The time has finally arrived that we can get back out there, fly, and have fun in District IV. Email me your club newsletter and club event reports for inclusion in Model Aviation so that others can see what your club has been up to. Also, sanction all of your club events with AMA so that you can receive the new FAA exemptions.
Before I turn to my monthly report, I want to be sure that you have done the maintenance and prepared your aircraft and equipment for this season of flying. Remember, be cautious using LiPo batteries. Time spent now saves repair time later.
Associate Vice President and Contest Director Nic Burhans reported on the model aviation portion of the 2024 Culpeper, Virginia, Air Fest and STEM Week:
The 2024 Culpeper VA Air Fest and STEM Week.
Beginning on Wednesday, October 9, through the following Sunday, the Culpeper Model Barnstormers (CMB) and Fauquier Aero Recreation Modelers (FARM) participated in the 24th Culpeper Air Fest. Wednesday and Thursday were dedicated to STEM days for 685 Culpeper County fifth-grade students, who were shown everything from full-scale World War II aircraft, welding, solar generation, experimental aircraft construction, and computer programming, to model aviation.
Club members Nic Burhans, Gordon Collyer, Ernie Padgette, Dave Rothbart, Bill Towne, and Jay Zompanti demonstrated topics, including the theory of flight, radio controls, different types of model aircraft, and aircraft simulators.
On Saturday, the show got underway. For 2-1/2 hours after the gates opened to the area guests, RC pilots from northern Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia provided a continuous show of 3D, Giant Scale, drone, and jet aircraft flights during this year’s event. Thanks to Andrew Benjamin, Beresford Davis, Al Hampton, Arlin Harbaugh, Mike Hornbecker, Jorge Jimenez, Kwang Ko, and Kevin Moran.
During the morning’s RC flying and the afternoon’s full-scale flight demonstrations, Gordon Collyer, Ernie Padgette, and Jay Zompanti staffed the CMB and FARM display table, answering questions about AMA, RC flying in Northern Virginia, and how model aircraft and drones are controlled and fly (basically STEM for children, their parents, and grandparents).
The 2024 Culpeper, Virginia, Air Fest (the best little air show in the East) and fifth-grade STEM Program was a tremendous success in all aspects for RC model aviation.