December 2025 - District IX

First, my best to you this holiday season!

Dave Larson, the newsletter editor of the Beresford Area Radio Flyers (BARF) in Beresford, South Dakota, reported on some of the BARF members attending the SooLand RC Modelers Fun Fly in August.

It was a warm weekend for the SooLand RC Modelers event southwest of Sioux City, Iowa. More than 20 pilots attended, flew, ate, and had a "hot time." Ken, Aaron, and the gang put on a great lunch, and the raffle prizes were even better than in the past.

Two men adjusting a large, red model airplane on grass. — (L-R): Ron Houske is the builder of this aircraft from the Great War. Richard fires up the engine on Ron’s Fokker D.VII at the SooLand RC Modelers Fun Fly.

This event coverage from the Sky Corral RC Club, in Pueblo, Colorado, was submitted by Contest Director (CD) Mark Siemen.

Our Big Birds/All Birds in August is a longstanding club event for large airplanes, but in recent years, we’ve morphed it into a "run what you brung" gathering.

Jet with yellow-tipped wings flying in cloudy sky.

I’m the CD, and I can tell you that our 33 registered pilots flew everything from racing drones to 40% International Miniature Aerobatic Club planes and giant turbines. We even had one of the locals fly a powered paraglider.

Paramotor with colorful parachute on a field.

All of the photos were taken by Keith Davis from the Pikes Peak RC Club.

Seven people standing on grass with a model aircraft in front. — The South Dakota Mines Hardrocker Aero Design team (L-R): Carson Daly, Beau Price, Adam Kaufman, Justin Golus, Jorden Kalmbach, Willa LaClah, and Kate Mondloch.

The South Dakota Mines Hardrocker Aero Design team is shown here with their 2025 entry in the SAE Aero Design contest that was held in California. The team finished in 12th place. They test-fly at the Rapid City Propbusters field in South Dakota.

There are other college SAE teams in District DIX, but we are glad to note these young engineers’ accomplishments since this college of only 2,500 students competed well against 60 US and international college teams.

District IX