held their first organized meets in
140
Focus on Education
Jack Frost
AMA Education
Coordinator
Tel.: (765) 287-1256
Ext. 515
[email protected]
Class 1
Katherine Crawford
Ronnie Abbot
Nayla Balic
Noel Borbon
Justin Dingle
Christopher Hamm
Suzanne Hinton
Mahek Igbal
Crystal Johnson
Miles Koehler
Samuel Koneffldatt
Chad Lightfoot
Darren Lightfoot
Clarence Mango
Charles Mann
Elizabeth A. Murray
Gordon Murray
Matthew Nolden
Salina Ortiz
Gracie Phillips
Megan Pratt
Tiare Salausa
Alan Schatmeier
Keosha Stephens
Kaelynn Summers
Ella Vandekamp
Stacey Yu
Anna Zepplin
Class 2
David Kleine
Kalleb Arefaine
Shomari Ashley
Jessica Canalin
Sierra Cavallaro
Dave Cho
Michael Cronenwett
Sean Cunningham
Seth Dosa
Jessica Famlacher
Hank Foo
Casey Friedman
Sonya Gey
Danny Godfrey
Kandice Jacobs
Joshua Johnson
Sam Kaso
Samuel King
Anna Lieu
Andrew Machado
Truman Mak
Jack Newton
Shonquell Scott
Nicholas Smith
Sylvana Smith
Anya Suri
Maria Vicencio
Glenn Williams
Antoine Young
Class 3
Kelly Corcoran
Jade Aganus
Elizabeth Allegrotti
Burch Ashley
Jason Carlisle
Rewa Choudhary
Frank Cooks
Daniel Gorenberg
Angel Guena-Burdick
Karina Harris
Lacey Harris
Jared Iulio
Leo Khalaf
Camilo King
Ariel Lawson
Samantha Mah
Amber McCarthy
Leland Montgomery
Cassie Mullendore
Ethan Myler
Arley Razo
Alex Richardson
Michael Sage
Jesse Schmidt
Alex Serventi
Dannette Smith
Briana Summers
Tay Thornton
Azra Vejzovic
Class 4
Tracy Allegrotti
Yaphiet Arefaine
Boomer Belcher
Courtney Blackburn
Max Burtner
Tim Butler
Dane Diego
Julian Dingle
Jelane Dugan
Wilson Fung
Camela Griffin
Regina Harris
Sara Heaps
Nick Hodges
Amanda Loera
Christina Maik
Stefan Montouth
Zoe Mullendore
Sara Oddie
Jessica Osantowski
Caitlyn Parnell
Matthew Posadas
Gwen Rice
Caitlyn Roberts
Tylery Schenk-Wasson
Simone Smith
John Springer
Adam Trujillo
Midge Villa
Zachary Weitner
Paige Williams
Class 5
Terri Elkin
Katie Arredondo
Kamaka Baculpo
Neil Borbon
Latrice Boyington
Derek Carson
Kedron Casteen
Mariah Cavallaro
Shaina Dich
Gloria Fong
Naomi Grunditz
Jesse Heurlin
Elizabeth Holder
Tim Johnson
Kris Luo
Stephannie Mah
Sean Mullin
Yousuf Osmani
Marie Rempola
Jason Scott
Daniel Semler
Jason Silsdorf
Rebecca Smyth
Cindy Strahan
Kelly Timney
Isaac Tsegai
Blaine Webber
Doug Yee
Class 6
Barb Kubicz
Dennis Amo
Shayla Brooks
Rico Cintron
Raymond Dich
Annabelle Fuentes
Franz Hernandez
Michael Hodges
Jesse Holder
Garret Jones
Ilya Lehman
Minh Nguyen
Christine Olson
Johan Pena
Kelly Portis
Ricky Quach
Viridiana Reynosa
Kate Rockwell
Thomas Rudenko
John Saecho
Maris Santilena
Devaja Schafer
Samantha Schrierer
Veronica Shawnego
Claire Sterngold
Morgan Turner
Cat Van de Walle
Kalita Ware
Ashante Wheatley
Left to right are Aer-O-Nuts members Herman Lee, Carlos
Cadillo, Bill Osborne, and Jim Persson.
