Welcome to the 2024 AMA Nats!
By Mike Bergerson
Welcome to the AMA League of Silent Flight (LSF) Nats! I arrived a few days early to pitch my tent, get acclimated, and fly my sailplanes in the notorious Muncie skies! Lol! It’s said that the air is different here. Well, let me tell ya, it’s not normal … and that’s where the challenge lies.
So, first up, it’s all about Cross Country (XC), which starts on Wednesday, July 17, and continues through Friday, July 19. I know of several folks coming to try their hand at getting their 1-km and 2-km fly and return goals, including myself, for their particular LSF level requirements. XC is a new experience for me, and I’ll do my best to describe it from a newbie perspective. The idea of cruising down the road in the back of a pickup truck with your sailplane in hot pursuit takes me out of my comfort zone a bit. What the heck, let’s do it!
I plan to fly two classes, one with a regular Open class Supra Pro from the winch and the other with a Supra converted to electric. LSF now has dedicated levels for “winch in the nose.” A few Nats back, I had spent some time helping as a “spotter” for my friend (don’t tell anyone) and experienced XC pilot John Marien. There are certain situations when you must have that second set of eyes when your own eyes must be taken off of your airplane, such as climbing into the back of the pickup (aka “Country Cadillac”) or passing under obstacles that block your view for a few seconds. It’s definitely a team effort.
Ed, Wally, John, and others will be helping us new guys get accustomed to the differences of this interesting aspect of our sport*/hobby. This should be entertaining at the very least. Lol!
Come and participate, help out, or watch. Bring popcorn. It’s bound to be worth a few laughs, and remember, the person who has the most fun wins! Well, that would be me … so you could be a close second for sure!
Blue skies!
*It’s a sport. You chase hi-starts and winch lines all day, not to mention the fact that you climb trees after wayward gliders … there’s no need for a gym membership!
Note from AMA: Do you have photos from the Nats that you’d like to share? If so, email them to Clarissa Poston at clarissap@modelaircraft.org. Please include a brief description in your email, naming any individuals pictured in the photo(s), the name of the event that the photo(s) were taken during, and the name of the individual who took the photo(s). Your submission(s) might be posted on AMA’s Flickr page, which can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/modelaircraft/albums!