District III
Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
With the COVID pandemic subsiding, my family decided to take a vacation to Dauphin Island, Alabama. We had a great week of swimming and relaxing on the beach; however, I needed some model aviation activity. Using the AMA Club Flying Site Search (www.modelaircraft.org/club-finder), I located the Azalea City Model Aeronautics Club in Irvington, Alabama.
I contacted club President Raymond Murtha and we set up a day to fly. The club has a nice flying field, featuring a paved runway with a large, covered pit area for shelter from the hot Alabama sun.
I spent the day flying and talking with the club members about the club activities, which include buddy-box flying with students and fundraising for the community. Thank you, Azalea City Model Aeronautics, for welcoming me to your club.
While I was on vacation, the annual Joe Nall Week event took place at Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina. I followed the activities via social media and noticed that two models got a lot of attention. Both were built by District III members from Pittsburgh.
Chuck Gratner designed and built a classic 1920s-era monoplane he calls the Riley B. Chuck has made several of these models, with each one successively larger. The finish on this aircraft is astounding, with a fuselage that is made of laminated wood coated with a clear finish. Chuck’s model won the coveted Bob Smith
Until next month, stay safe and fly safely.
Trophy at Joe Nall, given to the most outstanding aircraft at the event. For more information about the Riley B, go to www.gratnerbrothers.com.
The other model at Joe Nall was a 51%-scale, 13-foot wingspan Gee Bee that was designed and built by Ed Andrews. Ed finished this model in 2017 and showed it at The Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo and other events. This aircraft features a finished cockpit, hand-carved propeller, and a beautiful finish.
Ed, who is an excellent pilot, hasn’t flown the model because he put in more than two years constructing it, and prefers that it go to a museum where it can be appreciated.
Congratulations to Chuck and Ed for your outstanding models and for representing AMA District III at Joe Nall.
On May 20, 2022, I attended the Potluck Dinner Fun Fly, hosted by the Pegasus RC Club in Hagerstown, Maryland. The Pegasus club has a beautiful facility that features a large, covered pavilion and a nicely manicured grass runway. In addition, the club hosted a MultiGP FPV racing event on the field behind the main flightline. Incidentally, although the Pegasus club is in Maryland, it is considered District III because the club president lives just across the border in nearby Pennsylvania. I am looking forward to attending more events with this fine club.
