District IX

District IX

Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming

Brandon Koch
Vice President
amadistrictix@modelaircraft.org
Mandan ND
(701) 471-9575
facebook.com/AMADISTRICTIX

First, my best to you this holiday season!

Dave Larson, the newsletter editor of the Beresford Area Radio Flyers (BARF) in Beresford, South Dakota, reported on some of the BARF members attending the SooLand RC Modelers Fun Fly in August.

It was a warm weekend for the SooLand RC Modelers event southwest of Sioux City, Iowa. More than 20 pilots attended, flew, ate, and had a “hot time.” Ken, Aaron, and the gang put on a great lunch, and the raffle prizes were even better than in the past.

Two people preparing a red and gray model aircraft at a flying field — (L-R): Ron Houske is the builder of this aircraft from the Great War. Richard fires up the engine on Ron’s Fokker D.VII at the SooLand RC Modelers Fun Fly.

This event coverage from the Sky Corral RC Club, in Pueblo, Colorado, was submitted by Contest Director (CD) Mark Siemen.

South Dakota Mines Hardrocker Aero Design team standing behind a model aircraft — The South Dakota Mines Hardrocker Aero Design team (L-R): Carson Daly, Beau Price, Adam Kaufmann, Justin Golus, Jorden Kalmbach, Willa LaClah, and Kate Mondloch.

The South Dakota Mines Hardrocker Aero Design team is shown here with their 2025 entry in the SAE Aero Design contest that was held in California. The team finished in 12th place. They test-fly at the Rapid City Propbusters field in South Dakota.
There are other college SAE teams in District IX, but we are glad to note these young engineers’ accomplishments since this college of only 2,500 students competed well against 60 US and international college teams.

Our Big Birds/All Birds in August is a long-standing club event for large airplanes, but in recent years, we’ve morphed it into a “run what you brung” gathering.

Model jet aircraft flying outdoors — All of the photos were taken by Keith Davis from the Pikes Peak RC Club.

I’m the CD, and I can tell you that our 33 registered pilots flew everything from racing drones to 40% International Miniature Aerobatic Club planes and giant turbines. We even had one of the locals fly a powered paraglider.

Powered paraglider flying over a rural landscape — All of the photos were taken by Keith Davis from the Pikes Peak RC Club.

All of the photos were taken by Keith Davis from the Pikes Peak RC Club.