April already? This year is just flying by. No April Fools’ Day jokes from me. Mother Nature is doing that job very well for some of us!
I must admit my error from last month’s column. I stated that there would be a combined district meeting at the Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo, but that is not true. Instead, there will be an open general membership meeting for all AMA members. Be sure to check for details when you arrive at the Toledo Show.
The following is my only submission this month; however, it contains information and pictures from both Donald Way and Rafeek Besheer.
The Midwest Sundowners hosted its third annual New Year Chilly Fly and Swap Meet in the Sparta Dome, in Crown Point, Indiana. Weather on this cold first day of January was no problem inside of the 120,000-square-foot enclosure, which has a 108,000-square-foot grass turf overflight area. It measures 420 × 225 feet with a 70-foot ceiling!
Event organizer Paul VanDenburgh had his hands full managing the flightline and separate swap meet area. Pilots from northwest Indiana and Illinois were well represented with a variety of aircraft that flew nonstop for the entire three hours of the show.
For the past several years, the owners of the Sparta Dome have been kind enough to allow us to hold the gathering at their facility. In addition to special events like the Chilly Fly, the Midwest Sundowners also host flying at the Sparta Dome every Monday and Thursday throughout the year.
Alongside weekly indoor flying and the Chilly Fly, the Sundowners sponsor numerous club events throughout the flying season—all of which are open to any flier who is a current AMA member. Events include swap meets in June and August, a warbird day in July, and a Big Bird day in September. Food is available at these events and catered by Boy Scout Troop 69 in Hobart, Indiana. The Scouts keep all of the proceeds from the food sales.
The club’s flying field is located on 5 acres in Wheeler, Indiana, northwest of Valparaiso. The field contains a 465-foot grass runway (northsouth), a 275-foot grass runway (east-west), and a north-south fabric runway. Check us out at www.midwestsundowners.com.
If you enjoyed this month’s submission and would like to see an event from your own club here, email me a short write-up with the word “magazine” in the subject line and attach a few high-quality digital pictures! As you can see, this month I only had one submission, therefore they got extra pictures posted!
Also, please take the time to introduce someone else to model aviation!
Gary Himes
Vice President District VI