George Dawe -
I will accept Terry's nomination for RCCA President. By way of a little history about me, I have flown combat for almost 15 years. Up until I joined the EAA and the National Aerobatics Association, I participated in many National contests including Muncie three times. I am President of the Palomar R/C Flyers and I currently promote all classes of Combat with bi-monthly contests at our club and alternating build-a-thons. This includes the Pearl Harbor Classic, which I started in 1997, and remains one of the longest continuous running 2 day combat events in the nation. I have also appeared in television shows to promote combat. (See Inside R/C "Palomar Flyers:Pearl Harbor Combat Classic.)*** I am also promoting local regional combat contests with other clubs through out San Diego, Riverside and Orange Counties, scheduled to start Ferbruary 2009.
I intend no rules changes, I think there have been enough of them to this point to just about cover it, but instead I intend National promotion of all classes of Combat in order to attract new members and see the RCCA grow to become a strong voice in the AMA. The most popular class here, and easiest to get into and learn combat is by Far SSC. Open is still growing,and Scale, with 2548 is in its infancy. (At one time Scale 715, the 2105 and then 2610 was the big ticket. Most of the "Scale pilots I knew have gone into other areas of the hobby and aviation but I am hoping to bring scale back under 2548 with a planned 2548 build-a-thon in October and the Pearl Harbor Classic 2548 contest. I have attached photos of some of my new combat aircraft.
As President of the Palomar R/C Flyers I took a club that was $32,000.00 in debt and brought it to a $14,500 surplus by the end of the year. Currently, the club I administer is a 501c corporation and one of the larges in the nation with 285 members. Our tax status has allowed us to maximize corporate sponsors and donations. Organization promotion,and really good people to work with have been the keys to our clubs success.
Combat is the one true AMA "spectator friendly" event. At our club we have usually twice the spectators as pilots, (averaging 15-20 pilots), and you know while they all cheer at a streamer cut, they go nuts after a mid-air. (personally I hate midairs...because the damage usually results in lost "cut" opportunities...but I will point out anything that we can use to get stronger!) After interviewing a lot of spectators, they tell me its like watching NASCAR.
***On the professional side, I am a retired lawyer, but currently a working actor and member of the Screen Actor's Guild. To watch my latest commercial got to:
At the splash page, "click" on the "Videos" link. (Its locate in the lower left of the page.) Then, when the list comes up, "click" on "Karma Tourist" also "Karma Tourist 2nd Chance".
George Dawe
President Palomar R/C Flyers, Inc.