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

ON JUNE 11, District I officers Ed Faria, Les Watson, and I attended the annual Ron Connors Memorial Stunt Trials in Wrentham, Massachusetts. We had a double treat because the New England Stunt Team invited the New England Combat Association to run a Combat contest alongside their event.

This event gave us an opportunity to meet and talk with District I CL notables and legions. Dave Cook, who judged the event, is the District I CL Aerobatic Contest Board member and a former District I vice president and a mentor to Dave Brown.

Neil Simpson, District I Contest Board member for CL Combat and an active competitor won a second-place trophy in the Championships for F2D Combat and a third-place trophy in the 1/2A event. His brother Glen Simpson is the District I Contest Board member for CL Carrier and a former winner of the Eugene Fly Award, which is the Nats high-point award for overall Navy Carrier champion. Glen came in seventh place in the Formula GX Combat at this event.

Other Formula GX winners were Ken Hargreaves, first; Conrad Wondolowski, third; Dick Sherman, fourth; and Shay Vader, first in Sportsman.

The 1/2A winners were Rick Clark, first, and Ken Hargreaves in second. In the Precision Aerobatics Model Pilots Association (PAMPA) Stunt competition, Bill Suarez won first place in Expert; Rick Cambell, second in Expert; Waldo Cargill, third in Expert; Will Moore, first place in Advanced; Bob Robertshaw, second in Advanced; Lin Smith, third in Advanced; and Norm Liversidge, placed first in Intermediate.

After watching the energy these fliers expend while competing, we realized that the sport of CL flying is a physical activity requiring stamina, speed, and agility, as well as years of practice building and flying precision CL Aerobatic airplanes. Wow! These CL pilots were great and a pleasure to watch.

Another thing you might observe at these CL meets is the camaraderie that exists among the competitors and how much they learn from each other sharing experiences, knowledge, and involving their sons and daughters in their sport. Unlike the new RC pilots of today, the CL pilots are still designing and building their aircraft, utilizing the best techniques from the past, coupled with modern materials and passing on the craftsmanship and flying skills to others.

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