Patrick Darby reported that his club, the Chicagoland RC Modelers, was invited to put up a static display to promote the club and teach others about our hobby at the Drone Experience and Safety Day at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. Members passed out small model airplanes and candy to all of the children attending, and club flyers to the parents.
Jeremy Church shared that the Jasper RC Flyers in Jasper, Indiana, partnered with the Vincennes University-Jasper Campus STEM Academy, marking the third year that the club has been invited to participate. Working with approximately 40 students, club members created a hands-on challenge focused on aerodynamics and problem solving. Students built simple airfoil sections from cardstock and tested them in a small wind tunnel built by the club. After measuring how much weight their designs could lift, the students made changes and tested them again to see if they could improve their results.
The activity highlighted an important lesson in both engineering and model aviation: build, test, and improve. Students were introduced to basic aerodynamic concepts, including the Bernoulli principle, through a fun and interactive experience. The Jasper RC Flyers enjoyed spending time with the students and connecting with the community. The club was especially encouraged that two students expressed interest in visiting the flying field to learn more about model aviation. Experiences like these continue to show the value of STEM outreach and its ability to inspire future modelers and aviation enthusiasts.
Bill Bolz shared a photo of the improvements that the AMA Flying Site Improvement Grant has helped to provide to his club, the Midwest Sundowners, which is located in Hobart, Indiana. Thanks to AMA’s assistance, the club now has a roof that doesn’t leak and a beautiful new, widened runway of geotextile material. More improvements are to come.
Jeremy Church also reported that the Jasper RC Flyers welcomed more than 60 visitors to the club’s annual open house, giving community members a chance to experience model aviation firsthand. Four instructors provided more than 40 buddy-box flights during the 2-hour event, allowing first-time pilots ranging in age from 4 to adult to safely fly an RC aircraft. Young visitors also enjoyed chuck glider activities, and prizes donated by Flite Test and HobbyKing were awarded.
Events such as open houses are essential to growing our hobby, giving clubs an opportunity to introduce new people to model aviation and inspire future pilots. Sometimes all it takes is one flight to spark a lifelong interest in aviation. The 60-plus community members who attended the Jasper RC Flyers’ open house were able to learn about RC aviation and enjoy a morning of family-friendly aviation activities.
Remember, to see your club in print, send me pictures and a short article. Email it to amadistrictvi@modelaircraft.org. Keep in mind that the pictures must be at least 500 KB stand-alone JPG files.
Gary Himes
Vice President District VI