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Local Area Fun Flyers News Coverage

The Local Area Fun Flyers (LAFF) are located in Bullhead City, AZ. The club was covered in the Mohave Valley Daily News on Dec. 27. The RC club has 30 members and they meet at the Rodney Briscoe Memorial Flying Field at Rotary Park in Arizona. LAFF is actively looking for other RC aircraft enthusiasts in their area to join them in their flight plans. The club is planning a fun fly day in February that will be open to anyone interested in learning about the sport. Andy Murphy, a member of the club, said “This field is a great place to come out to fly.

 

The Local Area Fun Flyers (LAFF) are located in Bullhead City, AZ. The club was covered in the Mohave Valley Daily News on Dec. 27. The RC club has 30 members and they meet at the Rodney Briscoe Memorial Flying Field at Rotary Park in Arizona. LAFF is actively looking for other RC aircraft enthusiasts in their area to join them in their flight plans. The club is planning a fun fly day in February that will be open to anyone interested in learning about the sport. Andy Murphy, a member of the club, said “This field is a great place to come out to fly. People can come out with us and give it a try before they invest in the sport; if they find they are interested, we can help get them started and give good advice on how to do it as inexpensively as possible.” For more information about LAFF email localareafunflyers@yahoo.com. To read the story from the Mohave Valley Daily News, click here.

Casa Grande RC Flyers Make Improvements To Airfield

The Casa Grande RC Flyers airfield located in Casa Grande, AZ recently installed WeatherLink, a new weather monitoring station. WeatherLink offers real-time information about current weather conditions which include temperatures, rainfall totals, humidity, wind speeds and direction. The data that the station collects can be accessed by anyone interested in the area’s weather conditions. The data collected is available to users on the website WeatherLink.com and on a smartphone application, WeatherLink 2.0.

 

The Casa Grande RC Flyers airfield located in Casa Grande, AZ recently installed WeatherLink, a new weather monitoring station. WeatherLink offers real-time information about current weather conditions which include temperatures, rainfall totals, humidity, wind speeds and direction. The data that the station collects can be accessed by anyone interested in the area’s weather conditions. The data collected is available to users on the website WeatherLink.com and on a smartphone application, WeatherLink 2.0. A press release from the Casa Grande RC Flyers club stated that the monitoring station will be used by pilots who fly RC planes and drones at the flying field. It will also be used by police and shooting enthusiasts curious about conditions near the gun range. The city of Casa Grande provided a large flagpole that was installed at the airfield to accommodate the weather station and maintains it. The weather monitoring station is one of many improvements that the club plans to make to their field. The club plans to add sun shades for the pilot tables and another runway to their RC airfield. The AMA would like to congratulate the Casa Grande RC Flyers on their new additions to their field!

Mid Coast Radio Control Club Receives Club Recognition and Reward Grant

The Mid Coast Radio Control Club recently received an AMA Club Recognition and Reward grant for $75. The club is located in Union, ME. The Mid Coast Radio Control group president, Greg Morse, invited “Village Soup” reporter Louis Bettcher to their airfield. The day was filled with information about the hobby and some flying.

 

The Mid Coast Radio Control Club recently received an AMA Club Recognition and Reward grant for $75. The club is located in Union, ME. The Mid Coast Radio Control group president, Greg Morse, invited “Village Soup” reporter Louis Bettcher to their airfield. The day was filled with information about the hobby and some flying. The club informed Bettcher on how RC planes are built, what power sources they use, AMA memberships and swap meets. Bettcher said, “Although I was excited to try to fly one of them, I was nervous that I would ruin someone's plane within seconds of handling the controller.” Morse brought Bettcher a trainer plane for him to try out. Bettcher successfully landed the plane with some help from Morse. The Mid Coast Radio Control Club meets mostly in the mornings on Saturdays and Sundays.  The AMA would like to thank the Mid Coast Radio Control Club for inviting reporter Louis Bettcher to hang out at their field for a day. To read more about Bettcher's day, click here.   The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

Palomar Radio Controlled Flyers Club Receives AMA Club Recognition and Reward Grant

Palomar Radio Controlled Flyers club recently received an AMA Club Recognition and Reward Grant for $75. This club is located in San Marcos, CA. The club was recently in “The San Diego Union-Tribune” because the club needs a new home. They have been gathering in a big, vacant field in Fallbrook, CA. The property is 90 acres and is a private land owned by a development company. This field was ideal because it is in isolation from residential neighborhoods and retail centers. It allows members to fly without concern for bothering anybody or hitting anybody.

