Scott Dossett, from the Champaign County Radio Control Club (CCRCC), reported that Jeff Wells and Mark Overmier presented the Chez Veteran’s Center with a new RealFlight Evolution flight simulator with a controller on behalf of CCRCC. The simulator is set up on a huge flat-screen TV in the center’s computer lab, where it’s available to residents around the clock.
Along with the simulator, a pile of RC club flyers and a heartfelt invitation to come out to the field for flight instructions were also presented. If the residents need help getting to the field, club members volunteer to come by and pick them up. There are plenty of trucks and SUVs in the club to easily transport anyone with mobility issues.
Sam Hart reported that the Rend Lake RC Club of Ina, Illinois, held its 30th Annual Military Fly-In the Rend Lake College Campus. The weather cooperated with mild conditions both days. Saturday is mostly a practice day and the airplanes don’t have to be military scale models. Sunday is for only military aircraft.
There were 26 pilots registered and probably more than 100 airplanes. Ethan Hunt always brings nearly 20 aircraft and tries to fly all of them. Steve Forest, of Missouri, always brings nice airplanes and his Giant Scale P-38 won the Pilots’ Choice award. Bob Tober won the best Multi-engine award with his Hangar 9 OV-10. He and Tim Follis put on a real show with some nice formation flying. These two large airplanes sometimes seem to fly so slowly that you wonder how they stay in the air!
The Best Military award went to Mark Burton with a nice, scaled-out Corsair. The Best Jet award went to Tim with a nice F-16. The jets always put on a good show and are a real crowd-pleaser.
This meet brings some really nice models and some great pilots every year. The club holds this event every year in mid-September. If you live anywhere close, it will welcome you next year.
AMA Life Member Doug Brindle reported that the Johnson County R/C Modelers in south-central Indiana hosted its annual Never Forget 9-11 Remembrance Fly-In on September 9, 2023. Although the sky was cloudy, the event was well attended by many from other local AMA clubs, with a large showing of EDF jets this year. One of the highlights was an impressive four-jet flight of F-22 Raptors. Be sure to join us at next year’s event and enjoy the club’s world-class flying site.
I want to see your pictures and hear about your club’s events from last year. To get your club’s events, or even just a fun day of flying into my column, simply write a 150-word description of the event, along with a couple of pictures. Email it to AMAdistrictVI@modelaircraft.org with the word “magazine” in the subject line. Pictures must be at least 500 KB standalone JPG files.
Every one of us needs to take time to introduce someone new to model aviation. Help get youth excited about model aviation because they are the future of our hobby, as well as future workers in aviation-related industries!
Gary Himes
Vice President District VI