July 31. Free Flight. Senior Jace Pivonka stunned the Open HLG gurus when he took the Nats High-Time trophy. Free Flight Edition

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1 July 31 Free Flight Senior Jace Pivonka stunned the Open HLG gurus when he took the Nats High-Time trophy. Free Flight Edition

2 Free Flight A cool, clear sky greeted competitors in the early morning on July 30 at the AMA Free Flight Nats. The visibility was ideal and the wind was light, and surprisingly, the dew was almost nonexistent. This made for strange conditions for the two early flyoffs and one Dawn event on the schedule. Dawn Unlimited went off first at 6:50 a.m., just as the sun burned through the trees. Bud Romak, flying his legendary Dawn Patrol, finished a surprising second place at 252 seconds. First place went to Senior upstart, Jace Pivonka, flying an F1B! His time was 269 seconds. The F1B flyoff was next and also was won by a Senior, Sevak Malkhasyan. Sevak s time was 237 seconds. In second place was Carrol Allen, just a hair back at 234. The two-man F1J flyoff was next and it provided some excitement when Faust Parker s first model overran to about 20 seconds, but still bunted and glided. He launched his backup and took the win with 197 over John Lorbiecki s 162. The morning weather remained clear and calm until about 11 a.m. when the wind started increasing out of the west first to 3 to 8 mph, then by late afternoon to 10 to 15 mph with a few stronger gusts. With the westerly vector, many models were carried into the cemetery and corn on the east side of the AMA site not good. For this reason some opted out of the long-max events this day. A Gas had 30 entered but only 13 flew. Charles Caton and Doug Marsh both made it to their seventh flight, where Doug s honking locked-down Satellite pipped Charlie Caton by a nose, 861 to 843. Many thought Doug s A Gas model was the fastest power model on the field this day. A Electric had 28 entered, of which 15 flew. Dale Elder completed his three-event sweep of the Electric events this Nats with his win on this day, flying the same model he used to win B on Tuesday. Congratulations, Dale! The happening of the day occurred in AMA Hand- Launched Glider (HLG), when 16-year old Jace Pivonka, flying in his first Nats, topped the legendary Stan Buddenbohm to win the Tulsa Glue Dobbers High-Time Trophy. Jace and Stan were the only two fliers to get past the fourth max, at which point Jace won by a comfortable 12 seconds. Jace is likely the youngest flier of all time to win this prestigious trophy in its 55- year history. Junior HLG had a great turnout of seven fliers, Kyle Gerspacher took the very comfortable win at 263 seconds, followed by Ian Wicks at 87, and William Reuter at 74. C Nos Gas had its usually strong turnout: 14 flew of the 30 entered. Denny Dock took first with a perfect seven-max score, just 20 seconds ahead of Nats fixture, Hank Sperzel. Nats One-Design Gas had five fliers, and Gene Smith took the win with four maxes plus 64. Rudy Kluiber was second. Friday promises more of the same in the weather department: westerly wind and sunny skies. First up in the morning is the threeman F1G flyoff, followed by a 7 a.m. E-36 mass launch. Hopefully the predicted 10 to 15 mph afternoon wind won t materialize, but at least there appears to be little chance of rain. See everyone bright and early for the closing day of the 89 th AMA Free Flight Nats. Thermals! Don DeLoach Jack Murphy was third in A Electric flying this modified Super Pearl. Model doubles as F1Q. Photo by David Gerspacher. Sevak Malkhasyan won F1B and the coveted and historic 1904 Aero Cup trophy. Duncan McBride displays his gorgeous Satellite 1300 for A Electric. THe model is 55 ounces, runs on four LiPo battery cells. DeLoach photo.

3 Junior HLG winners had the most fun of anyone at the Nats on Thursday. Robert Marier turns his Dawn Unlimited entry loose. Sparky Elder completed his sweep of the three AMA Electric events on Thursday. He won A with this modified Satellite the same plane he used to win B on Tuesday. DeLoach photo. The Fountain of Youth wins the HLG Team High-Time trophy. L-R: Jim Buxton, Jace Pivonka, and Kyle Gerspacher. Gerspacher photo. Gary Oakins readies his Unlimited Rubber model for Dawn Unlimited.