 

Palomar Radio Controlled Flyers club recently received an AMA Club Recognition and Reward Grant for $75. This club is located in San Marcos, CA. The club was recently in “The San Diego Union-Tribune” because the club needs a new home. They have been gathering in a big, vacant field in Fallbrook, CA. The property is 90 acres and is a private land owned by a development company. This field was ideal because it is in isolation from residential neighborhoods and retail centers. It allows members to fly without concern for bothering anybody or hitting anybody. The club has existed since the 1950s and has around 200 members today. The field includes a 600-foot-long runway for the club members to use. Steve Gebler, the incoming president of the club told the reporter, “Within a 1.1-mile radius, 1,100 homes are going in and right past that tree line is where Palomar College is building a new campus.” The property is not currently slated for development but club members think that will soon change due to land surveyors and engineers being on the property. Gebler is concerned that in two years people will be complaining and the club will be shut down. Members of the group have been looking for somewhere to relocate but they've had no luck. The leaders of the group have also had unsuccessful talks with government agencies who appear to have little interest in providing a flying area. Steve Gebler asks anyone who might have suggestions for a new location to contact him. For more information about the club, click here. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

Hampton Roads Radio Control Group Holds Event for a Good Cause

The Hampton Roads Radio Control group hosted the 11th annual Toys for Tots Fly-in on Nov. 4. The event was held at their field in Suffolk, VA. All proceeds from the event went to the Suffolk’s Toys for Tots Program. More than 30 pilots registered for the event. There was a $10 landing fee or a pilot could bring one new, unwrapped toy.

 

The Hampton Roads Radio Control group hosted the 11th annual Toys for Tots Fly-in on Nov. 4. The event was held at their field in Suffolk, VA. All proceeds from the event went to the Suffolk’s Toys for Tots Program. More than 30 pilots registered for the event. There was a $10 landing fee or a pilot could bring one new, unwrapped toy. There was also a skydiver demo and candy drop at the event. The club event collected three boxes of toys, along with $3,462 worth of cash donations, raffle tickets and food sales. The AMA would like to thank the Hampton Roads Radio Control group for hosting this event and for donating to such a great cause! For more pictures from the event, click here  

Radio Control Sport Flyers Receive AMA Club and Recognition and Reward Grant

The Radio Control Sports Flyers recently received an AMA Club Recognition and Reward Grant for $50. The club is located in Kansas City, MO. The club hosted an AMA sanctioned memorial fun-fly on Sept. 17 to honor two recently deceased club members, Bob Processor of Greenwood and Herb Hestand of Lee’s Summit. This fun-fly included a memorial plaque honoring all deceased members which was placed inside the shelter at their field. Also, family and club members shared their thoughts about the hobby.

 

The Radio Control Sports Flyers recently received an AMA Club Recognition and Reward Grant for $50. The club is located in Kansas City, MO. The club hosted an AMA sanctioned memorial fun-fly on Sept. 17 to honor two recently deceased club members, Bob Processor of Greenwood and Herb Hestand of Lee’s Summit. This fun-fly included a memorial plaque honoring all deceased members which was placed inside the shelter at their field. Also, family and club members shared their thoughts about the hobby. The RC Sports flyer club provides free flight instruction and helps individuals of various ages to learn how to build and fly radio control aircraft. The AMA would like to thank this club for holding a memorial service for lost members The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

Desert Hawks Receive AMA Club Recognition and Reward Grant

The Desert Hawks recently received an AMA club recognition and reward grant for $75. This club is located in Lake Havasu City, AZ. The club hosted their 32nd Seaplane Classic which was held on Saturday, Nov. 4. The event was free to spectators. Sixty-one pilots registered for the event and had to pay a fee to participate in the classic and all the money collected will benefit the club. Club president Tim Price told “Today’s News-Herald” that most of the funds goes toward field maintenance throughout the year.

