District III—Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Mark Radcliff
Vice President
mradcliff@suddenlink.net
199 Heron Dr., St. Marys WV 26170
Tel.: (304) 684-2133
www.amadistrict-iii.org
www.facebook.com/ama.district.iii
National Model Aviation Day is August 13, 2016. What are you doing to celebrate?
National Model Aviation Day began in 2013 as a way for individuals and clubs to celebrate and tell the world about our great hobby/sport, our passion for building and flying model aircraft, and utilizing model aviation as a tool for education. Since its inception, AMA teamed up with Wounded Warrior Project and encouraged clubs to raise money for the organization. Clubs responded by collecting roughly $256,000 for this worthy cause.
For 2016, AMA has teamed up with the Disabled American Veterans organization, and again is encouraging clubs to hold flying events to support a worthy cause. Last year, more than 200 clubs participated. One club, the Blue & Grey Miniature Aircraft Squadron of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, participated and Jeff Black, club president and AMA District III associate vice president (AVP), submitted the following report.
The Blue & Grey Miniature Aircraft Squadron held its second annual electric fly-in on August 22-23, 2015. The event was part of National Model Aviation Day and supported Wounded Warrior Project. The weather was sunny for both days and the wind was low. There were 21 registered pilots who enjoyed the great flying weather. The highlight of each day was Combat, which saw six airplanes battle it out for bragging rights. The Blue & Gray raised $200 for Wounded Warrior Project. The event contest director, Mike Brown, and the event organizer, Brian Colledge, did a great job of running the event.
Thanks, Jeff, for that report. I received another report from District III AVP Dan Luchaco about another National Model Aviation Day activity that was what might be called “thinking outside the box.”
The 2015 Harford Fair near Montrose, Pennsylvania, in Susquehanna County, featured a static RC model contest in the Handcrafts and Woodworking competition category. The blue-ribbon-winning entry was a turbine-powered jet built by David Lau, a student studying engineering at a university. The second-place ribbon and the Judges’ Delight award went to a 1/3-scale model of an Extra 260 aerobatic airplane that is a copy of a full-scale airplane that is in a hangar in the Hartford area.
My wife, Lou Ann, and I were asked to be judges for the RC Model category and we spent the afternoon of National Model Aviation Day at the fair doing that.
District III AVP Dan Luchaco celebrated National Model Aviation Day by judging aircraft at the 2015 Harford Fair in the Handcrafts and Woodworking competition category.
the deed. It wasn’t a flying event, but it was a great way to spend National Model Aviation Day.
Here are a few of 2015’s National Model Aviation Day flying activities from the Blue & Grey Miniature Aircraft Squadron in Gettysburg PA.
These are just a couple of examples of what clubs and individuals can do to promote National Model Aviation Day. I encourage you and your clubs to get involved in your local communities, invite people out to your flying fields, and show the public what you do and how you do it.
Your efforts will go a long way toward making your club visible to the community, and who knows, you may get some new members and make new friends. That’s a win-win for everyone!
Until next month, fly safely—fly AMA. ⚔
Associate Vice Presidents:
Randy Adams, Fairfield OH (513)484-3318; r1capilot@aol.com
Mike Barbee, Delaware OH (740)362-5545; Mabarbee@aol.com
Jeff Black, New Oxford PA (717)965-5634; jrblack1964@gmai.com
Dave Brown, Hamilton OH (513)738-3249; dbrown@dbproducts.com
Dave Chisholm, Valencia PA (724)898-3386; dave@satchmo1.com
Nelson Gould, Macungie PA (610)395-9595; at6sn@ptd.net
Tony Husak, Hartsgrove OH (440)283-7447; thusak@windstream.net
Dan Luchaco, Sayre PA; (570)888-1856; patflier23@stny.com
Jim Martin, Franklin OH (513)627-0143; jhoot1@aol.com
Myers Canonfield OH (330)506-6194; jim486@hotmail.com
Matthew Turovsky, Nescopeck PA (570)379-2014; mturovsky@ptd.net
Joseph Vidya Monclova OH (419)878-8437; jvidya@embarqmail.com
John Zoldak, Ravenna OH (330)554-9455; zoldak2@neo.rr.com
Lisa Zoldak, Ravenna OH (330)348-4543; zoldak2@neo.rr.com
CL/FF/RC Coordinators: Nelson Gould, 1340 Oak Dr., Macungie PA 18062; (610)395-9159; at6sn@ptd.net
Sheila Nitsch, 5650 Boyd Rd., Grove City OH 43123; (614)877-3453; nitsch6@columbus.rr.com
Webmaster: Roger Luther, Johnstown, PA; (814)266-2630; rogerl@atlanticbb.net
