District VII— Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Tim Jesky
Vice President
Hello again and happy 2018! I love the holiday season as much as the next person, but I’m happy that the hectic pace that comes with it is in the rearview mirror and life is getting back to normal.
January is also the time when new terms generally begin for club leadership. I’d like to extend my personal thank-you to new officers for stepping up, and to outgoing leaders for their service. In what can sometimes be described as a thankless job, it’s also a truly rewarding experience and vital service. Thank you all for what you do.
As you begin planning for the year’s events, I want to remind you of some program cutoff dates that could be of benefit to your members. February 1, 2018, is the last date for submission for both the AMA Scholarship program and Take off And Grow (TAG) grants. Flying Site Development and Improvement Grant applications must be received by March 1.
Last year, AMA awarded more than $40,000 in scholarships, $30,000 in field improvements, and somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000 for TAG programs. These benefits are part of your AMA membership and I encourage you to apply. Information about these programs and many others can be found on AMA’s website at www.modelaircraft.org.
For the rest of this month’s column, I’m going to turn things over to Marc “Doc” Shelstrom to fill you in on some of the goings-on in his neck of the woods.
The Western Wisconsin Modelers Association (WWMA) is a relatively new AMA chapter. It started in August 2015, and already has grown to 25 members. Member Keith Marshall built the 80 x 700-foot field and added a 1.5-acre float pond adjacent to the field. He welcomes any AMA member to come and fly free of charge.
The WWMA hosted a Dawn Patrol event on September 23, 2017, at the Marshall RC Park located at N14347, in Thorp, Wisconsin. Fifteen pilots braved the gusty 12 to 18 mph wind. Despite adverse flying conditions, everyone had a good time and especially enjoyed the lunch catered by the Arlyn Jennis family.
Not many Dawn Patrol events take place in Wisconsin, so I would encourage World War I pilots to put this annual event on their schedules for next year. The field is outstanding and the people are extremely friendly.
On Saturday, October 21, 2017, the Iowa City Aerohawks hosted a float-fly south of Iowa City, Iowa, at an old sandpit. The pit is an excellent float-fly facility because it’s in the shape of an L. The long part of the L is approximately a half mile, while the short part is approximately a quarter mile, which allows taking off and landing from any direction. The club charges a $10 landing fee for non-members.
For lunch, Rich VeDepo provided his popular chili, while other members brought side dishes. Flying time had some competition from the Iowa Hawkeyes. A TV was hooked up so no one would miss the University of Iowa football game.
This year’s entire flying season was challenging because of wind. This event was no different. By 1 p.m. the wind was blowing 15 to 20 mph, which curtailed flying in the afternoon. However, any time RC fliers get together, it’s a great time!
Take a kid flying!
Associate Vice Presidents: Bruce Baier, Oshkosh WI; ; Lee Frederickson, Ada MI; ; David George, Riverview MI; ; Randall Gibson, Lansing MI; ; Bud Gorman, Knife River MN; ; Don Held, Elmira MI; ; Bob Johnson, Fond du Lac WI; ; Mark Robotti, Lindstrom MN; ; Marc “Doc” Shelstrom, Lancaster WI; ; Peter G. Van Heusden, Bloomfield Hills MI; ; Kent Woods, Ames IA; . Event Sanction Coordinators: Wayne Yeager (RC Michigan), ; Michael J. Haller (RC non-Michigan), Fond du Lac WI; . Frequency Coordinators: Al Schwartz, Roseville MN; ; Pete Waters, Northville MI; .