 

The Desert Hawks recently received an AMA club recognition and reward grant for $75. This club is located in Lake Havasu City, AZ. The club hosted their 32nd Seaplane Classic which was held on Saturday, Nov. 4. The event was free to spectators. Sixty-one pilots registered for the event and had to pay a fee to participate in the classic and all the money collected will benefit the club. Club president Tim Price told “Today’s News-Herald” that most of the funds goes toward field maintenance throughout the year. The pilots did not have to be members of the club however, they were required to fly RC float planes and be members of the AMA. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

Donor Spotlight: Donald William Carnes

It’s with great sadness we report the passing of AMA member Donald W. (Bill) Carnes of Florida. He passed in March 2017 at the age of 84. Bill was a long time member of the AMA and participant in his local model aircraft club in Naples, Florida. Bill is the newest member of the AMA Foundation Legacy Society.

 

It’s with great sadness we report the passing of AMA member Donald W. (Bill) Carnes of Florida. He passed in March 2017 at the age of 84. Bill was a long time member of the AMA and participant in his local model aircraft club in Naples, Florida. Bill is the newest member of the AMA Foundation Legacy Society. Thank you to Bill’s family for facilitating the donation of his model airplane collection for RC Resale to benefit the programs funded by the AMA Foundation. Bill Carnes was a master craftsman who loved building and flying model aircraft. Bill’s love for model aircraft started in the early 1940’s. He started with rubber band propelled airplanes and from there he went on to building 1/4 and 1/2 scale models from kits and from scratch. As he got older, his passion turned toward gliders. Bill built many different model gliders over the years. He also received his glider pilot license to fly his own full scale gliders. Bill hoped to someday own a motor glider to not have to rely on a tow plane to get airborne. In 2008, he ordered a motor glider kit from Slovenia. This was transported to the U.S. via ship. Bill learned to use the internet in order to track the kits arrival to Miami because he was so excited. The model was a Sirus by Pipistrel Motor Glider which could take over a year to build. With the help of Bill’s friend Joe Casey, a retired airline pilot, the glider was assembled in a few months. Bill always paid attention to the smallest detail when working on his many projects no matter how big or small. Bills collection of giant scale sailplanes has been donated to the AMA Foundation with the goal of helping raise some funds for AMA programs. These sailplanes were transported from Marco Island, Florida to Muncie, Indiana. Read more about the collection here.

Meet Our Veterans

The AMA salutes our veterans, including those who work at the AMA. A special thank you to Jay Smith, John Horner, Kyle Jaracz, Cliff McKee, Rob Kurek and Steve Weaver for your service and the many sacrifices you have made for our country.

 

The AMA salutes our veterans, including those who work at the AMA. A special thank you to Jay Smith, John Horner, Kyle Jaracz, Cliff McKee, Rob Kurek and Steve Weaver for your service and the many sacrifices you have made for our country.

-Jay Smith is the Editor-in-Chief of Model Aviation and Park Pilot magazines and will have worked for AMA for 10 years in 2018. He served in the U.S. Army in the 1990s as a Military Police officer and also graduated from the Tampa Police Academy. During his time in the Army, he was stationed in Alabama and Germany and was deployed to Bosnia as part of Operation Joint Endeavor.

He is a graduate of Saint Petersburg College and attended classes at the same campus as Jim Morrison from the Doors.

In addition to having an interest in all things that fly, he is a collector of arcade and pinball machines, plays both guitar and bass, and enjoys watching science fiction when the weather keeps him from flying.

-John Horner is the Shipping/Receiving Clerk at the AMA. He grew up in Modoc, IN and graduated from Union High School in 1966. After, he started working in Richmond, IN.

