The Saga of Big Bird
A saga is supposed to have a beginning so far back in time that nobody can remember it. Well, that's certainly true of Big Bird. I know he was old when he came to me. I don't know how he got started, or anything about his early life, but I do know how his saga ended.
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Another Successful Mall Show
Jets and Helicopters and Autogyros, oh my!
There was a great turnout for the mall show this year. We got to see Lynn Elston's gorgeous, scratch-built, turbine-powered A-10 (which apparently began life some 20 years ago as a ducted fan model) and Tucker's beautiful Corsair. There were plenty of planes and helicopters of all shapes and sizes for the public to see (even a couple autogyros!). Check out the Mall Show 2011 picture album for more photos from the event. If you have any pictures you'd like to add to the album, feel free to send them to me.
2011 Mall Show/Static Display
Coming up in just a few weeks...
The mall show is being held a little bit later than normal this year, but it's right around the bend. All Sky Squires so able should load up any and all models they can carry and take them to Marion Centre Mall for our annual static display. In addition to the Sky Squires, there should be modellers from all around the area, including the Posey Flyers, the Fearless Flyers of McLeansboro, the Paducah AeroModelers, the McLeansboro Prop-Busters and the Rend Lake Warbirds. Naturally, the public is invited (it'll be hard for them to miss us!) so tell your friends and family to stop by, see all the planes and maybe have a go at one of the many simulators we'll have running at the mall. In the meantime, you can check out a photo album from the 2010 Mall Show.
Here are the full details:
- Date: February 19th, 2011
- Time: From 9AM to 5PM
- Location: Marion Centre Mall Main Entrance (by the Hong Kong Restaurant)
See you there!
Bite Marks
Have you heard the story of the bite marks on the wing of a new electric RC Aeronca Champ? At the fly-in the other day my friend was showing it around when I noticed some impressions on the wing arranged in a perfect arc, top and bottom, so I said, "That looks like bite marks."
He replied, "Those are bite marks!" It seems he was flying this cute little yellow airplane in his backyard with three of his dogs romping around. He was buzzing the dogs at what he thought was a safe altitude when one of them made an extra-high jump and grabbed the model by the wing. "Whoa!' I said. "How come it ain't all busted up?" thinking of what Cassie, the Fierce Jack Russell, would have done to it."
"Well," he said, "she's a hunting dog and she's trained not to damage the game!"
How about that? Note that this model is only about three ounces mostly of lightweight foam and was not dangerous to the dogs. The owner made no comment as to when he might next practice in his backyard with his dogs.
Club Elections
It's that time of year again, club elections are taking place during today's meeting at the airport pilot's lounge at 2PM. Will Darrell and Doug run away with all the votes again? Will Tucker "volunteer" to be safety officer again? Will Les finally get that checkbook into someone else's hands? You'll want to be there for all the excitement and to have your vote counted!
*** UPDATE: And the votes are in! Shockingly--shockingly!--all current officers retained their positions. President Darrell Honey, Vice-President Doug Gwaltney, Treasurer Les Siebert, Safety Officer Jim Tucker and Secretary Fred Dippel. Congratulations to everyone.