District IX—Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
Jim Tiller
Vice President
jtiller@hotmail.com
Box 828, Custer SD 57730
Tel.: (605) 390-3878
South Dakota Associate Vice President Arend Shuurman sent in the following report.
The Brookings Aeromates club, in Brookings, South Dakota, was able to showcase an array of RC flight platforms. Students got air time from
a buddy-box trainer flown by Rollie Thompson and me.
We also flew some drones and displayed others, including some used by companies such as Monsanto. An aerial camera platform, flown by Byron Will-Noel, really got the kids’ attention and generated lots of questions. Another hit was the glider-tow demonstration that was done by Jerry and Mark Robbins.
The Aeromates wish to thank the South Dakota State University ACE Camp for the opportunity to promote the AMA and the model aviation hobby. I think they enjoyed it about as much as we did.
Because my EAA membership goes back about as far as my AMA membership, EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a longtime family pilgrimage with my wife and grandchildren. For the past few years, I have also helped staff the AMA booths there.
This year I did some shifts at the AMA Mobile RC Experience simulator trailer parked near the ultralight airport.
As always, there is constant interest in the simulators. Visitors were mostly kids with parents, but I did give quite a few EAA members who had never flown RC a lesson on the simulator. The trailer is a magnet, and it gave me a chance to talk with RC pilots from Israel, Australia, South Africa, and the Netherlands. Where else would that happen?
Another highlight was the twilight show by Jace Dussia and Colton Clark. These two men put on a great show and were also terrific ambassadors for the AMA. If you have not yet seen their night flights, several of them are on YouTube and on the FlyingGiants forum.
Visiting Oshkosh for AirVenture is always a treat, especially if you have family to share your passion as I do. If you have never been, put it on your bucket list.
Associate Vice Presidents: Tyler Brown, Lincoln NE; (402) 617-044; tylerzx9r@yahoo.com; Paul Frankum, Lenexa KS; (912) 856-6372; paulf1524@yahoo.com; Troy Hamm, Gardner KS; (913) 744-5745; funflyr@juno.com; David Koch, Mandan ND; (701) 471-9575; kockbrandon471@gmail.com. Rick McCaskill, Frederick CO; (303) 682-0440; rickm1947@aol.com; Tom Neff, Aurora CO; (303) 829-5416; thomas.neff@comcast.net; Josh Nelson, Casper WY; (307) 277-3110; huntwy@aol.com; Arend Shuurman, Elkton SD; (605) 695-2122; arend.schuurman@gmail.com.
Event Sanction Coordinator: Troy Hamm, Gardner KS; (913) 744-5745; funflyr@juno.com.