In 1968 John was drafted by the US Army. He was stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Fort Lee, Virginia. In August 1968, he was deployed to Vietnam. John returned to the US in 1969, and was stationed in Stockton, California. John was honorably discharged from the Army in February 1970.

John received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Good Conduct Medal.

John has a daughter Carrie, and two son’s, JR (wife Alisha) and Dylan. John enjoys spending his free time with his wife, Carol, family and grandson Beckham. John enjoys all sports but is an avid IU basketball fan.

-Kyle Jaracz was born and raised in Southern Indiana. He spent many hours exploring the farmlands outside of Vincennes, IN. An interest in flight came in middle school when he began building and flying bungee high-start sailplanes. During his junior year of high school at the age of 17, he obtained his parents’ permission to join the Indiana Army National Guard as an Infantryman, spending the following two summers at Fort Benning, GA for training. Kyle was activated to full time status for Operation Enduring Freedom, and subsequently for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served one tour in the Middle East, serving in Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan in 2003 along with the 1-152. Kyle served just over 6 years as an Infantryman. Kyle obtained his BA from Anderson University (Visual Communication Design, print media focus) where his greatest achievement came in finding his wife, Mary (Notturno) Jaracz. Kyle and Mary have two sons, Caleb (8) and Wyatt (5) and live in a historic Civil War era home which affords him many opportunities to refine his handy-man skillset. Kyle enjoys woodworking, metalworking, gunsmithing, shooting sports (USPSA & IDPA), hunting, and flying everything electric RC. His greatest joys and frustrations revolve around raising his two boys, but couldn’t ask for a better partner. He works at the AMA as the Art Director and Production Manager for both Model Aviation and Park Pilot.

-Cliff McKee served in the Military Service. Cliff has four adult children, six grandchildren, a significant other,  a cat and a dog. His hobbies include Bowling, DJ Business, Emergency Management Volunteer, NWS Storm Spotter, High Sports Official & Target practice. Cliff loves working with the awesome staff at the AMA.

-Rob Kurek celebrated his 25th anniversary with AMA in July, moving with the organization from Reston, VA in 1993. It’s amazing to see how far AMA has come in that time.

Prior to AMA, Rob worked in the newspaper business as a reporter and editor in the Washington D.C. suburbs. Rob has a Bachelor’s degree from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA. He was fortunate to receive a four-year Army ROTC scholarship in 1981, and was commissioned in 1985.

Rob served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1985 to 2000. One of his most interesting assignments was acting as an aide to a two-star general during a training exercise about the time of Desert Storm. It gave him an appreciation for the enormity of running a logistics operation intended to support thousands of troops deployed overseas. Many of the management lessons from Rob’s time in service has helped him in his association career.

Rob and his wife, Gayle, have one son, Connor who interned in Media & Publications this summer at AMA. His son is a sophomore in the Scripps School of Communication at Ohio University. Rob has a passion for traveling with Connor and Gayle.

-Steve Weaver registered for the Selective Service when he turned 18 years old on November 1, 1971.  His number was relatively low and since the war in Vietnam was still going on, Steve thought he might get drafted into the Army.  The Navy recruiters came to his high school in the spring of Steve’s senior year and he joined the Navy on April 10, 1972 on a 90 day delay program.  After high school graduation, Steve reported for active duty and was sent directly to Great Lakes, Illinois for boot camp training on June 19, 1972.  After basic training Steve went to Aviation Machinist Mate Class “A” School outside Memphis, Tennessee for 14 weeks and learned the fundamentals of Aviation Jet Mechanics.  After Class “A” School graduation, Steve was sent to his first duty station at NAS Albany, Georgia where he went through further training on the RA-5C Vigilante jet aircraft.  Steve also worked as a Plane Captain attached to RVAH-3 which was the air wing.