4 C Nos Gas 1 DENNY L DOCK STEVENSVILLE, MI HANK SPERZEL BELLEVUE, NE JAMES A DEMERITTE PALM BAY, FL KEITH FULMER MISHAWAKA, IN ROBERT E MATTES SAINT CHARLES, MO ROY SMITH KINGSTON, CANADA ROGER W ERRIDGE SARANAC, MI BOB SOWDER TROUTVILLE, VA GLENN D SCHNEIDER DIABLO, CA CLARK A DARLING KENT LAKES, NY GENE R SMITH STILLWATER, OK LARRY DAVIDSON MONETA, VA RICHARD KACMARSKY LANSING, MI P JACK MARSH SOUTH BEND, IN Electric A 1 DALE ELDER ORLANDO, FL CHARLES D MCBRIDE FORT MYERS, FL JACK MURPHY SALT LAKE CITY, UT SCOTT J LAPRAIK PORTLAND, TN DON A DELOACH COLORADO SPRINGS, CO GRAHAM SELICK ATHENS, GA HAYDEN G ASHWORTH INDIANAPOLIS, IN DRAYCOTT HOOKE MOUNTAINHOME, PA DRAKE HOOKE NEWFOUNDLAND, PA RALPH RAY BOULEVARD, CA MARK FREELAND KEEGO HARBOR, MI ROBERT E MATTES SAINT CHARLES, MO JAMES M COFFIN ANNANDALE, VA DAVID P JONES RICHMOND, VA ANDREW D TOMASCH NORTHVILLE, MI 225 OT ABC Pylon 1 JAMES BOCCKINFUSO HARDY, VA BUD ROMAK LINCOLN, CA ROBERT N EDELSTEIN GRAND LEDGE, MI SIMON BLAKE TORONTO, CANADA WILLIAM H VANDERBEEK LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA JOHN R OLIVER PIERCETON, IN ALLEN ROHRSTAFF KALAMAZOO, MI SO F1G 1 MICHAEL R RICHARDSON N LAS VEGAS, NV JOHN M CLAPP SAYRE, PA CHRIS M MATSUNO SAINT LOUIS, MO DAROLD JONES MANITOU SPRINGS, CO THOMAS G IOERGER BOULDER CITY, NV JACE PIVONKA LAKEWOOD, CO DAVE EDMONSON EAGAN, MN CHARLES S MARKOS DEERFIELD, IL DAVID MILLS ATLANTA, GA DAVID L SECHRIST BRISTOL, IN GERALYN JONES AVON LAKE, OH JERRY B MURPHY MANITOU SPRINGS, CO CARROL M ALLEN COPAKE, NY M D RICHARDSON GROSSE ILE, MI PAUL S MASTERMAN VALLEJO, CA LOUIS O JOYNER RICHMOND, VA Dawn Unlimited 1 ABRAM VANDOVER NEWPORT NEWS, VA JACE PIVONKA LAKEWOOD, CO BUD ROMAK LINCOLN, CA ROBERT E MARIER ROSWELL, GA DAROLD JONES MANITOU SPRINGS, CO GARY OAKINS SAINT PAUL, MN DAVE EDMONSON EAGAN, MN 99 NFFS One Design 1/2A Torndo/Jay 1 GENE R SMITH STILLWATER, OK RUDY J KLUIBER LAKEWOOD, OH WILLIAM H VANDERBEEK LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA THOMAS B FOX BRISTOL, VT GLENN D SCHNEIDER DIABLO, CA J HL Glider Junior 1 KYLE D GERSPACHER CLARKSVILLE, OH IAN WICKS NORMAL, IL 87 3 WILLIAM E REUTER NORTH OLMSTED, OH 74 4 HAILEY MATTSON NORTH OLMSTED, OH 73 5 WILLIAM WICKS NORMAL, IL 45 6 HAYDEN ASHWORTH NOBELESVILLE, IN 32 7 JAZMYN E OAKINS RIVER FALLS, WI 29 Panorama shot of the auction on Thursday afternoon. 4 NatsNews 2015

