Biographies

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Katie Pates Biography

Woman smiling, holding a trophy with a plane figure on top.

My name is Katie Pates, and I live in Dearborn, Michigan. I started flying RC planes when I was 13. My grandpa would build the planes, and I would fly them. I flew until I was 18, and then life took me in another direction. When my 40th birthday came around a couple years ago, I thought I would start flying again and I pretty much picked up where I left off. I'm not good at building, so I buy and fly the pre-made foam planes and they are just as fun as the balsa kits were!

Lawrence Peterson Biography

Man assembling a model airplane at a workshop table.

I began flying Cox U-control in the early sixties on eastern Long Island. Then I joined the USAF in June 1970 going thru basic in Lackland AFB and weapons tech school at Lowry AFB sent in January 1971 to Nakhon Phanom RTAFB Thailand 456th MMS A-1 Gunshop working on the A-1 E/H/J prop planes. 

William Fisher Biography

I am in a family of model flyers. My 93-year-old uncle flew strings 'dogfights' before I was born. My first gas plane was a plastic, stringed, yellow .049 P-51 Mustang in 1973.

I built my first balsa windup in 1973, a stick windup then a 3D balsa windup. We then built the Spirit of St. Louis 4' balsa windup. 

When I joined the military, I built and flew my first RC plane in 1985. Fast forward to recently, and I bought my first helicopter, an articulated contra-rotator. 

Daren Hudson Biography

Man with a remote-controlled model airplane on grassy field.

I am the District I senior associate vice president (AVP) and AMA district outreach team (ADOT) coordinator. I've spent a lifetime in and out of the hobby. Back in 2010, I met District I Vice President Andy Argenio. In 2012, I became AVP for Government Advocacy and now have found great satisfaction in facilitating public and educational outreach through ADOT. I enjoy all disciplines of modeling, from micro indoor to turbine jets. I'm from Greenland, New Hampshire. 

Robert Paris Biography

Man in military uniform prepares to board a parked helicopter on a wet, muddy terrain.

I flew two tours as a helicopter pilot with the 48th Assault Helicopter Company. We were based out of Ninh Hoa, along the coast, just north of Cam Ranh Bay Air Force Base in Vietnam. I was drafted at 18, just out of high school, and completed the Army Helicopter Pilot program. I ended up being only 19 years of age flying armed helicopter gunships in Vietnam. My call sign was "Joker 70." I was born in Compton, California, and now reside in Lahaina-Maui, Hawaii. I'm retired today and still fly model airplanes. My AMA number is 15016. 

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