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125 Model Aviation APRIL 2017 www.ModelAviation.com
Associate Vice Presidents: Alabama: Rick Grim, (256) 502-5847; uavpilot@bellsouth.net. Florida: Andy Bowen, (386) 736-1688; ab36builder@gmail.com; Chuck Forman, (352) 347-4745; timeout1932@hotmail.
com; Andrew Griffith, (908) 993-4956; barracudahockey@aol.com; Keith Hall, (813) 928-3861; wing-man@verizon.net. Jose Melendez, (321) 412-3078; rcjets12@hotmail.com. Georgia: Bill Barbee, (912) 660-
2155; awbarbee@hotmail.com; Bob Dixon, (478) 960-5200; rldixon3@cox.net; Nick Ray, (865) 368-3820; lasray@gmail.com; Dave Wenzel, (912) 754-9619; davevfrguy@hotmail.com. Mississippi: Paul Verger,
(228) 826-4892; cpaulverger@yahoo.com; Puerto Rico: Edwin Medina, (787) 525-7768; captmedina@gmail.com. South Carolina: Robert Blackwell, (803) 317-9431; reblackwell2@gmail.com; Don Wise, (803)
534-8164; d7wise@cs.com. Tennessee: Scott Anderson, rcfoamy@hotmail.com. Dick Tonan, (615) 995-6291; dtonan@mac.com; Charles Anderson, (423 ) 892-3998; canderson9898@comcast.net. Safety Coordinator:
Red Scholefield, Newberry FL; (352) 331-8410; redscho@cox.net. RC Sanctioned Event Coordinator: Dick Tonan. FF Sanctioned Event Coordinator: Bob Thoren. CL Sanctioned Event Coordinator: TBD.
Bob Brogdon
Vice President
District V—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina,
Tennessee, US Virgin Islands
r.a.brogdon@comcast.net
5251 Hermitage Dr., Powder Springs GA 30127
Tel.: (770) 421-8838; www.amadistrict-v.org
Hello again from District V. Thank you
for taking the time to join me.
I see a number of interesting events
are planned for the year. I encourage
each of you to get out and attend any
event that is within your travel range.
Even if you specialize in one particular
aspect of modeling, you might find that
you enjoy watching a different type of
airplane and/or flying, if even for just an
afternoon. Who knows, you might want
to give it a try.
We have a few changes in the district
that I want to bring to your attention.
One of our District V associate vice
presidents (AVPs), Scott Anderson of
Knoxville, Tennessee, is the new AMA
Leader Member Program Coordinator.
Congratulations Scott, and thanks for
accepting this important assignment.
We have two new Leader Members
in our district, Richard Weir of Athens,
Tennessee, and Timothy Cox, of
Louisville, Tennessee. Congratulations
to you both and thank you for stepping
into this position. I’m sure you will do
well.
Richard has also been approved
to be a contest director. Now that’s
dedication! Richard, thank you and
congratulations.
We have also had some changes in
members of three contest boards. Fred
Johnson has decided to retire from the
RC Scale Aerobatics Contest Board
after many years. Chuck Anderson is
retiring from the RC Soaring Contest
Board, and Richard Schneider is retiring
from the RC Fixed-Wing Scale Contest
Board. Thank you all for your many
years of service to your respective
contest boards. We wish you well!
All of these retirements have left
some major holes in those individual
contest boards, but I’m happy to be
able to report that I already have one of
those positions filled. Don Cleveland,
of Tullahoma, Tennessee, has accepted
the position vacated by Chuck on the
RC Soaring Contest Board. Thank you,
Don, and I wish you the best with your
new responsibilities. It is an important
position.
If you have a chance, please thank
Scott, Richard Weir, Timothy, Fred,
Chuck, Richard Schneider, and Don.
They deserve it!
The RC Scale Aerobatics and RC
Fixed-Wing Scale contest boards
are still open and we are looking for
suitable replacements. Let me know
if you know someone who you would
recommend.
Now some late-breaking news: Stephen
Hilmes of Gainesville, Florida, told me
that the Flying Gators Model Airplane
Club has reached an agreement for a
new flying site. The official opening
of the new site is scheduled for early
March of this year. I should have a
report to share later. Congratulations to
the Flying Gators! I hope to visit there
soon.
Another piece of good news comes
from Dick Tonan, an AVP in
Tennessee. The Middle Tennessee R/C
Clubs Association has received approval
from the Dickson Airport to host a fly-in at the airport this coming fall on the
second weekend in September. Great
news, Dick!
Lou Melancon, a member of the
Georgia Model Aviators (GMA) club
in Cummings, Georgia, sent in the
following information. I should note
that Lou was very busy and was unable
to capture photos of the activities, but
the story pretty much tells it all.
Pilots and their warbirds came from
near and far in early November 2016, to
attend the Dino DiGeorgio Memorial
Warbird Rally held at the GMA flying
site. Seventy-three pilots brought more
than 120 aircraft for the three-day
event.
The warbird rally is for the pilots
and interested modelers. Spectators
are always welcome, but there are no
announcements or attempts to draw
a crowd. It is an event for the pilots
to share their interests and skills in
designing, building, flying, and keeping
history alive.
Models ranged from an early
Sommers Monoplane to modern jets
with emphasis on the World War II
years. The sky was filled with P-47s,
Zeros, FW-190s, P-51s, and everything
in between.
A number of vendors were present
to display their wares: adjustable pitch
propellers, scale pilots, kits, plans, and
a plethora of scale modeling-related
items. Everyone seemed to appreciate
the opportunity to get together and
share the time. If you have an interest
in scale modeling, you cannot afford to
miss this event next year.
The GMA is blessed to have one
of the best flying sites in the US. The
members are very civic minded and
try to give back to the community
whenever possible. Toys for Tots and
the U.S. Marine Corps joined forces
with GMA to present a full-day model
flying extravaganza for the community.
Visitors, were invited, welcomed, and
asked to bring a toy to donate. At the
end of the day, the collection boxes
were full of toys for children in need.
There were flying exhibitions of
International Miniature Aerobatic
Club airplanes in formation, warbirds
chasing each other across the sky,
an exhibition of drones flown by
professional photographers, and a
Giant Scale turbine-powered airplane.
The crowd favorite was a monster-size
stick airplane that performed an hourly
candy drop for the children.
GMA continues to be involved
with the community in many positive
ways—this is just one of them.
Until next time, keep the wings level on
landing!
