District II
New Jersey, New York, Europe
Eric Williams
Vice President
rcpilot@nycap.rr.com
4242 Amanda Ln., Schenectady NY 12303
(518) 356-2057
www.amadistrict-ii.org
www.facebook.com/DistrictIIAMA
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENTS
Dennis Andreas, Freeport NY; (516) 379-0135; danandreasdhqsd@juno.com
Frank Costello, Somerset NJ; teams3fpv@gmail.com
Chuck Davis, Sayville NY; (631) 589-7690; cjdavis60@verizon.net
Gary Fitch, Delevan NY; gm fitch@hotmail.com
Gene Gavin, Staten Island NY; (718) 967-0598; Gavin1957@aol.com
Frank Granelli, Rockaway NJ; (973) 625-4995; granellif@aol.com
Bill Hauth, Hamburg NY; (716) 649-8582; toolmkr2000@msn.com
Tony Jensen, Binghamton NY; (607) 644-6873; tjravenpilot@gmail.com
Ron McGrath, North Chili, NY; ronmcgrath@rochester.rr.com
Thomas Murray, Basking Ridge NJ; (908) 766-5556
Anthony Rossi, Somerset NJ; (917) 320-2665; p510851@gmail.com
Leonard Max Smart, Morrisonville NY; (518) 563-6878; hotrodsnymax@charter.net
Alexander Sz emere, Kendall Park NJ; (732) 821-5641; drzszemere@aol.com
Michael Wong, Mahwah NJ; kingmeow@verizon.net
Herb Ziegler, Baldwinsville NY; (315) 857-6266; herbz1957@yahoo.com
RC EVENT SANCTION COORDINATORS
Tony and Trish Jensen, Binghamton NY; (607) 644-6873; tjravenpilot@gmail.com
CL/FF EVENT SANCTION COORDINATOR
AMA Headquarters, Competitions Department; (800) 435-9262, Ext. 252; c pierce@modelaircraft.org
Among my most memorable experiences flying model airplanes was flying at the Brimfield, Massachusetts, float-fly back in the 1980s. To this day, flying off of water remains among my favorite forms of flying. This month’s column and event report is the second of two installments about this fun and unusual part of our hobby.
On Sunday September 20, 2020, I attended the Lazy Eight Fall Float Fly in Mayfield, New York. As were many events in 2020, the original event location at Northampton Beach Campground was closed because of COVID-19 restrictions. Fortunately, club member Ed Plumadore stepped in and worked with Miller’s Grandview Marina on Great Sacandaga Lake to make the event a reality.
The Lazy Eight club is no stranger to holding fun events. It has a long history of holding an annual charity air show, as well as other public events. Because of COVID-19 concerns, the float-fly was not a public event this year, but nevertheless, many club members chipped in to help make it a success. Beyond Ed’s work to secure the new flying location, Lazy Eight club member Dave Kohler handily fulfilled the need for a retrieval boat that recovered more than one marooned aircraft, including my own!
Although float-flying adds a whole new, fun dynamic to our hobby, it’s not without some necessities. Preflight setup of float airplanes is not difficult, but there are some particular guidelines that you’ll need to follow.
Float size is important, as is confirming and adjusting your aircraft’s center of gravity. The angle of attack and positioning of the floats is important too. Keeping things dry inside the aircraft is, of course, helpful as well. You might be surprised at how well our modern electronics and engines can cope with getting wet, but be certain to thoroughly dry and test things out before flying again. There are numerous internet sources for float-flying setups.
If you or your club are looking for an event that adds a different dimension to a fun day of flying, consider hosting a float-fly. Of course, be certain to get any needed preapprovals and to practice all safety precautions for the pilots, spectators, full-scale boaters, and any swimmers who you’ll want to stay well clear of. I think you’ll truly enjoy it.
