District VII—Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Tim Jesky
Vice President
timjesky@charter.net
2886 E. Country Ln., Monroe MI 48162
Tel.: (734) 384-6085;
www.amadistrict-vii.org
As a child growing up in the 1950s, I could never have imagined writing from the seat of an aircraft, but here I am doing just that. The technology advances we’ve seen come down the pipe in the last 10 years, let alone the last 50, is a source of amazement.
Speaking of technology, I’m on my way to California for AMA Expo West to check out some of the newest offerings in aeromodeling. Expo West, the newly named AMA Expo East, and of course the granddaddy of them all, The Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo, are the places to be for those of us who have limited access to hobby shops, or are the kind who like to look and touch before buying. Not to mention there are plenty of bargains and the chance to catch up with friends you might not get to see that often. For me that’s worth the price of a ticket and then some.
Chad Budreau (L), AMA’s Public Relations and Government Affairs director; Rich Hanson, AMA president; and Charles Raley (R), FAA Aviation General Council, held a round-table discussion during AMA Expo West.
The AMA Village at Expo West.
Horizon Hobby’s display at AMA Expo West.
Soaring USA’s diverse collection of aircraft.
We know what a small community our hobby can be. District VII Associate Vice President (AVP) Marc Shelstrom and District IX Vice President (VP) Jim Tiller were mentored by the same great role model. Marc provided the following.
Last September, I had the pleasure of presenting Blaine Kearney of Audubon, Iowa, the AMA Distinguished Service Award. Jim Tiller was also there for the presentation.
At an AMA Executive Council meeting, Jim and I discovered that we both knew Blaine because he had an active role in our own flying experiences. I was an 18-year-old with my first airplane and didn’t know a thing about flying. When I was introduced to Blaine at a fly-in, I asked him if he would teach me how to fly. Without any hesitation on his part, he agreed and that set me on my path as a lifelong RC enthusiast.
Jim Tiller also was affected early on in his RC career in the 1970s and 1980s. Jim was a young teacher, raising a family in southwest Iowa, and struggling to learn our hobby. He remembers Blaine as one of those men whose wealth of knowledge was always easy to tap.
Whether it was parts, techniques, or just fatherly advice, Blaine was generous with all he had. Jim said, “Blaine is the real deal. A mentor and a friend. Someone I tried to emulate, not only in flying, but in life.”
For more than 50 years, Blaine Kearney has been an AMA member and taken an active leadership role at the club level. He shared his love of RC aircraft by teaching others how to fly and assisting them in building their models. He has helped countless fliers with all aspects of RC, including setting up radios, assisting with issues at the flying field, etc.
Blaine is always willing to help and does it with a smile on his face and kind, encouraging words. He has been instrumental in the lives of many RC pilots who would never have been successful aeromodelers without Blaine’s influence.
Take a kid flying.
