Much has happened this past month. I attended the last couple days of the RC Pattern Nats, held in Blytheville, Arkansas. The location was moved this year to help improve attendance. Mike Harrison and Al Glenn did great jobs as the event directors. I believe there were approximately 76 competitors.
I enjoyed hanging out with AMA District VII Vice President Tim Jesky at the F3A flightline and watching some of the top fliers in the US. I also spent some time with Bill and Greyson Pritchett. I got to watch Greyson fly a couple of rounds. He did a great job, and placed second in the Masters level.
My wife and I had a good time attending the dinner banquet where we shared a table with Lawrence Harville, the District VIII vice president, and two of his associate vice presidents.
Next year, the RC Pattern Nats is scheduled to return to Muncie, Indiana. It is also a team selection year.
The week before the RC Pattern Nats found us in Kansas City, Missouri, with Mandee Mikulski. Mandee is the AMA Foundation’s director of development and works as the communications coordinator for the AMA. She provided a presentation on the AMA Foundation.
The event was not as well attended as was hoped, but was well received by those who did attend. Mandee, thank you for your assistance and doing the presentation. I’d also like to thank the Beth Haven Church in Kansas City North for providing its meeting room for our presentation.
I spent July 14-16 at AMA Headquarters for the quarterly AMA Executive Council (EC) meeting, as well as several other meetings. On Friday, I sat in on the Marketing Committee meeting, and had an impromptu Property Acquisition and Development Committee (PADCOM) meeting with a couple of other district vice presidents.
I also got to go out to Site 3 to catch a few heats of the RC Pylon Nats and talk with a couple friends. Saturday’s EC meeting started at 8 a.m. and lasted until 6 p.m. On Sunday morning, from 8 a.m. until noon, we held the last session of our strategic planning meeting.
The most exciting portion of the meetings for me was a plan coming together for an indoor flying and education facility. The initial phase will include a 200 x 300-foot building with a 100-foot ceiling. One of the options being considered is a wind tunnel for educational purposes.
Additionally, the thought is to be able to raise donations from members and aviation-oriented organizations to complete this project. The goal is that membership dues will not be used to fund the project. I have gotten in a few flying sessions this past month, hope you are able to as well.
Happy landings!
Randy Cameron
Vice President District VI