Larry Erbach reported that the Chain-O-Lakes Eagles RC club is proud of its member, Ralph Warner, being inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame. The club was honored to have Gary Himes, AMA District VI vice president, join it in July for a special meeting and presentation to Ralph. During the meeting, Gary presented Ralph with a beautiful plaque that honors his achievement, as well as a certificate, in front of family and friends who joined them for the special occasion!
Ralph has been actively involved in model aviation for more than 76 years and entered his first competition at Naval Air Station Glenview in 1949 at the age of 14. As a young man, Ralph worked at Leonard’s Hobby Shop in Chicago. His association with the hobby shop, which later became Stanton Hobby, allowed him to connect with many influential figures, such as Carl Goldberg and Wally Simmons. Ralph remains an active member of the club today, and they are grateful for the knowledge that he is so willing to share with them.
Two of the club’s Youth members, Andrew Durik and Charlie Missak, presented Ralph with a letter from the club, along with an AMA Walk of Fame brick. These two young men also gave presentations on their experiences—they are starting their journey into aviation at about the same age that Ralph was when he got started! Gary also took the time to come out and fly with a group of the club members, making the event memorable in more ways than one!
Bill Spencer shared that the Champaign County RC Club (CCRCC) launched its first-ever Winter Indoor RC Flying Kickoff party, bringing together nearly 100 families, kids, and pilots for a day filled with aviation, learning, and community spirit.
From the opening moments, the excitement was unmistakable. Students began on simulators before moving to the flight-line, where instructors guided many through their very first RC flights. Families enjoyed a break over pizza and laughter, and then they joined in on the fun as raffle winners took home airplanes and gear. Experienced pilots thrilled the crowd with aerobatic demonstrations and precision flying.
More than just a party, the event reflected the club’s growth and the enthusiasm that drives it forward. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers, instructors, and families, the kickoff was a resounding success. As the winter flying season begins, CCRCC looks ahead with gratitude and excitement for what’s to come.
Submissions are again low. To see your club in print, send me pictures and a short article. It will make it into the magazine. Pictures of snow flying are great, or just a normal day of flying works too. Email it to amadistrictvi@modelaircraft.org. Keep in mind that the pictures must be at least 500KB stand-alone JPG files.
Gary Himes
Vice President District VI