Steve reported to his regular squadron RVAH-6 upon their return from a Western Pacific cruise in March, 1973 and worked out of the Power/Plants Shop.  Steve remained in this shop most of the rest of his time in the Navy. He also went TAD to other assignments both ashore and at sea.  Steve made a seven month Mediterranean Cruise aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal CVA-59 in 1974 and travelled to Spain, France, Italy and Greece.  He worked for Flight Deck and Hangar Deck Control as an aircraft status checker on this ship until he was promoted to Petty Officer 3rd Class in April, 1974.  Upon return from this cruise Steve’s squadron was relocated to NAS Key West, Florida, as his previous base in Albany, Georgia had been disestablished and closed down.

From January – April, 1975 Steve was aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63 and participated in a short RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) cruise from California to Hawaii.  During this time the North Vietnamese captured Saigon on April 30, 1975 officially ending the Vietnam War.  From May – December, 1975 Steve went on a WESTPAC (Western Pacific) cruise to the Philippines, Hong Kong and Japan.  After Steve’s squadron’s return to Key West, he sent TAD to the base jet shop working strictly intermediate maintenance, tearing down and rebuilding various jet engines.

After Steve was discharged from active duty on June 19, 1976, he went home to Pennsylvania and worked various jobs; turning lathe in a machine shop and as a manager/short order cook at his mom’s Dairy Queen, until he enrolled in the Art Institute of Pittsburgh on the G.I. Bill. Steve graduated in December, 1979 and went to work as a Glass Package Designer for Anchor Hocking Glass in Lancaster, Ohio in February, 1980.  On September 27, 1980 Steve married his wife Kathy and in 1983 they relocated to Tampa, Florida with his new company, Anchor Glass Container Corporation.  They lived in Tampa for 12 years with their three children, Rachel, Rebecca and Randy.

In 1995 his family relocated to Muncie, Indiana when Steve accepted another glass designer position with Ball Glass Container Corp.  This job ended 5 years later when the company was acquired by the French glass manufacturer Saint Gobain.  That setback offered a new opportunity to go in a different direction and Steve was hired as a graphic designer/production assistant with the Academy of Model Aeronautics on June 19, 2000.  Steve was part of the start-up of AMA Custom Products which had its roots three years before in the AMA Merchandising Department.  Steve’s job has expanded from T-Shirt art preparation and Vinyl Banners and Signs to printed graphic design materials and Trophy and Award Engraving, which is his main discipline of expertise.

Steve enjoys riding his motorcycle and going to car shows and cruise-ins. He likes to read and watch old movies.  Steve is also interested in genealogy and family history, model railroading and spending time with his four grandchildren, which according to his wife, should be first on his list.

 

Dewey O Broberg Scholarship Winner

Robbie Vanzyl was the 2017 recipient of the Dewey O Broberg Scholarship. Robbie is from Peachtree City, GA. Robbie was first exposed to the realm of RC in the 6th grade.

 

Robbie Vanzyl was the 2017 recipient of the Dewey O Broberg Scholarship. Robbie is from Peachtree City, GA. Robbie was first exposed to the realm of RC in the 6th grade. While cleaning out a storage area with his dad, he discovered a Balsa Glider, also known as a “Foka” glider by the company Graupner, that his dad made as a teenage in the 1970s. Robbie said by first glance of the red and yellow model, he knew he wanted to pursue model aviation. He got involved with AMA after he became a member almost four years ago. Vanzyl participated in the AMA UAS4STEM competition where he was able to go to AMA headquarters and meet many of the AMA employees. Outside of flying RC planes, he enjoys fly racing drones. He has recently been more active in the racing drone community. His most enjoyable aspect of flying model aircraft is the people that he is able to meet and spend time with. Robbie stated that a great day of flying is less reliant on the weather or condition of my airplanes, but more about people and friends at the airfield that day. Two of Robbie’s biggest accomplishments related to RC are receiving the Dewey O Broberg Scholarship at this year's national UAS4STEM competition and starting his own small racing drone company. The AMA would like to congratulate Robbie on his award.

Click here to learn more about the Dewey O. Broberg Memorial Scholarship.

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