National and District Officers 

 

Derek Koopowitz
881 Oxford Way
Benicia, CA. 94510

Home: 707-746-1615
Work: 415-565-4587
Mobile: 707-246-6124

District 7 Web Site

Email: president@nsrca.org

AMA #: 174391
NSRCA #: 621
I have been flying R/C since 1984 and have actively been flying in Pattern contests since 1996. I currently fly in the FAI class. I'm the AMA District X R/C Aerobatics Contest Board representative and I'm also the Northern California Contest/Fly-in coordinator for all R/C events in the area. I belong to two R/C clubs - BARCS (Bay Area RC Society) and NBRC (North Bay RC) - and I've been an active officer of BARCS from 1992 until 2000 serving as Secretary and then Vice President. I'm currently on the board for BARCS and also run their website.

I'm a long-standing member of IMAA, IMAC and the NSRCA (Pattern). I was the NSRCA's Treasurer for 4 years until the end of 2004. I've been the official scorekeeper at the TOC since 1998 and I was the official scorekeeper at the 1999 F3A World Championships that were held in Pensacola, Florida. I've been a licensed Contest Director for many years as well and currently manage one pattern contest in Northern California. I fly at numerous events in the area - IMAA, IMAC, Pattern as well as Toys-for-Tots and I've been an active competitor at the NATS for a number of years.

I was born and raised in South Africa and immigrated to the US in 1981. I have a 17 ½ year-old son that is almost ready to head off to college. I've been playing with planes since I was about 7 years old in some way shape or form, but I did move over to R/C gas powered cars in 1974 and was South African National champion in 1/8 scale gas in 1976.

Professionally, I'm the IT Audit Manager for the California State Automobile Association - the 2nd largest AAA club in the USA. We have over 6,000 employees and about 70 offices located in California, Nevada and Utah.

 

Ron Van Putte
e-mail: vice-president@nsrca.org

Born and raised in Rochester, New York. Attended Purdue University (BSAE, 1957) and the University of Michigan (MSAE, 1959 and A&AE, 1964). I am an aeronautical engineer, specializing in flight mechanics. Joined the Air Force in 1959 and retired in 1979. Joined Civil Service at Eglin AFB in 1979 and retired in 1997.

Have been married 46 years to the same wonderful woman (she thinks flying RC airplanes is good for me) and have three daughters and six grandchildren.

Started R/C in 1954 with a deBolt Kitten, powered by an Atwood .049, using an ECE receiver and a homebuilt transmitter. In 1964 I got my first multi-channel airplane, a Goldberg Senior Falcon, powered by a Super Tiger ST .51 R/C, using an F&M 9 channel reed system. Flew in my first contest in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1967 using a descendant of my original Goldberg Senior Falcon, powered by a Super Tigre ST .56 R/C. and using a Micro Avionics (green box) proportional radio system. Have owned and either sold or destroyed more than 60 R/C airplanes.

Currently I am flying a Focus with OS 1.40RX power and using a Futaba 9ZAP radio system. I plan to fly an electric-powered Excellence in 2007. The Master class is my permanent home and I have no desire to compete in F3A, especially after the new maneuver schedules were published.

Was newsletter editor for the Western Ohio Radio Kontrol Society from 1965-1969. Was again a newsletter editor for the Eglin Aero Modellers fro, 1973-1975. In 1975 1 was asked to write an R/C sport and aerobatics column for Model Aviation magazine and did that for 20 years, quitting in 1995.

As a contest director, I put on local contests for the Eglin Aero Modelers in Florida for many years, starting in 1974 and continuing through 1999. Was F3A Team Selection Finals CD in 1991 at Duke Field, Eglin AFB, Florida. In 1996 and 1997 1 served as Nats event director for R/C Aerobatics. In 1999 I was the F3A Team Selection Finals CD at Navarre, Florida and co-CD for the 1999 F3A World Championships, also at Navarre, Florida. My role as NSRCA vice president includes being responsible for representing NSRCA as R/C Aerobatics Nats coordinator.

Have been an R/C aerobatics judge for more than 30 years and judged at many local contests, Nats and F3A Team Selection contests. I was the U.S. judge at the 1995 F3A World Championships in Kasaoka Japan.

Joined the NSRCA many years ago and hold NSRCA #244. Was elected NSRCA vice president for 1997/1998, 1999/2000, 2001/2002 and 2003/2004. Was reelected for 2007/2008.

 

Jim Quinn
211 Airport Road

Endicott, NY 13760

e-mail: secretary@nsrca.org

 

I graduated from college in 1963 and over the next 30 years I was either a graduate student or I was teaching. I had the opportunity to continue my education for several years and so wound up with a few more degrees. My degree in literary criticism will be helpful as I fulfill my duties as secretary of NSRCA. Even more helpful still are the many years I was the secretary of EAA chapters and R/C clubs. I am currently the secretary of an AMA Special Interest Group, the Vintage R/C Society. I edit their bi-monthly newsletter. Recently I also edited a 50th anniversary book for the Aeroguidance Society.

I started to fly when I was seven by building stick and paper free flight models. My brother Bill and I graduated to control line and soon realized that getting dizzy was not for us. So it was on to R/C in 1961. We flew for two years with no success and finally found an R/C club, the Aeroguidance Society, where we got some help and successful flights soon followed. In those early days I was the official "Tree Climber," retrieving fly-aways from the neighboring woods.

