This coverage of a longstanding float-fly comes from Steve Milam:
On the last weekend in May, the RC Barnstormers of Paola, Kansas, held its 26th annual Heart of America Float Fly at Lake Miola in Paola.
With the help and permission of the City of Paola, we close off the north end of the lake to boaters for one weekend every year, have a pit area mowed, and have porta-potties set up for us. There were 20 pilots representing eight different clubs from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Colorado. The weather was perfect, with temperatures in the 70s and wind from 5 to 10 mph. The water and sky were filled with our airplanes from dawn to dusk.
My home club,the Minot Aircraft Modelers, hosts the aptly named June Fun Fly each year in, you guessed it, June. This year’s event drew roughly 30 pilots from across the region. Because of our remote, wide-open site, this event has become a draw for jet fliers, including those who are seeking their turbine waiver, but the event is not just about jets. We had all kinds of flying take place, including some kite flying when the winds went up.
We also really enjoy AeroScout gaggles. If you’ve been following this on the District IX Facebook page, we try to keep them in the air as long as possible. If you get them high enough to find lift and follow where the birds go, you can get good, long flights. We have quite a few flights in the 40- to 50-minute range on a 2,200 mAh battery.
We were pleased to introduce young Hudsen Nielsen to our hobby with some buddy-box time. He is the first student pilot to sign up this season.
