AMA Charter 2258, Flying Aces Club Squadron – #38
Newsletter: Tales of the Eagles
Objective of the Eagles: Promote camaraderie and competition among flyers of free flight model aircraft in the Southern Wisconsin / Northern Illinois Area.
Who are the Bong Eagles: The Bong Eagles are a free flight model airplane club based in south-eastern Wisconsin. The Bong Eagles are affiliated with the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA = https://www.modelaircraft.org ), the USA Community of aircraft modelers, which promotes safe and sane operation of model aircraft. The name commemorates Major Richard I. Bong, a USAAF pilot with 40 victories in the Pacific theater in WWII and a native of Wisconsin. Our original flying site at the Bong Recreation area near Burlington WI is named after him. Sadly, the overgrowth of brush in the “runway” portion of the park where we have flown is no longer friendly to flying and retrieving free flight model airplanes. During the winter months indoor contests and fun flying take place in Racine Memorial Hall in Racine, Wisconsin. Because of precautions against the COVID-19 Virus these meets had been suspended, but as of October 6, 2021 they have resumed. See Events and the Flying Sites – Indoor pages for updates.
Why Fly Free Flight Planes: Why do modelers still fly planes without radio control, almost as they would have over 80 years ago? First of all, you surmount the challenge of making and adjusting something that will fly well as it leaves your hand or the launch table. You need to adjust control surfaces and propeller thrust line, and position the center of gravity, for the plane to fly well in climb and glide. You can build light, without radio gear, and use less power. These challenges give the Eagles a thrill and a sense of accomplishment.
Acknowledgements: As someone who has participated in Contests sponsored by the Bong Eagles for over 10 years, I would like to thank all the members who have shown me hospitality, even before I joined the Club. I’d also like to thank those Eagles who took the trouble to get AMA Sanction and listing in Model Aviation for the contests. The Eagles would like to thank Ken Miller for his years of service, from before 2000 to 2014, running the website and taking photos at events, and to thank Mike K. for restarting it on WordPress. I am glad that website content management is getting ever easier, and that Mike and I can bring the site up to date again. Given the constraints of the 2020-2021 pandemic, with fewer normal contacts between members, the website is more important. We hope we can bring more folks into this wonderful hobby.
Announcements
Next Indoor Flying date in 2023 – April 5 at Racine Memorial Hall
See Events Page ( Events ) and Indoor Flying Page ( Indoor ) for updates on Indoor flying at Memorial Hall and for an alternative location, run by the Winnebago County RC Flyers in Oshkosh, WI Next date for flying at Racine will be Apr. 5, 2023.
Winter Flight Fest at EAA Museum, Oshkosh, WI, on February 10-12, 2023
The Bong Eagles’ Contest at the EAA Winter Flight Fest was a success, with 22 flyers participating. The public event on Saturday was well attended, and the Eagles portion of the Air Show in the EAA Museum was well received. Pages with scores for the various contest events and pictures are linked on the Events page.
2023 EAA Flight Fest Flyer and Registration Form
Jim Richmond Open Indoor Contest at West Baden, IN – April 1-3, 2023
This contest is held in the Atrium of the West Baden Springs Hotel To register contact : https://www.indoorffsupply.com/events
EVENT FLYER – 2023 Jim Richmond Open at West Baden, IN
2023 Kent State Indoor Free Flight Contest – April 22 & 23
Held at the Kent State Field House in Ohio, a large Category II site. Registration at https://www.indoorffsupply.com/events
2023 Kent State Indoor Free Flight Meet Flyer April 22-23
2023 NOFFA Free Flight Championships – Outdoors at Muncie IN
June 3-4 – Flyer on Events Page.
Outdoor Flying Events to be held by the Eagles in 2023
Tentative Dates are July 8 and August 5. The location in the Milwaukee area will be at the MARKS Field at Wind Lake Turf Farms ( https://windlaketurf.com/ ). See Events and Flying Sites – Outdoor Pages for details.
Event flyers / Registration Forms will be available – Links on Events Page
Last Year’s Outdoor Contests
July 10, 2022 – Old Timer Contest – This was a successful outing with 8 Flyers and good weather – links to results and pictures are available on the Events Page
August 7, 2022 – Annual Outdoor contest. – Cancelled because of Rain
NATIONAL EVENTS – See Events Page for Flyers
AMA INDOOR FREE FLIGHT NATIONALS
June 19-23, 2023 Kibbie Dome, Moscow, Idaho
Information on this event may be found at modelaviation.org .
Pictures from the 2022 Indoor AMA Free Flight Nats may be found on Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/modelaircraft/albums/72177720299253848
2023 Flying Aces Club Non-NATS
July 12-15, 2023 National Warplane Museum Field, Geneseo New York – The FAC Non-NATS is an alternative contest at Geneseo, held by the FAC in odd years. The 2022 NATS turned out well, with mostly good weather and some booming thermals. At least one Bong Eagle member of the FAC Lightning Aces was able to compete.
AMA OUTDOOR FREE FLIGHT NATIONALS & NFFS OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
July 17 – 22, 2023 AMA International Field, Muncie, Indiana
In 2022, Bong Eagles members flew in 10 events at the AMA Nats, with good results in mostly good weather. Pictures from the 2022 Nats are available on the AMA Flickr Album.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/modelaircraft/albums/72177720300832421
A summary of Eagles participation may be found on the Events Page.
2023 Flying Aces Club Outdoor Champs and Ted Dock Meet
Dates, usually Mid September, TBD. AMA International Field, Muncie, Indiana
Events Completed: In 2022 Harrison K. and Jack T. competed. Results in FAC Newsletter.
Bong Eagles Sponsors a Flying Aces Club Squadron – #38 the “Lightning Aces”
Members of the Bong Eagles who are also members of the Flying Aces Club may now be assigned to our new FAC Squadron. Members who join Flying Aces and receive their bi-monthly Newsletter for $25 per year may register at http://flyingacesclub.com as members of the Lightning Aces Squadron of FAC. Events at our contests where members compete with FAC compatible planes are now eligible for the award of FAC Kanones. Eligible models are described on the FAC Models page under the Model Types Tab.
2022 EAA Winter Flight Fest Results – AMA Sanction Event Number 12421
Flying in The EAA AirVenture Museum for AMA members that occurred on February 11-13, 2022 was a success. Results and Photos can be accessed from the Events page,
News from Jim Richmond Open at West Baden, Indiana, March 26-27, 2022
This event was a success – a Photo album is posted on the AMA Flickr page. Other photos are posted here. Links are on Events Page
Bong Eagles Holiday Lunch – December 10, 2022
Noon, Saturday December 10, 2022 Birchwood Grill 7515 125th Ave.. Kenosha Wi
Event was a success – Flyer: 2022 Bong Eagles Holiday Lunch Event Flyer
New Bong Eagles website 