5 103 B Gas 1 CHARLES CATON MONTGOMERY, AL RONNIE C THOMPSON HARVEST, AL JIM S PARKER HOUSTON, TX JAMES R HACK DOWAGIAC, MI ROBERT M HANFORD BROKEN ARROW, OK GERALD S BROWN HENDERSON, TX HANK SPERZEL BELLEVUE, NE DICK W BERTRAND WEST OLIVE, MI DANIEL B BERRY BENTON, AR O HL Glider 1 STAN BUDDENBOHM BOULEVARD, CA JAMES C BUXTON HILLIARD, OH KENNETH A BAUER GILROY, CA DON A DELOACH COLORADO SPRINGS, CO GENE C ULM FAIRFAX, VA JAN W LANGELIUS HASLET, TX TIM A BATIUK VALLEJO, CA W L SCHLARB SOUTH BEND, IN RALPH RAY BOULEVARD, CA DANIEL B BERRY BENTON, AR RICHARD V PETERSON SAN CLEMENTE, CA KURT KREMPETZ BARTLETT, IL JAMES P LEWIS GARY, SD DAVE EDMONSON EAGAN, MN CHUCK E POWELL BENTON, KS MIKE MCKEEVER FAIR OAKS, CA STEVE P OAKINS RIVER FALLS, WI SKEETER B SURGUINE ORMOND BEACH, FL JAMES R HACK DOWAGIAC, MI KIT BAYS WINTERVILLE, NC DRAYCOTT HOOKE MOUNTAINHOME, PA W A LOOMIS RIDGEFIELD, CT J F1G 1 HAILEY MATTSON NORTH OLMSTED, OH 15 F1P Senior/Open 1 ROBERT M HANFORD BROKEN ARROW, OK 523 LARGE NOSTALGIA RUBBER 1 JIM OREILLY BEL AIRE, KS ROBERT M HANFORD BROKEN ARROW, OK JOSEPH M WILLIAMS BROOKVILLE, PA JAMES L GERSZEWSKI NEW BERLIN, WI JOHN F SCHNOBRICH LAKE BLUFF, IL ROBERT M BENNETT HAMPTON, VA BUD ROMAK LINCOLN, CA A Gas 1 DOUGLAS K MARSH GRANGER, IN CHARLES CATON MONTGOMERY, AL RONNIE C THOMPSON HARVEST, AL DANIEL B BERRY BENTON, AR P JACK MARSH SOUTH BEND, IN GERALD S BROWN HENDERSON, TX J G PAILET LADY LAKE, FL JIM S PARKER HOUSTON, TX BRIAN E MALIN BURNSVILLE, NC ROBERT M HANFORD BROKEN ARROW, OK GILBERT C MORRIS COLUMBUS, OH RICHARD COVALT ANDERSON, IN JAMES A DEMERITTE PALM BAY, FL 104 HL GLIDER 140S 1 JACE PIVONKA LAKEWOOD, CO TARON MALKHASYAN LOS ANGELES, CA SEVAK MALKHASYAN LOS ANGELES, CA O F1J 1 FAUST R PARKER WEATHERFORD, TX JOHN E LORBIECKI HUBERTUS, WI GLENN D SCHNEIDER DIABLO, CA J G PAILET LADY LAKE, FL ALAN ABRISS REGO PARK, NY DAVE EDMONSON EAGAN, MN GARY OAKINS SAINT PAUL, MN GILBERT C MORRIS COLUMBUS, OH F1B Wakefield 1 SEVAK MALKHASYAN LOS ANGELES, CA CARROL M ALLEN COPAKE, NY JOHN A SHAILOR ROYAL OAK, MI ARAM C SCHLOSBERG OAKLAND GARDENS, NY JOEL A YORI PARKVILLE, MD WILLIAM D SHAILOR ROYAL OAK, MI PAUL CROWLEY WARREN, MI KYLE D GERSPACHER CLARKSVILLE, OH RICHARD MACCLEERY BIRMINGHAM, MI M D RICHARDSON GROSSE ILE, MI THOMAS G IOERGER BOULDER CITY, NV MICHAEL R RICHARDSON N LAS VEGAS, NV GAETANO T VACCARO PLANTSVILLE, CT LOUIS O JOYNER RICHMOND, VA CHRIS M MATSUNO SAINT LOUIS, MO JOHN M CLAPP SAYRE, PA 736

6 6 NatsNews 2015 It landed over there, near that gator! Winn Moore sloshes through the swamp. DeLoach photo.