AMA NATS 2007
by Vince Veltri
Unlike previous years when SRQ had ten or more members competing at the AMA National Scale Championship in Muncie, Indiana, this year’s competition saw just three members make the trip. Mike Winter, Jon Hay and Vince Veltri, (yours truly with pen in hand) departed from Jon’s driveway at 6:30am on Wednesday, August 1, for the long trek north.
I was cautiously optimistic about making the trip this year in light of my recent medical procedure, (multiple coronary artery stents just two weeks prior). However, my doctor (a former r/c guy) approved and off I went. Jon provided the vehicles (truck and trailer) and with everything fastened down in its special place, airplanes and equipment secured in the trailer and Mike secured in the back seat, the trip went well.
Not long into the journey, Mike, as he has done in the past, reminded us that we’ll be traveling about 2000 miles, roundtrip, which works out to 500 miles per flight and that’s if all goes well and we each fly four rounds!
Day one took us to Chattanooga, TN and day two to Muncie, arriving at 4:30pm.
After checking in at the Holiday Inn Express we headed for dinner. Without David (Trip Planner) Barry along, we had to fend for ourselves. We decided on Red Lobster (Red Lobster? On Thursday?) and a great meal was enjoyed by all.
The next day, Friday, up early and off to the National Guard Armory for static judging.
The weather was picture perfect as it always is on static day. Tomorrow will be another story with a front bearing down on Muncie and at this point in time we’re thinking we would be fortunate to get one flight in. The planes were set up for static in the parking lot of the armory and wheeled in for judging. It was evident that the models were none the worse off after the ride north. Jon built a mount for his Mustang, Mike has a special mount for the Tiger Moth and I was very fortunate that my good buddy Tom Smith has a custom mount he built for his Skyraider and he loaned it to me for the trip. Static day is a good time to renew old acquaintances and this one was no different. Later in the day we went to “claim our share of the turf” and set up the sun shades. We hooked up with Dave Johnson, of Hobbico and Jack Buckley, a NATS perennial from the Boston area.
Dave would be competing with two Albatrosses in both Expert and Designer Scale and Jack entered his Interstate Cadet in FAI F4C Class. After a run back to the hotel to “clean up”, we headed for, what else? Dinner, of course! This time at the Outback. (The Outback? On Friday?) Really, the best aspect of these trips is the camaraderie, spiked with mock insults about each other. I know, we do that at home, but it seems like more fun on the road.
Well it’s Saturday, “Showtime” as they say and the BS ends, for now, time to get serious.
The weather, as forecast, is overcast with sporadic rain showers and some lightning. In between wind shifts and rain showers we managed to get both morning and afternoon flights in with no mishaps. I think the flight pattern changed, at least three times, but, hey it is a contest, deal with it. The “dinner banquet” was held at the flying site under the big tent. Plenty of food, hamburgers, hot dogs, brats and corn, (animal food according to Mike). Heading back to the hotel you could tell we were “whipped”, no stopping for DQ!
Go directly to your room and sleep until the alarm goes off in fifteen minutes. I swear that’s what it seemed like!
Sunday’s here and so is the weather! This is not nice. In between the rain, the temp is in the 90’s; the locals are calling it a heat wave! Ha! What do they know? They only come and bother us in Sarasota when it’s cold here. Well, the R/C God’s looked down with favor and we got both rounds in on Sunday, as well. The awards presentations followed right after the flying and it was noted that not a single aircraft “bit the dust”. No one could recall when that happened in the past, if ever!
SRQ was proudly represented, Mike and I had top ten finishes and Jon was not very far behind. He did a great job with a very light Mustang (about 12#) in conditions we would not have flown in on any given weekend at home!
Back to the hotel, s***,shower and shave and off to, you guessed it, dinner! This time at The Olive Garden, (The Olive Garden? On Sunday?) Of course, finally, we’re back on schedule! CD Jim Rediske, his wife, Bonnie, and friends, eighteen of us in all enjoyed another great evening of poking fun at each other and exchanging mock insults, you could tell the contest was over.
Monday morning, heading South, Jon’s not feeling well. Blamed it on the Italian food, actually, I’m not feeling that great myself. Might have been the food. We shared the driving and made it to Calhoun, Ga., Just North of Atlanta and parked for the night.
Jon still not well. Mike and I walk over to Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner. The dining experience was greatly “enhanced” by our server, Amy. A cute Japanese girl with a Southern drawl! What a country!!
Tuesday morning we stopped at Warner Robins AFB to visit the museum. We had not stopped there in about five years. Now we know why. Not much to see. Back home Tuesday evening and another NATS is “in the books”.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it here. If you’ve never been to the NATS, plan on joining us next year. The fun is non stop.
Departure minus one - Noonish on Tuesday. A place for everything and everything in it's place.
Friday August 3rd. Muncie, Indiana. On static day the weather is always fantastic!
Mike entered Expert so his plane was really scrutinized. 96 is not bad!
Flight time - the reason we came.
The traditional noon line up. 49 aircraft received scores.
The Scale Nats are conducted each year by the National Association of Scale Aeomodelers (NASA) a special interest group of AMA.
If you wish to know were everybody finished visit www.nasascale.org
Additional pictures can be seen at the AMA web site www.modelaircraft.org