District X
Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah
This month’s update is from George Boston, who prepared the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame application for Robert (Bob) Root. Bob was inducted into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame on June 25, 2022.
Bob, a longtime member of the Ventura County Comets, located at Lake Casitas, California, was inducted into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame during the AMA Membership meeting that was held at the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) in Muncie, Indiana.
AMA President Rich Hanson presented Bob with his induction certificate and introduced him to the attendees at the annual Membership meeting. Rich summarized Bob’s many accomplishments in both the hobby and his professional career, working for a number of major aircraft/aerospace companies, designing and developing stealth aircraft.
Bob has been a member of the AMA for more than 72 years, joining in 1949. He is one of those unique members who possesses an AMA vanity number of “GRANDPA.” Bob grew up in the Portland, Oregon, area, building and flying Free Flight, Control Line, and early RC models.
Bob earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with an aeronautical option from Oregon State University in 1960. While he was pursuing his professional career, he became involved in the designing, building, and flying of Formula 1 and FA1 Pylon Racing models.
Bob designed and manufactured a number of kits, and in 1972 and 1973, he participated in the Pylon Racing Nats held in Chicago, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and Mexico City. In 1972, he won the Spokane International Pylon Races, and in 1979, he won the National Miniature Pylon Racing Association Nationals held in Las Vegas.
More recently, Bob has been competing in Scale Masters events and was awarded the Tom Wolf Memorial Craftsmanship Award at the US Scale Masters 2020 Gunsmoke competition that was held in Mesa, Arizona. Bob is a master builder and an outstanding flier and serves as an AMA flight instructor and event contest director.
An active member of the Comets for more than 26 years, Bob has held a number of elected officer positions, including the office of president. As a result of his experience in building complex models, coupled with his professional background in aeronautical engineering, he is frequently consulted by members of the Comets to help with resolving virtually all matters associated with our hobby. Bob is also an active speaker at local school science events.
I had the opportunity to meet with him and a number of his family members while attending the AMA National Fun Fly at the IAC and accompanied him during our tour of the AMA National Model Aviation Museum. A video of Bob’s induction can be viewed at www.modelaircraft.org/funfly#. Yr9ipzgzf_m4/.mailto.
Feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, recommendations, or issues. There is much to share across the district. Enjoy everything you build and fly.
Greg Stone
Vice President
gstone4@outlook.com
5345 Paseo Caliente
Yorba Linda CA 92887
(949) 413-0920
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENTS
Tim Attaway, Chula Vista CA; (619) 427-6392; trattaway@cox.net
Forrest Barton, Woodland CA; (530) 383-9019; charton328@aol.com
Jim Bonnardel, San Diego CA; (858) 292-5518; nitroblast@hotmail.com
Alan Friedman, Eloy AZ; (520) 876-0232; pooralan@aol.com
Bob Hunter, San Tan Valley AZ; (714) 273-1419; bobh@huntershome.com
Dan Johnson, Preston ID; (435) 619-3112; dksajohnson@gmail.com
Tim Johnson, Mission Viejo CA; (949) 444-7520; timothy@johnson.us.com
Mike Lee, Redlands CA; (909) 792-8424; mlee8249@msn.com
Barry Mattison, Las Vegas NV; (702) 218-3827; bm.brabbit@gmail.com
Jim Mohan, Phoenix AZ; (623) 434-1351; jmohan351@cox.net
JR Schiager, Folsom CA; (916) 705-7778; jrstuff88@gmail.com
Gil Terzo, Las Vegas NV; (702) 523-9897; gterzo@aol.com
Peter Vogel, Santa Clara CA; (408) 569-7067; vogel.peter@gmail.com
Roger Willis, Murrieta CA; (951) 249-9688; willisassoc@aol.com
EVENT SANCTION COORDINATORS
Forrest Barton (CA north of Bakersfield), Woodland CA; (530) 383-9019; charton328@aol.com
