District III
Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Winter had really set in within District III as I wrote this, and I am looking forward to spring and attending events. I miss the legendary Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo. This was the event that got me revved up for the flying season. New products, awesome static displays, conversing with old and new friends, and more, were an inspiration for me.
Will we ever see such an event again? It’s unlikely because trade shows are becoming a thing of the past. Kudos to the people who have created the Toledo R/C Swap Meet & Expo on April 1-2 at the SeaGate Centre, and to the Dayton Wingmasters Modelrama scheduled for April 29-30 in Dayton, Ohio. These events are attempting to fill the huge void left by The Toledo Show.
I received the following from Tim Hendricks of the Central Ohio Radio Kontrol Society (CORKS).
“This past year, the CORKS lost a great friend and mentor in Don Ranney. Don maintained the CORKS flying field for many years with a homemade roller, a weed eater, and an old, reel-type mower. At the age of 95, regardless of the outside temperature, you could find Don at the field every week working to keep our field in great flying condition.
“A kinder, gentler man you will never meet. He’ll be greatly missed by all of those who knew him. In Don’s honor, the CORKS flying field has been renamed Don Ranney Field.”
On October 23, 2021, I attended an RC event to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This event was hosted by the Blennerhassett Area RC Club (BARCC) and was the idea of club member and Contest Director Bill Berry. Each pilot paid a landing fee of $20 to fly. The club also raised money from food concessions and a raffle. When all was said and done, the club donated $1,000 to the hospital. Thank you to everyone who donated, and especially to the members of BARCC for your generous donation to this worthy cause! Events such as this go a long way in showing how valuable an asset your club is to your community.
I’ll end this month with a great photo of Rob Weismiller calling for his son, Bentley, at the Cincinnati Aeromodelers International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) Challenge in Ohio. This was Bentley’s first IMAC contest. He is the future of model aviation. Way to go, Bentley!
Until next month, stay safe and fly safely.
