Edition: Model Aviation - 2025/06
Page Numbers: 102
Portrait of Greg Stone

District X

Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah

Portrait of Greg Stone

Greg Stone

Vice President
amadistrictx@modelaircraft.org
5345 Paseo Caliente
Yorba Linda CA 92887
(949) 413-0920

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENTS

Forrest Barton, Woodland CA; (530) 383-9019; cbarton328@aol.com

Stella Bennett, San Pedro CA; (310) 357-4570; bennettblueeagles72@gmail.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

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; cbarton328@aol.com

Southern California and Arizona, Greg Stone, (949) 413-0920; ystone4@outlook.com

Free Flight: AMA Headquarters, Competition Department, (765) 287-1256, ext. 252; competition@modelaircraft.org

At the Torrey Pines Gliderport in Southern California, I had the honor of participating in the recognition of Dr. Larry Fogel’s induction into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame. It was an inspiring tribute to the history of the site, with RC Soaring by Gary Fogel, seen here holding a 50-year-old Kestrel with mechanical mixing.

Gary Fogel holding a glider and an award plaque with another man

The event was attended by many members of the Torrey Pines Gulls, family, and friends. Through the passion for Soaring came many years of work that was instrumental in the establishment of the Torrey Pines Gliderport as an international, multidiscipline Soaring facility. Rich Hanson, then-District X vice president, and the Fogels continued work to designate the Torrey Pines Gliderport as the first AMA Model Aviation Historical Landmark.

Historical plaque at Torrey Pines Gliderport

Larry was a passionate advocate for model aviation and the preservation of the Torrey Pines Gliderport. He served as president of the Torrey Pines Gulls R/C Soaring Club, cofounded the Torrey Pines Scale Soaring Society, and presided over the National Soaring Society from 1975 to 1977. His dedication to the sport also earned him recognition as an AMA Fellow in 1996.

This site gained prominence in 1930 when Charles Lindbergh made a notable soaring flight from Mt. Soledad to Del Mar, California, setting a regional distance record.

Model gliders lined up at the Torrey Pines Gliderport
Glider flying over the shoreline at Torrey Pines
People and model gliders at the Torrey Pines Gliderport

During World War II, the U.S. Army converted the area into Camp Callan, an antiaircraft artillery training facility. After the war, the City of San Diego reclaimed the land, and recreational glider operations resumed. The Gliderport has since been the scene of numerous aviation records.

Many model gliders arranged on the grass at the gliderport