APRIL 2006 DISTRICT 1 REPORT:
Andy Argenio, District I Vice President

IN OCTOBER of last year, I received a call from AMA’s Flying Site Coordinator Joe Beshar, who informed me that he had been invited to make a presentation October 25-26 at the National Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Coordinator meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.

Last year the EPA and AMA entered into a partnership agreement called the Memorandum of Understanding to support communities interested in allowing cleaned-up Superfund waste sites to be used as model airplane flying sites.

Joe asked me to find a local AMA club that could host a buddy-box flying demonstration for the EPA regional coordinators. The intention was to familiarize the coordinators with a typical AMA flying site and demonstrate the educational and recreational value of aeromodeling activities.

I was going to be away the week of the EPA meeting and needed someone to handle Joe’s request. I made one call to Ron Quattrochi, president of the 495th R/C Squadron Club in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.

I asked Ron if he could run the show by providing transportation, instructors, and demonstration hands-on flying for the EPA coordinators. Without hesitation, Ron said he would take care of everything.

Jim Thompson demonstrates RC flying for the EPA coordinators.

The following letter written by Ron followed by Joe’s response tells the rest of the story.

“Thanks, Joe. We enjoyed having the AMA as well as Melissa Friedland and her regional coordinators from the EPA visit us at the Captain John Ogonoeski Memorial Model Flying Field. I couldn’t have done this without the assistance of our club’s intro pilots, Jim Thompson and Dick Adams.

“The essence of the day was that RC model flying can be a great asset to communities, landowners, and public officials. The airspace above former Superfund clean-up sites is what modelers around the nation are looking to utilize in a safe, passive, recreational way. Daily activity is akin to having a non-paid, full-time watchdog, constantly patrolling the site, preventing illegal dumping, littering, and vandalism.

“It is a win-win situation and I am glad to see the EPA partner with AMA toward coming to agreement to allow over 145 former Superfund locations to be used for aeromodeling flying sites.

“I saw the wide smiles of those who came to witness and try their hands at RC flying. Please take those smiles back to your regions; I am sure you will have a rewarding experience working with other AMA clubs in your area.”

Joe responded with, “Hello. Ron. I really enjoyed being with you Wednesday morning which proves again the great camaraderie that exists in the modeling community. Jim, Dick, and you did an outstanding job with the presentation and the buddy-box demonstration flying at the field.

“The EPA people were impressed and hopefully it will prove fruitful to AMA clubs and membership in acquiring flying fields as well as benefit the EPA programs for reuse of Superfund sites.”

We are lucky to have in District I good people willing and able to give so readily of their time and deliver exceptional results. Thanks again to Ron, Jim, Dick, and the 495th R/C club.

The Pownal Superfund site in Vermont is looking for an AMA club.

For AMA clubs and members in Vermont, there is a Superfund site whose administrators expressed a desire to offer it for use as an AMA flying site. This is an excellent opportunity. If interested, please contact Joe Beshar at joebeshar@juno.com or (201) 261-1281.

As usual, it’s about friendship, flying, and fun.