This month’s column is dedicated to those whose live where it is always sunny and warm. Here in District IX, we celebrate all four seasons. If you’re not from around here, it’s really cold in the winter. December usually puts a severe cramp in our flying activities, but not always.
This year, early December was unseasonably warm and dry. Around the area, fliers enjoyed 70° days and were able to stretch the flying season to more than a month past what they normally do.
From the Longmont Area Electric Flyers (LEAF) in Longmont CO, Mark Hertz gets his glider ready to launch at LEAF’s annual New Year’s Frozen Fun Fly on January 1, where it was-3 ° with some snow.At the Beresford Area Radio Flying in Beresford SD, Roger Lang (flying), Gary Guthmiller (L), Andrew Jensen enjoy some really nice early December flying.Many of the Wyoming fliers, including John Saulsbury of the Casper Air Modelers in Casper WY, have taken on the all-season flier challenge this year in pursuit of the coveted patch offered by the AMA. Early December weather made this pretty easy.Ed Ratliff is flying one of his foam board airplanes on New Year’s Day at the Sage Hoppers RC airfield in Gillette WY.Brian Dorff and his father fly at the Red River Flyers field near Fargo ND.Darren Schwede of the Rapid City Propbusters RC Club in Rapid City SD, is one of the “I flew at-2 °” club at the Frost Your Buns Fly on January 1.
Then the bottom dropped out. Christmas and New Year’s found Mother Nature trying to make up for the gift she gave us earlier. Most of District IX plunged into below zero temperatures and blowing snow.
Here is a summary we’ll call “December Flying in District IX.”
Jim Tiller District IX Vice President jtiller@hotmail.com Tel.: (605) 390-3878
