Club Improves Its Flying Site With AMA Grant

     On May 1, 2007, the Palm Beach Radio Control Association (PBRCA) in Florida received an AMA Flying Site Development/ Improvement Grant in the amount of $4,745. The club has since used the money to complete improvements at its field.

     Because of construction on golf courses in Palm Beach County, the local department of parks and recreation ordered that two of the three county RC clubs' sites be closed and a new flying field be built at a different location. The Palm Beach Skyhawks and the Gold Coast RC club—the affected groups—merged to form the PBRCA, for the purpose of operating the new site.

     The field project consisted of constructing the new site, which includes approximately 50 acres of overfly area, two 60 x 600-foot runways—one grass and one paved—and a 600 x 800-foot spot for grass pits and a covered spectator area. The club also budgeted for runway paving, irrigation, sod, fencing, impound and covered picnic areas, concrete, storage, and labor and moving costs.

     Since the new site has opened, the PBRCA has hosted a warbird and a Combat contest, two Project Helping Hands events, and an open house for the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department. At the open house the club provided free food, performed demos, and instructed many through buddy-box flying with club trainers. MA

—Ashley Rauen
AMA Communications Specialist

Welcome, AMA Life Members!

     The Academy recently welcomed new Life Members Lawrence K. Braziel (Magnolia TX), Gregory Dill (Brooksville FL), Thomas Brinker (York PA), Bill Culberson (Mobile AL), Edwin More (West Ossipee NH), Timothy Eichfield (Topsham ME), Michael Kramer (Atlanta GA), Robert Lane (Beaumont TX), Michael Fortune (Walls MS), Charles M. Fox (Andover IL), James Mackie (Cookeville TN), Bucky Murray (San Antonio TX), Richard Machuzak (Pasadena CA), David Fauver (Seattle WA), Michael Hollowell (Youngsville NC), Jeffrey Hildebrant (Bedmister NJ), and Chris O'Brien (Oklahoma City OK).

     Also Christopher Oliver (Cornelius NC), Andrew Roberts (Goodyear AZ), Adam Kornegay (Princeton NC), Richard Hipple Jr. (York PA), John Petersen (Milpitas CA), Scott Youngman (Oakley CA), James Wilson (Franklin PA), Steve Stoll (Odon IN), Bruce Pope (West Hills CA), John French (San Jose CA), Michael A. Jordan (Palm Harbor FL), Chad Russell (Henderson NV), Michael Sarsfield (Beford GA), John Ketron (Laguna Hills CA), Jeffrey Borowski (Cudahy WI), Bruce Rose (Aloha OR), Steven Yampolsky (Sharon MA), Gaylon Klopfenstein (North Richland Hills TX), Ronald Phillips (Croton on Hudson NY), and Philip Lund (Conifer CO).

     For information about becoming a Life Member, contact AMA Headquarters at (800) 435-9262.  MA

—AMA Membership Department

Also in this month's In the Air section in Model Aviation:

• Tony Naccarato Jr. Receives 2008 Zaic Award

• 25 Years Ago in MA: April 1983

• AMA Adds Two Members to Its All Star Team

• City Council Recognizes Junior FF Aeromodelers

• California Club Participates in Cable Air Show

• Aeromodelers Donate to Fisher House Foundation

• Air Force Junior ROTC Cadets Enjoy RC Flying