This month's fun fly had 12 participants, all of which did an outstanding job of flying.  The events were challenging and exciting.  This brings out the best in competition along with a lot of help from those that were watching as to how to perform each event.  In other words a lot of kibitzing, if you know what I mean.

     At the start the weather was very nice with sunny skies and a light south wind that increased to about 10 miles per hour as the morning went on.  There were three events.  The first event was a 5-cone slalom.  In this event each pilot had to taxi down the runway going in a serpentine fashion through 5 traffic cones staying on the runway and returning to the starting point.  The pilot finishing this in the shortest time was considered the winner.  The order of finish is as follows:

  1.  Erik Castrodale      7.  Dale Anderson
  2.  Marc Davis            8.  Bob Nagle
  3.  Kevin Carlson        8.  Andy Noll
  4.  Ray Jelinek            8.  Al Spearbecker
  5.  Steve Ulrich           8.  Jim Taylor
  6.  Paul Castrodale      8.  Stan Zdon

     The second event was the Pony Express.  This is a timed event in which each pilot must take off going past the end of the runway, do a 360 degree fly around, land, run out to the runway put a letter (which is no more than a piece of folded note paper) under a rubber band that was placed on the plane prior to takeoff.  The pilot must take off going past the end of the runway, do a 360 degree fly around, then land take the letter off the plane, do the same fly around and land.  The winner is the pilot that does this in the shortest amount of time.  This event was of particular interest to the spectators watching some of us old guys run and bend over.  Following is the order of finish:

  1.   Kevin Carlson       7.   Steve Ulrich
  2.   Al Spearbecker      8.   Andy Noll
  3.   Paul Castrodale      9.   Dale Anderson
  4.   Marc Davis          10.  Ray Jelinek
  5.   Erik Castrodale    10.  Jim Taylor
  6.   Bob Nagle            10.  Stan Zdon

     The third event was the highlight of the morning, the Limbo.  Those of you that have not seen or participated in the exciting event are missing a fun event.  The pilots must have great skill and daring.  Two post that are about 12 feet high are planted in the ground on each side of the runway and a piece of warning tape is attached to these pole and stretched across the runway.  Each pilot make a flight under the tape at three different heights starting at about 12 feet, then 8 feet then the last height of 4 feet.  The last flight is timed in case of a tie.  There were 5 pilots that made it through the lowest setting.  The following are the results of this event:

  1.  Stan Zdon              6.  Kevin Carlson
  2.  Al Spearbecker      6.  Bob Nagle
  3.  Marc Davis            6.  Jim Taylor
  4.  Ray Jelinek            6.  Steve Ulrich
  5.  Erik Castrodale      7.  Dale Anderson
  6.  Paul Castrodale      8.  Andy Noll

     The winner of the Fun FLY and order of finish is as follows:

  1.  Marc Davis            6.  Ray Jelinek
  2.  Kevin Carlson        7.  Stan Zdon
  3.  Erik Castrodale      8.  Bob Nagle
  4.  Al Spearbecker      9.  Dale Anderson
  5.  Paul Castrodale    10.  Andy Noll
  6.  Steve Ulrich         10.  Jim Taylor

     The next FUN FLY will be held on Saturday, August 18, 2007 at the ACRC Field.  The flight line opens at 9 AM and the contest will start promptly at 10 AM.  Weather permitting; we will be doing the egg drop.  The other two events will be selected at the field.
                                                               Bob Nagle