I got my pilots license in 1976 and started building my first full size airplane, a Volksplane, the VP II. That year I stopped flying R/C and concentrated all my attention on building and flying full size airplanes. My second airplane was a Sonerai II, and my third project is an Acro II, which is still on the workbench.

In 1994 I lost my workshop and three years later I got back into R/C, with quite a bit of friendly teasing from my "buddies" who were still in the Aeroguidance Society. In the fall of 1998 Bob Noll got a group of interested aerobatic pilots together with the goal of flying precision aerobatics during the 1999-flying season. To fly precisely, of course, you needed a properly built airplane. Thus began our winter building sessions. The "Aerobatic Gang," as we are known, still meets every Friday during the flying season for practice and coaching and every other week in the winter months for building sessions.

Flying my first aerobatic airplane, a Dick Hanson Elite, opened a whole new chapter in my life. I was smitten with an incurable passion for precision aerobatics. In 1999 my Elite scored 1000 points in every round of every contest I flew that year. I now own and fly eight aerobatic airplanes. My favorite is my Smaragd, backed up by my Alliance. I currently fly Advanced and my goal is to one day join the ranks of the amazing Master pilots of District I.

 

Ron Davies
10281 Camerino Ct
Sacramento, CA 95829
Phone: (916) 682-7902

E-Mail: treasurer@nsrca.org

I consider it a privileged and honor to serve as the Treasurer for NSRCA.

I reside in Sacramento California (District 7) and have been building and flying radio control model airplanes for approximately 12 years. Before radio control model airplanes I promoted and raced boats for over thirty years. My interest in model aviation began at age 15 flying u-control. I have always been interested in Aerobatics. Currently, I belong to two model airplane clubs (Sacramento Area Modelers, Gold Country Flyers). I have been a Board member with the Sacramento Area Modelers and just completed my term as Treasurer. I have been the head flight instructor for 5 years and have been a member of NSRCA for 3 years.

I have a Master Degree and started my working career as a Rehabilitation Counselor. The majority of my work has been with the State of California with the Division of Workers Compensation, CalPERS (Health Benefits) and the Major Risk Medical Insurance Board. I currently retired however; I do serve on an Advisory Board for a local Medical Group.

 

DISTRICT ONE

Connecticut - Delaware - Maine - Massachusetts - Rhode Island-Pennsylvania - New York - New Jersey - New Hampshire - Maryland - Vermont
NSRCA District 1 VP
Ed Alt

 

 

 

DISTRICT TWO

North Carolina - South Carolina - Virginia - Washington, DC
NSRCA District 2 VP
Ryan Smith
 

 

DISTRICT THREE

Alabama - Florida - Georgia - Mississippi - Tennessee

NSRCA District 3 VP
Lamar Blair

 

 

 

DISTRICT FOUR

Indiana - Kentucky - Michigan - Ohio - West Virginia

NSRCA District 4 VP
Dave Johnstone

 

 

 

DISTRICT FIVE

Illinois - Kansas - Nebraska - Minnesota - Missouri - North Dakota - South Dakota - Wisconsin - Iowa

NSRCA District 5 VP
John Konneker
 

 

DISTRICT SIX

Arkansas - Colorado - Louisiana - New Mexico - Oklahoma - Texas

NSRCA District 6 VP
Mark Hunt

District Web Site

 

 

DISTRICT SEVEN

California - Arizona - Hawaii - Nevada - Utah

 

NSRCA District 7 VP

Rusty Fried


District 7 Web Site
 

 

DISTRICT EIGHT

Alaska - Idaho - Montana - Oregon - Washington - Wyoming

NSRCA District 8 VP
Rex Lesher

 

Dave Reaville
1087 Hollypark Road
Brentwood Bay BC
Canada V8M 1E6
patternwestnews@shaw.ca

Western Canadian Web Site

I reside in Brentwood Bay, near the city of Victoria, with my wife and number one supporter, Kelly and our two adult children, Kris & Lauren. I am employed in the aviation industry as a pilot, flying Dash 8 turboprop aircraft with Ace Holding Incorporated’s regional subsidiary, Air Canada Jazz. In the spring of 1996, shortly after moving to Vancouver Island, I became involved in RC through the Victoria Radio Control Modelers Society. I took advantage of the help and knowledge that was freely available through this great club. As everyone knows, the hobby is far reaching in direction with Scale, Helicopter, Soaring, IMAC etc all offering options to the new pilot as he progresses in both flying and building skill. The complexity of models was also a major learning curve as well but with the help of my fellow club members I soon discovered the challenges of pattern flying, was immediately hooked and am now an avid FAI flyer today. We have a group of pattern flyers that regularly attend local and regional contests and we have continued to share great times together. I have also contributed back to the club having held the position of President for two terms on the club executive. Field duties include cutting the grass (no pavement!) at our flying site as well as holding the new Field Managers position.

Over the past 6 plus years I have represented the Western District of Canada as I-VP for the NSRCA's K-Factor publication. I throw my $.02 cents worth into the MAAC Precision Aerobatics Committee as one of two Pacific Zone Reps as well as publish the Pattern West News website. This site provides information on events and news in our area of Canada (Manitoba to British Columbia).

Precision aerobatics has been the catalyst behind my improved skills and I'm now concentrating my efforts into the FAI F3A level. My main goal was recently achieved as I successfully made the 2007 Canadian National F3A Team. I look forward to representing my country at the World Championships in Argentina.

 

Page updated : January 2, 2008
Comments, corrections, suggestions: moleski@canisius.edu