Normally the July President’s report would include a review of last month’s Rantoul race. This report is going to deal with more important items but I will say that the “Race over Rantoul” was a great event. A big thank you needs to go out to all the volunteers that make our races a success including: Denny and Barb Baker; Peter Goldsmith, Peter Bergstrom, Caroline Goldsmith and Jodi Kopnic with Horizon Hobbies; all the girls in timing and scoring including: Joyce, Shawna and Joann Justus; Holly and Ralph out on the line; Tony and Dennis that provided the Ohio pylons and kept them running all weekend; and Tonya and Goose that provided the food all weekend. I am sure I am missing someone so I apologize. Of course we could not have our events without the generosity of some great sponsors including: Horizon Hobbies, Zenoah, JR, CRT, Jack Thomas, Tru-Turn and APC!
Now to the more important issues…………………………
During the board meeting held at the Rantoul event, the board decided to include the Hanger 9 Sundowner ARF as a provisional class for the remaining two events of the 2007 racing season with the intention to make it a permanent class in 2008. The airplanes are now available and a preliminary rules package will be posted to the forum and I have also attached the rules package with this report. The intent of the Sundowners is to bring new “blood” into our sport; the Sundowners appear to be heading in the right direction with the level of interest already generated. The board also decided to set the entry fees for the Sundowners at $50 per entry ($40 for the promoter and $10 for the USRA) with the USRA providing a one year membership to the USRA for all first time pilots in that class. Please be aware that the rules package for this class is still under development therefore the rules may change after each event based on what is seen. As promised by Horizon, Mike was able to bring and fly the prototype during the lunch breaks at Rantoul and I can tell all those that didn’t get to see the flights that I was pleasantly surprised at the speed and flying characteristics (Mike flew a few laps doing aerobatics while flying the course and then flying entire laps inverted!) of the airplane.
This year’s Rantoul race was promoted by Denny and Barb Baker and they once again did a great job, however their involvement was only for this year. In addition, their five year commitment with the Parker event ends this year. Therefore we are in desperate need of promoters for the Rantoul and Parker events next year. If you or someone you know has interest in promoting one or both of these events please contact me. Rantoul and Parker are established events therefore the relationships required to hold an event are established and most of the leg work is done. In addition, Denny and Barb have prepared binders for both events that contain all the information needed to promote these events and they have also extended an invitation to anyone that would like to shadow them during the Parker event. Even though Rantoul and Parker are great, established venues that does not mean that the West and Central district events could not be moved, so if that helps someone thinking about promoting an event then contact me and I would be glad to meet you at a potential race site to review the feasibility of holding an event there. Without racing events we don’t get to do our sport so start calling anyone that you think might have interest. Get involved!
The current board’s term ends this year and we are rapidly running out of time for nominations for next year’s board. Running the USRA is not rocket science but it does take a small amount of your personal time, If you have not been part of the USRA organization then now is the time to step up and do your part! Contact me ASAP! Once again, get involved!!
Lastly, please get your entries for Ohio in ASAP, Tony is making the final arrangements and he needs to know who will be making the event. Please at least contact Tony and give him a yes or no ASAP! It would be a shame if Tony is forced to cancel his event due to our lack of response. He and Dennis spend a lot of their own time for us so we need to respect them and their efforts.
Hope to see everyone in Ohio!
Fly fast, turn left……………………………………
President