District IV

District IV—Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia

Jay Marsh
Vice President
jaymarsh@ama-d4.org
3227 Pine Needles Rd., High Point NC 27265
Tel.: (336) 687-0973; www.amadistrict-iv.org
www.facebook.com/amadistrictIV

John Hochheimer, president of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR), was our guest at the April AMA Executive Council (EC) meeting. He made a presentation about what the NAR is doing, where it is heading, and the successes it has enjoyed with youth through industry grants for STEM programs.

The EC was particularly interested in their Team America Rocketry Challenge in which approximately 5,000 high school students nationwide compete in the world’s largest student rocket contest with prizes amounting to more than $100,000. This STEM program is sponsored in part by the Aerospace Industries Association to interest youth in aerospace technology and becoming our future engineers.

The NAR has many of the same challenges the AMA has in attracting

youth to our hobby and the associated industries as adults. John suggested that our clubs combine efforts and contact a local NAR club when we hold community events at our fields and show the public all of the different things we fly including rockets, which are a real crowd-pleaser. To find an NAR club near your field, visit the NAR website at www.nar.org.

It’s finally time to get back outside and play and attend those events that interest us. Choose a couple of events this year and go and have some fun with your friends and make some new ones. Be sure to check out your equipment carefully after the winter hiatus so your aircraft doesn’t reach that “die-on” date.

Now a report from District IV Government Relations Coordinator Ray Stinchcomb:

In October, the Fauquier Aero Recreation Modelers (FARM) Club held its annual RC Fall Float Fly at Ritchie Lake in Bealeton, Virginia. Although the weather was not ideal, it was good enough for 27 brave souls to sign in as pilots. Contest Director (CD) and District IV Associate Vice President (AVP) Nic Burhans did his usual outstanding job of organizing and running the event.

There was always an opportunity to fly or run boats without being crowded. The FARM rescue boat was only called on for a few “dunkings.” There were airplanes ranging from small electrics to large gasoline-powered ones. There were also RC powerboats and sailboats on the lake, and at least one of the powered boats tried flying (unsuccessfully).

Lunch was served to the pilots and spectators with plenty of raffle prizes available. In addition to FARM club members, members of the Northern Virginia RC and Chesapeake Bay RC clubs were there to enjoy the day.

We have another report from District IV AVP Rick Cawley:

It ended as a beautiful, 80° North Carolina day in October, but early on there was fog so thick you couldn’t see the other end of the parking lot. Nevertheless, it would be a day to remember our fellow RC pilot and friend, Andy Thompson, at his memorial fly-in.

We gathered to fly our airplanes and talk about Andy who used to be the club president, CD, and the club techno person for the East Carolina RC Flyers club in La Grange, North Carolina, a club that has been active since the 1950s.

We had 32 pilots registered with models ranging from a World War I Pup to a BAe Hawk turbine jet. Most airplanes went home without damage, but a few had not-so-perfect landings.

We had a few younger pilots show up, and boy could they fly. It was a great time and one that Andy would have enjoyed.

Go fly and have fun safely.

Associate Vice Presidents: Delaware: John Kirchstein, (302) 731-2831; john@kirchstein.net; Mark Weiss, (302) 547-4917; markw@ama-d4.org; North Carolina: Rick Cawley, (919) 630-1649; racbgc@embarqmail.com; Mark Smith, (704) 798-2776; mark@ama-d4.org; David Trogdon, (910) 654-1220; frogman28472@embarqmail.com; Maryland: Richard “Rick” Moreland, (301) 261-7366; rmoreland1@verizon.net; Virginia: Nic Burhans, (540) 219-9646; nic@ama-d4.org; Randy Elliott, (540) 239-0645; Randy.Elliott@nordsonxaloy.com; Rusty Kennedy, (757) 812-2812; rusty@ama-d4.org; Terry Terrenoire, (412) 760-4593; terry@ama-d4.org; FF AVP: Bob Sowder, (540) 525-7086; bsowder@rbnet.com. CL AVP and FF/CL Event Sanction Coordinator: John Tate, 10 Hanbury Ave., Portsmouth VA 23702; (757) 399-5376; jtate22@cox.net. Event Sanction Coordinator: Andy Kane, 305 Natick Ct., Silver Spring MD 20905; (301) 785-3022; andykane01@gmail.com. Webmaster: Jack Upchurch, webmaster@ama-d4.org. Government Relations Coordinator: Ray Stinchcomb, (443) 618-8998; govrelations@ama-d4.org.