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October 2025 - District V

District News
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands

Welcome back everyone! It’s been a quiet month around District V. It was the month of July as I wrote this and you might have noticed, but it was pretty darn hot!

I want to welcome Derek Barry to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) F2A Control Line Aerobatics Team Selection committee and thank him for his service. I’d also like to welcome new Contest Directors William Harvey, from Mississippi, and Tim Goelzer, from Fort Mill, South Carolina. Again, thank you!

It’s my sad duty to report the passing of Victor "Papiro" Escobar from Puerto Rico. Papiro was a longtime AMA member and a well-known and respected RC modeler on the island, as well as a founding member of the Borinquen RC Club, having served multiple terms as president.

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Elderly man and woman sitting on chairs outdoors by a model aircraft.
Papiro Escobar, from Puerto Rico, enjoyed the sunshine at Borinquen RC before we sadly lost him.

Although Puerto Rico might be physically separated from the rest of the district, I communicate with several members there and even had the pleasure of attending the club’s huge warbirds and jets event last year. It was a trip where my wife and I were treated like family from the day we landed there. Fair winds, Papiro.

I want to congratulate all of the competitors and winners at the AMA Nats this year, as well as everyone who represented the US at world championships.

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Two men standing with a model plane; one holds a "NATS 2023" sign.
(L-R): Curtis Switzer, from Cocoa FL, shown with his caller, Dino DiGiorgio, brought home first place from the AMA RC Scale Nats, which was hosted at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie IN.

I don’t compete, but I respect everyone who tries, regardless of where they placed. I might give Scale helicopter competition a try next year. I’m not the best builder in the world, but I’m not the best pilot either. It should be fun!

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Two individuals in red USA shirts with medals, sitting behind numerous trophies on a table.
Gary Freeman (R), with his son, Brody, collected hardware in Germany at the 2025 FAI F3D/F3E World Championships for Pylon Racing Model Aircraft. Team USA took gold in F3D and silver in F3E. Brody was the Junior World Champion in F3D and took silver in F3E. Congratulations!

Thanks for stopping in and fly safely!