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
(336) 687-0973
www.amadistrict-iv.org
www.facebook.com/amadistrictIv
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENTS
Nic Burhans, VA; (540) 219-9646; nic@ama-d4.org
Bob Burnett, Washington, D.C. SFRA; (703) 742-9682; bobl@ama-d4.org
Rick Cawley, NC; (919) 630-1649; racbcg2@yahoo.com
Rusty Kennedy, VA; (757) 812-2812; rustyk716@gmail.com
John Kirchstein, DE; (302)731-2831; john@kirchstein.net
Richard “Rick” Moreland, MD; (301) 261-7366; rmoreland1@verizon.net
Mark Smith, NC; (704) 798-2776; mark@ama-d4.org
Terry Terrenoire, VA; (412)760-4593; terry@ama-d4.org
David Trogdon, NC; (910)654-1220; dtrogdon4967@gmail.com
Mark Weiss, DE; (302)547-4917; markw@ama-d4.org
EVENT SANCTION COORDINATORS
CL AVP: Jack Rosemere, 609 William St., Cambridge MD 21613; (410) 330-4663; jrosemere@verizon.net
FF AVP: Bob Sowder, 84 Misty Hills Ln., Troutville VA 24175; (540) 525-7086; bsowder@rbnet.com
RC: John Bergsmith, 1438 Piney Church Rd., Concord NC 28025; (704) 699-6977; RCcoordinator@ama-d4.org
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AVP
Ray Stinchcomb, (443) 618-8998; govrelations@ama-d4.org
WEBMASTER
Jack Upchurch, webmaster@ama-d4.org
SOCIAL MEDIA ADMINISTRATOR
Douglas LeRoy, social@ama-d4.org
Abram Van Dover from Newport News, Virginia, took his final flight on October 30, 2020, sitting at his computer working for AMA and the Brainbusters Free Flight club in Newport News. He began modeling as a child, flying Free Flight models with his father. He served 33 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a sergeant major. Abram spent the rest of his life intimately involved with model aviation, holding every office in his club and producing the monthly club newsletter for nearly 40 years. That was just one of his many accomplishments. He also taught kids through STE(A)M programs throughout Virginia and was a mainstay at the AMA Nats and more.
In 2018, I was honored to be able to present him with one of only six AMA Lifetime Achievement Awards. He was a truly special and inspired person. Blue skies forever. Rest in peace, Sgt. Maj. Van Dover.
We have another district club, the District of Columbia Radio Control Club (DCRC), that I would like to celebrate for continued Gold Leader Club status. Way to go, DCRC!
Our event report this month comes from Event Manager John Haffner.
The Mid-Atlantic Radio Kontrol Society (MARKS), in partnership with the Vintage Radio Control Society (VRCS), sponsored the second annual Fall Vintage Fly-In on October 10 at the club’s home field in Salisbury, Maryland. The event was open to any vintage airplane model designed specifically for RC and designed, kitted, or first flown at least 35 years ago.
Events included open flying all day, a simple 10-maneuver RC Aerobatics (Pattern) event, and static judging. The simple (Open) pattern is designed so that Rudder Only (Class I), Elevator and Rudder (Class II), and Elevator, Rudder and Aileron (Class III) models can compete. The static events are judged on how faithfully the builder replicates the original prototype according to the plans.
For models designed before 1976, the static events included Concours d’Elegance, Vintage Scale, and Theme Plane. This year’s Theme Plane was the 48-inch wingspan version of the Sterling Mambo single-channel trainer.
Despite some wind and rain, fliers came from Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and the Washington, D.C., area. Attendance was down slightly from last year’s event, but that was to be expected considering the COVID-19 situation. All who attended had a great time, and the MARKS club is already planning for next year’s event to be bigger and better.
The MARKS club and VRCS hope to see you next October. For more information about the MARKS club, visit www.marksrc.com, and for the Vintage Radio Control Society, visit www.vintagercsociety.org.
Go fly and have fun safely!
