District X—Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah
Lawrence Tougas
Vice President
ama.district10@gmail.com
Box 276, Fairfield CA 94533
Tel.: (707) 480-2053; www.ama10.org
June brings with it Father’s Day. So many people I meet talk about how their father, grandfather, or someone who was a father figure, got them started in modeling and how much they’ve enjoyed the sport with them. So I thought I would let some District X members tell you, in their own words, how modeling has strengthened the father-son bond.
Curtis Pilcher was 14 when his dad, Howard, purchased his first airplane for him. It was a simple foamie Sky Scooter with a three-channel radio. Howard, seeing Curtis’ enjoyment of flying, decided to enter the hobby himself about a year later. Fast forward a couple of years and now Curtis and Howard can be found at International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) contests in the Southwest calling for each other. Curtis flies for the Horizon Hobby team in the Unlimited class and Howard is an officer in IMAC and flies Advanced.
Steve and Nick Foster have been flying together for four years. Steve is a retired Air Force pilot with stick time in F-4 Phantoms and F-15 Eagles. After retiring, Steve became interested in modeling and decided to “drag” Nick along to share the fun. They spent the first couple of years flying flat-wing foamies, and then progressed to larger electrics and now onto gas models.
They have had 30, 50, and now 100cc gas models. Nick just started competing in Scale Aerobatics with Steve as his caller. The best thing about the sport
for them is the time spent driving to events. It is a time they can be alone to talk and spend real quality time with each other.
Cayden Bruce was rummaging around in his parents’ attic when he came across some 30-year-old airplanes that his father, David, had built when he was flying with Cayden’s grandfather. Cayden immediately asked if he could fly them. David, knowing the issues in resurrecting and flying a 30-year-old nitro model, suggested that Cayden start on a simulator. After three months of practice on his grandfather’s simulator, Cayden was ready for the real thing. An E-flite UMX J-3 Cub was his first model. One thing led to another and now Cayden and David fly together in IMAC calling and helping each other. Cayden’s favorite thing about modeling is the support he gets from his parents and grandparents. It must be working because he has won the first four contests he’s entered in 2017 and is thinking about moving up to the Advanced class soon.
My own father shared a lifetime of aviation with me. From modeling to full-scale aircraft, we enjoyed it all. I am very happy to have spent 50 years with
him and have a lifetime of memories I wouldn’t trade for the world.
Happy Father’s Day everyone. Until next month, I wish you all happy landings.
Associate Vice Presidents: Tim Attaway, Chula Vista CA; (619) 427-6392; trattaway@cox.net; Forrest Barton, Woodland CA; (530) 383-9019; cbarton328@aol.com; Richard Bonnardel, Kailua HI; (808) 261-7046; rebbf@hawaii.rr.com; Kurtis Chandler, Phoenix AZ; (602) 647-8342; azpm@cox.net; Alan Friedman, Eloy AZ; (520) 876-0232; pooralan@aol.com. Dan Johnson, St. George UT; (435) 619-3112; dkjohnson@gmail.com; Kevin Houser, Oro Valley AZ; (520) 490-7657; khouser@rocketfarmers.com; Tim Johnson, Rancho Santa Margarita CA; (562) 965-4288; timothy@johnson.us.com; Mike Lee, Redlands CA; (909) 792-8424; mlee8249@msn.com; Scott Malta, Merced CA; (209) 723-4202; scottmalta@comcast.net; Jim Mohan, Phoenix AZ; (623) 434-1351; jmohan351@cox.net; Todd Sheridan, Pleasant Grove UT; (801) 358-8345; sheridan.todd@gmail.com; Greg Stone, Laguna Niguel CA; (949) 413-0920; gstone4@cox.net; Gil Terzo, Las Vegas NV; (702) 523-9897; gterzo@aol.com. Peter Vogel, Santa Clara CA; (408) 569-7067; vogel.peter@gmail.com; Roger Willis, Murrieta CA; (951) 249-9688; willisasoc@aol.com. Event Sanction Coordinators: Tim Attaway, Chula Vista CA; (619) 427-6392; trattaway@cox.net; Forrest Barton, Woodland CA; (530) 383-9019; cbarton328@aol.com; Kurtis Chandler (Arizona and Utah), Peoria AZ; (602) 647-3842; azpm@cox.net; Christopher Sullivan, Waipahu HI; (808) 853-8863; rccombat808@yahoo.com.
