Some areas of District VI have already had great weather for starting out the flying season in the new year. Lots of new aircraft will be hitting the air soon. I want to remind you to check the center of gravity and all connections before taking to the air. Also, do your maintenance on older aircraft. Check for hangar rash, make sure your batteries are good, and remember to charge them.
Because I am starting off with random chatter, you have probably already figured out that I did not receive any submissions from district clubs again this month, so I leaned on one of my associate vice presidents (AVPs). Here is a report from AVP Leo Rodriguez:
The Michiana Skyraiders of New Carlisle, Indiana, started as a club in 2000. One of the club’s main events, besides bringing back fun-fly’s for area participants, is hosting the club’s 12th Annual Art Peebles Memorial Fly-In on the third weekend of June 2021.
The event started at 9 a.m. and the day was picture-perfect with light wind. The yellow scale aircraft belongs to Ron Polcyn of South Bend. Indiana, and is a scratch-built 1/3-scale PZL-104 Wilga-35 from Mike Bond Plans.
It’s outfitted with a DLE-120 engine and painted with latex house paint. It flies very scale like. Ron plans to use it for aero-tows in the future. His daughter, Stephaney, from Nebraska, came to watch her father’s pride and joy fly that day.
Also attending that day was Dave Foelbers and his Skywing Edge 540 with a DLE-130 engine.
Dave thoroughly enjoyed flying large 3D-aerobatic airplanes and is exploring smaller 3D electric aerobatics because its power-to-weight ratio are better able to suit his flying style.
Leo and I are putting together a 1/3-scale Hangar 9 Extra 260 with a DA-100 engine and a Sullivan Smoke system.
Another attendee was Kevin Armstrong of the Kankakee Valley Model Flyers in Illinois, with his Hangar 9 Pitts using a DA-70 engine and a clipped-wing Cub and enjoying a day of flying.
The Skyraiders club has recently entertained the idea of having fun-fly’s with prizes and different events to challenge the participants and they plan several more in 2022. Keep an eye out for information at www.michianaskyraidersinc.com for event listings!
When planning your flying calendar for the year, please remember the AMA National Fun Fly that will be held at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. This is a great, non-competition event and a good reason to visit your national flying site. The dates are June 24-26, 2022.
I need submissions from your club’s event or even just a fun day of flying! Send me a short description of the event and attach a few high-quality digital pictures (at least 500 KB each) and email them to me at amadistrictVI@modelaircraft.org with the word “magazine” in the subject line. Remember to take time and introduce someone new to model aviation!
Gary Himes
Vice President District VI