May 2003 141
Alameda in the afterglow of Lindbergh. Sponsored by the Alameda
Veterans’ Service Club, events were staged at Washington Park in
1928 and 1929, and at Alameda High School in 1930.
“Hundreds of models were displayed and flown, most of them
built by school-aged boys. Airport officials and Army aviators
served as judges, awarding prizes for duration, distance, and speed.
“Aviation clubs in the city schools created a demand for more
meets. The Park Department sponsored its first competition in
1937 at Washington Park, with local aviators serving as judges. By
1941, contests held in the various parks culminated in a citywide
championship meet at Thompson Field. McKinley Park had its
own club, the Alameda Prop Spinners.
“Improved engines created a postwar boom in the sport,
particularly among adults. The Junior Chamber of Commerce and
Aero Modelers of Alameda sponsored big meets at Washington
Park in 1945 and 1946, drawing competitors and spectators from
across Northern California. However, the increased noise and
speed levels made the sport an inappropriate use for the crowded
parks and neighborhoods of the main island.
“In 1946, the Jaycees and Aero Modelers petitioned city
officials for an isolated site on Bay Farm Island. Opened in stages
between the fall of 1946 and spring of 1947, the Alameda Model
Airplane Field adjoined the municipal golf course south of the
newly completed Doolittle Drive.
“In 1955, the field was moved across the road to its present
location. Refurbished several times since, the facility includes two
circular turfed flying fields.
“Bill Osborne is the Lindbergh of local modelers. A native of
Southern California, who built his first model airplane in 1927,
Osborne came to Alameda during World War II as a metalworker at
the Naval Air Station. He was one of the founders of Aero Modelers.
“Bill helped organize the postwar meets at Washington Park and,
with Roland Cecchettini, was instrumental in establishing the flying
field on Bay Farm Island. He has spent many hours over the years
teaching others how to build and fly models. The Alameda Model
Airplane Field was rededicated in his honor on June 19, 1982.”
Chipman Middle School Alameda Aer-O-Nuts: The Chipman
Middle School has invited the Alameda Aer-O-Nuts to assist them
in a special aeronautics class. Those participating included
Principal Laurie McLachlan Fry, Bill Osborne, Director Jim
Persson, Assistant Director Jim Gomez, photographer Roland
Cecchettini, and supporters.
Among the supporters were Ralph Appezzato, Mayor of
Alameda; Lil Arnerich, former Alameda Vice Mayor; Rob
Wonder, Assistant City Manager; Suzzane Ota, Director of the
Alameda Recreation and Park Department; Jack Frost, Academy of
Model Aeronautics; Carl Swinson; Julia Park, Alameda Sun; Mark
Chandler, Alameda Times Star; and Bill Krushank, Alameda
Journal.
Aer-O-Nuts instructors included class instructors: Jim Persson,
John Gomez, Randy Bush, Duane Roach, Persal Evans, and Bob
Riggio. U.C. flying instructors included Cary Taylor, Peter Parker,
Heman Lee, John Salvin, and Carlos Vadillo, president of AON.
Following is the thank-you letter from Bill Osborne and the Aer-
O-Nuts to Principal Laurie McLachlan Fry of Chapman Middle
School. See what I mean by a twist?
“We of the Alameda Aer-O-Nuts Model Plane Club thank you
for letting us assist in instructing the 161 sixth grade students in
building and flying the Academy of Model Aeronautics Delta
Darts model planes.
“You have outstanding teachers and we had the privilege of
working with these professionals.
“The Aer-O-Nuts instructors were Jim Persson, John Salvin,
John Gomez, Randy Bush, Bob Riggio, Duane Roach, and Bill
Osborne. The students were well behaved and a joy to work with.
“Ms. Laurie, if you have some pictures of the class, I would like
to send them to Mr. Jack Frost of AMA.
“Thank you for a wonderful time.”
I apologize again for not being able to show all of the photos,
and I want to tip my hat to Bill Osborne, the Aer-O-Nuts, the
Chipman Middle School, and all who participated.
Instructor Jim Persson posts an enlarged Delta Dart plan on the
board for the students to see.
Bill Osborne is helping with one of the Aer-O-Nuts
aeromodeling classes at Chapman Middle School.
The school gymnasium was the perfect place to fly the
completed class projects.