District IX

Edition: Model Aviation - 2026/09
Page Numbers: 111

District IX

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

We will start this month with a report from Vernon Nelson, the president of the Jayhawk Model Masters in Lawrence, Kansas. I talked to Vernon several months ago and encouraged him to send some of the club’s activities. Here is his first installment that covers one of its many events.

Model airplane being prepared on a grassy flying field

People standing beside a model airplane on a grassy flying field

Here are a couple of pictures from the Jayhawk Big Bird Fly last September. We had 40 registered pilots, mostly from Kansas and Missouri. The weather cooperated and we had a nice crowd of spectators. There were airplanes in the air the whole time.

Our club has one of the best flying fields in the Midwest, featuring grass runways where you can fly 2,000 feet to the west and 2,000 feet to the east. We also have a nice north and south runway as well. We host five major AMA events each year, including two float fly-ins at Clinton Lake. More than 70 members contribute to the Jayhawks’ success.

This very active club is past due for some space in the column covering what they do. Let’s feature your club next. Please reach out to me or your associate vice president (AVP) to get your activities showcased here.

South Dakota AVP Jim Tiller traveled to the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana, for the AMA National Fun Fly that took place June 26-28. After this long trip, we will give him a minute to rest before asking him to tell us what happened.

It is a long trip from here in the outback to Muncie, but it is always good to see the AMA staff and be a part of this growing event.

This year, we had about 90 registered pilots despite an area forecast for rain and bad weather. As it turned out, there was rain here and there, but there was plenty of time on each of the three days to get in a lot of airtime. Many of your AMA Executive Council were in attendance because their quarterly meeting was on Sunday.

Two people watching a model aircraft at a flying event — How did you like having the AMA president (Greg Stone) as your spotter?

The AMA Foundation supplied on-site food and manned the raffle desk. Raffle sales were brisk because the Foundation gave away literally a trailer load of prizes that were donated by the event sponsors. The swap shop was active as well, especially when the rain showers slowed the flying.

Model aircraft flying above a field while a spectator watches — It’s not a fun-fly without the flying witch!

I thoroughly enjoyed being there despite the long drive. I helped out on the flightline, got in some airtime, sold a couple of things in the swap shop, and went home with one of the raffle prizes—what could be better than that?