THE NFFS PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: November 2009

I hope the initial response to our “Keep the Dream Alive” program is not indicative of what the next three month’s response will be. We must take advantage of Roy Hansen’s generous off to help free flight in general and the National Free Flight Society in particular. The amount of your donation will not be printed in future Digests, only your name. I sent mine yesterday. Please join me.

The main topic discussed at our August BoD Meeting was our dues structure. The costs of presenting our Digest has escalated greatly over the past few years. Sending the Digest across the pond is especially caustic. The dues amount was last changed in 2003. We have decided to adjust the dues for our non-US residents as well as US folks to help offset this increased cost of postage, printing, etc. One-year memberships for non-US residents will be 40 dollars for 1 year and 75 for 2 years. This will become effective December 1, 2009 and will be shown on the membership application in the September Digest. As of June 1, 2010, dues for US members will be 30 dollars for one year and 58 for two years. The current structure will remain in effect until Dec. 1, 2009 and June 1, 2010 respectively.

The NATS Planning Meeting was held at AMA HQ on Saturday, Sept. 26 th. I announced that our Contest Directors would be Carl Bakay, Indoor; and Charles Jones, Outdoor. Due to the availability of the site in Johnson City, the dates will be either the last of May or June 2-6, 2010. Carl will know the exact dates by January. He will get it published asap on our web site and in the Digest and be in touch with event schedules and contest information also.

The outdoor NATS will be staged during the week of August 2-6 in Muncie. The complete schedule of events will be posted in the next issue. We had a nice increase in contestants last year from 215 to 236. I think we can again make an increase by offering more FAC Scale events. Lee Campbell, Campbell Custom Kits, has offered to sponsor the FAC events in 2010. Events will be FAC: Dime Scale, Phantom flash, Embryo Endurance, OT Rubber, Power, Rubber, Peanut, No-Cal, Golden Age, WW I Mass Launch, and WW II Mass Launch.

It is time for the NFFS VP election for the East Section. Thus far the nominating committee has no names for a person to run as a candidate versus Vic Nippert. Vic has done a fine job and has agreed to run again. If you or someone else you know would like to be a VP, please contact me immediately so that we can put an election ballot in the September or October issue of the Digest.

Always Forward,

Never Backward

Phil Sullivan