District III Report - 2004/01
My wife and I wish you an enjoyable holiday season. May your holiday presents bring all kinds of aviation joy!
Resignations and Open Positions
I’m sad to announce that Associate Vice President (AVP) Tom Morris has resigned from his position. Tom has been very beneficial to people in the area around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and will be missed. The district is also in need of an AVP in the Cleveland, Ohio, region. If you are interested, please give me a call or send me an email at the address listed in the column header.
Another resignation was from Geoff Combs, our Aerobatics Contest Board member. If you are a pattern flier and have contest-board interest, please contact me.
FAI Pylon Competition
The Academy’s participation in the FAI program provides an arena for those willing to accept the challenge of competing on a world-class level. This year’s pylon team met the challenge and did very well.
Results:
- Richard Verano and Robert Holik placed second at the Czech F3D World Championship.
- The U.S. team (Verano/Holik, Lyle Larson/Bob Smith, and Bruce and Linda deChastel) placed second overall.
The organizers from the Czech Republic deserve a great deal of gratitude for providing the best pylon championships on record. Congratulations to all!
NEAT Fair and Lithium-Polymer Safety
I attended the Northeast Electric Aircraft Technology (NEAT) Fair. This event is certainly the outdoor electric capital of the world. It was obvious that electric flight has become a very worthwhile and interesting activity.
Would you believe they now post time limits on flying? Lithium-polymer (LiPo) batteries are the new necessity. If you use these batteries, make sure you utilize the proper charger and understand the procedures necessary to keep them safe. Many safety suggestions are available on the Internet.
We have been successfully running lithium-polymer batteries for almost one year. They do demand respect. If you are not careful, you could cause a serious fire.
Club Events and Fly-ins
- The Flying Dutchmen Aeromodelers of Reading, Pennsylvania, hosted the Philly Flyers for a control-line fun-fly at the club’s site, Drenkel Field. Despite some unfavorable weather, a lot of flying provided a very enjoyable time.
- The Rio Grande Flyers of Rio Grande, Ohio, held their annual club fun-fly. AVP Dave Ellis was in attendance to provide the latest AMA assistance and views.
- Chris Brown of the Seneca Highlands Aero Radio Kontrol Society (Eldred, Pennsylvania) attended the first annual Wings Over Piper Fly-in and Flea Market, held at the William T. Piper Memorial Airport in Lock Haven. The hosts, the Williamsport Radio Control Flying Club, had one major goal: to have as many Cub models present as possible. Chris’s photos illustrate the success of the event.
Happy holidays!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
