District V
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands
Welcome back everyone! The holidays are behind us and, by the time you are reading this, the new year will be underway. I hope you’ve gotten in your first flights of the year already!
I’ve mentioned before that for clubs, community involvement is absolute gold, and such is the case with my examples today. These events and fundraisers can be cited when clubs request funds, new flying sites, or even to counter possible complaints.
One of my local clubs, Gateway RC in Jacksonville, Florida, hosted a successful Toys for Tots fly-in and swap meet on December 9, 2023. A large number of bicycles and hundreds of dollars worth of toys were raised for this cause. Two U.S. Marines were also present and were given flying lessons by the club instructors. Everyone had a great time. It was perfect Florida flying weather, and this will benefit a large number of children at Christmas.
The Radio Control Association of Central Florida hosted its annual New Years Air Show at the Don Lowe Field in Apopka, Florida, on New Years Eve. This event brings together top pilots of all flying disciplines and public and community leaders. It’s a great way to spread the word about what we do and allows us to be seen as fellow community members as opposed to faceless people behind the trees making a racket.
A drone impacted a tour helicopter in Daytona, Florida. It didn’t result in any injuries, and it appears to have been a Part 107 operator, so although it’s not directly AMA related, I wanted to mention it. In social media comments, there is a tone that the helicopter hit the drone and it was the helicopter’s fault because the Part 107 operator had airspace authorization.
We have a duty to see and avoid full-scale aircraft at all times, whether they are operating legally or not. (The helicopter in this case was landing, so he was operating legally even though he was at 180 feet). If you have a letter of agreement to operate above 400 feet or are in an area where full-scale traffic transits below 400 feet, please use a spotter and land or clear out if you see or hear an approaching full-scale aircraft.
Stay safe and keep ’em flyin’!
