The flying season for District IV is slowly coming to an idle as the ever wintry winds descend upon us. As I look back, we have had a very good year with no major incidents or injuries. We have a new set of rules and as far as I can tell, everyone is operating within those guidelines. When you mention “rules”, people immediately think “more restrictions”. However, this is not the case. The business of flying turbine powered aircraft is as serious as flying a real jet liner. Safety is of prime importance and this must be number one on our agenda. Think of the new requirements as a “check list” to safety. So, let’s fly safe and have fun.

The big event for our District is the Mid-Atlantic Jet Rally held on Memorial Day weekend at the Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, Fentress, Virginia. This event is CD’d by Frank Rega and is into it’s fourteenth year of providing a relaxed three day fun filled activity. If you have never been there, you should put it on your schedule for 2005.

This year I attended the IMAA Rally of the Giants at Muncie, IN. Although the giant scale planes out numbered the jet aircraft by about 10-1, I’m sure this will change in the future. A quick visit to the USAF Museum in Dayton, OH and then on to Winamac, IN for a week at the Jets Over The Heartland event, CD’d by Tim Redelman. This is one of the best flying sites around and you are guaranteed an enjoyable week of serious flying. A great opportunity to meet old and new friends.

Back in my home area, I always look forward to attending the Liberty Belle Jet Rally in Lebanon, PA, which is CD’d by Mike Lesher. This was it’s third year and is growing bigger every year. You should plan on arriving early next year. Mike’s hospitality and concern for everyone having a good time flying is most notable.

My flying partner, David Plaine, and I had an opportunity to put on a jet flying demo at a different type of activity other than a jet rally. The EAA Chapter 1340 held a fly-in at our local county airport and we were asked to attend and put on a flying demonstration of turbine powered aircraft. We met with the airport owners and manager several weeks before the event to lay out the ground rules for us flying during their program. We were allotted two half hour time slots during the day. For some of the spectators, this was their first exposure to jet model aircraft. Needless to say, we were the “hit of the show”. An invitation to attend next year was extended.

Of course, if you don’t attend the Superman Jet Rally, you are not part of the “in gang”, so to speak. A premiere event with a “must attend” on everybody’s schedule, whether you make it or not. A lot of new models debuted at this rally; Larry Kramer’s new King Cat as well as mine, CJM’s F-18, flown by Lewis Patten, SkyMaster’s F-18E, BVM’s new F-86, and probably many more which I failed to observe. Unfortunately, one lesson we learned from the rally was, if you have auto-start, be sure to turn your receiver off when you put your plane away. I look forward to Superman 2005.