District V
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands
Welcome back to District V!
First, I want to give kudos to the crew at the Fayette Flyers in Peachtree, Georgia, for pulling off the first large event in the district since the pandemic.
The Southeast Electric Flight Festival (SEFF) was, by all accounts, a resounding success. SEFF took place from April 26 through May 1 in Americus, Georgia, at what used to be the location of Hodges Hobbies. Mac Hodges has retired, but the field and facility still host world-class events. SEFF drew a whopping 239 registered pilots this year!
Unfortunately, it conflicted with Top Gun, so I wasn’t able to attend, but Phil Roey is a regular and provided some pictures, and Associate Vice President Bill Barbee also attended. Great job to Contest Director (CD) Bob Barnard, but as any good CD will tell you, it takes a dedicated staff to make an event of this size go smoothly.
An overhead shot of the SEFF event at Hodges Field in Andersonville GA. This was only Tuesday. It got more crowded as the week progressed!
Jim Talens, from Palm Beach FL, thought we might get a kick out of his Visionaire foamie that has more glue than foam remaining. Here’s to tenacity for keeping them flying!
In other matters, I’ve mentioned this a few times, but I still get calls. How do you treat new people when they show up at your club? I hear lots of stories about cliquish and standoffish behavior and potential new members feeling put off.
Conversely, I also hear stories of club members welcoming newcomers with open arms and treating them like old friends. Which club do you want yours to be?
You don’t have to be a certified Walmart greeter to say hello to a visitor and ask if he or she has any questions. Heck, you might even make a new friend.
Several years ago, I struck up a conversation with a new person at our field who had been flying in a park and wanted to get back into larger airplanes. He will be the best man in my wedding next year.
Our hobby, and most of our clubs, are not so rich that we can afford to turn away new members, and who knows whether that young man or woman might be the next Neil Armstrong or Patty Wagstaff.
Large events don’t happen without a dedicated, hardworking crew. CD Bob Barnard is with the crew that made SEFF happen.
