CONTROL LINE NATIONALS: CARRIER
Art Johnson
Overview
Readers not familiar with the Control Line Navy Carrier event should know that I am the "other" Art Johnson — not Col. Art Johnson of RC Scale fame. The Carrier event was flown on a circle adjacent to the AMA Nationals headquarters tent at Westover AFB. One of the roads leading to the flying area ran along the west side of the circles, and the event consistently drew and held spectators. Competitors often took time to explain the event to onlookers.
Event Officials and Setup
- Event director: Melvin Schuette
- Timers: Brenda Schuette and Jane Johnson
- Pit boss: John Holliday
- Center judge: Joe Dzialo
- Tabulator: Carol Johnson
Although flying did not start until Thursday, Melvin, his crew, and several competitors met at the circle on Wednesday afternoon to set up the carrier deck. Processing was at the base hangar from 6:00–7:00 p.m.
Thursday — Profile Carrier
The official start of Profile Carrier flying on Thursday was delayed only five minutes while the deck was moved from one side of the circle to the other. The weather was cold, damp, and windy. Only seven of the 15 contestants signed up for the first flight lottery.
- Pete Mazur flew an MO-1 first off the deck. His low-speed time was the best of the day (over four minutes), and the flight looked promising, but he touched the ramp during landing and was credited with a crash.
- Brian Silversmith flew fourth, posting a low speed over three minutes and a score of 260.3 to take first at that point.
- Glen Simpson followed with 258.4 and was in second.
- Later Glen Simpson improved to 263.6, moving into first.
- Brian Silversmith then posted a 287.8 that put him into first to stay.
Juniors and Seniors:
- Ryan Calkins (Junior) flew third that morning and scored 205.3 — a score that would have been fifth in Open.
- Lisa Patrick (Junior) practiced most of the day with her father, Herb, and in her last flight made both high- and low-speed runs but missed the landing.
- Chad Dinerman (Senior) completed only his high-speed run.
Friday — Classes I and II
Friday turned hot and dry. Light winds during the day generally prevented low speeds over two-minute flights. Twelve contestants signed up for the first-flight lottery, which placed several winning flights in the early round.
Class I:
- Herb Patrick scored 374.7 to lead the day.
- Brian Silversmith put in a second attempt shortly after the lottery and scored 354.1 for second that day.
- Pete Mazur blew an engine during low speed on his first flight but returned later with a score of 344.1 for third.
Class II:
- Pete Mazur posted the day's highest score, 408.2, for first in Class II.
- Herb "Sandbagger" Patrick scored 370.7 in the last flight for second.
- Glen Simpson scored 336.7 late in the day for third.
Flying was steady from 8:00 a.m. until shortly after 10:00 a.m., when a 727 landing at base operations prompted a caution about possible turbulence from jet blast; there were no problems.
During breaks, contestants exchanged information on planes, equipment, and designs. The willingness to help and share knowledge is part of what makes this event enjoyable.
Banquet and Awards
After two days of competition, the Navy Carrier Society met at Lido Ristorante in Springfield for the annual banquet. Melvin Schuette presented trophies.
- Rookie of the Year: Rafael Gonzalez (did not attend the banquet; award presented later at the field during Sportsman and .15 competition)
- Eugene Ely Award (highest total points in all official Carrier events): Pete Mazur — one first and two third places
Saturday — Unofficial Events: Sportsman Profile and .15 Carrier
The Navy Carrier Society sponsored two unofficial events on Saturday.
Sportsman Profile Carrier (for competitors not entered in official Carrier events):
- 1st: Jane Johnson — 229.5 (personal high)
- 2nd: Joe Just (flew a borrowed Sig Skyray powered by a McCoy .35) — 183.7 (his first complete flight at the Nationals)
- 3rd: John Holliday (also using a borrowed plane)
.15 Carrier (eight contestants):
- 1st: Art Johnson (this reporter) — 191.2
- 2nd: Glen Simpson — 191.1
- 3rd: Roy Ward — 168.6
Conclusion
The Carrier event continues to attract spectators and foster camaraderie among competitors. I encourage attendance at next year’s Nationals and ask readers to help recruit more Junior and Senior contestants to compete.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
