Futaba® Team Futaba Pilots

Grady Adams
When Grady Adams stopped by a hay field to watch local R/Cers fly, he had no idea that he'd just discovered the hobby of a lifetime. Two weeks later he was doing take-offs and landings. After two years in the hobby, he owned 8 Futaba radios as well as a fleet of 21 airplanes. His boundless enthusiasm spilled over into other areas of R/C, including co-founding a flying club, discovering helis (and getting pointers from David Harkey), attending the '98 Toledo Weak Signals show and always, always, finding time to meet another friend and attend just one more event. Though he can't fly as often as he'd like, Grady's passion for R/C, and gratitude for the good times shared, is undiminished. "I just can't thank the R/C world and the friends I've made enough for all the thrills they have brought me."

Jim Allen
A self-described "aviation nut", Jim has been a team member since '96, an R/Cer for 28 years and a private pilot since the summer after high school. His main competitive focus is pylon, but he also enjoys Q500, Quarter Midget, and FAI F3D pylon and does some 3D electric and other sport flying just "to keep the thumbs sharp." Now a manager of Aircraft Accident Aviation for Honeywell, Jim is a past Q500 NATS Champion ('96) as well as the designer and pilot of the first turbine-powered R/C model in the United States ('88).

Ron Barr
How do English R/Cers stack up? Ask Ron: he and his family spent 4 years in London, but now call Kingwood, Texas, home. An R/Cer for two decades, Ron enjoys FAI-class Pattern, IMAC, Scale and 3D electric "foamies" and has designed three 3D aircraft in the past year. A team member for 10 years and an NSRCA member for "as long as I can remember", Ron has the unique distinction of having served as the contest director for the largest pattern contest in Texas history.

John Benario
John credits his introduction to R/C helis in '77 with starting him on the way to becoming an aeronautical and nuclear engineer, as well as a licensed pilot of full-size helis and airplanes. He's been a model builder since age 5 and both the heli columnist for R/C Modeler and a Futaba team member since '91. Other notable achievements include setting an (unofficial) model helicopter speed record of 109 mph in 1998.

Todd Bennett
Todd Bennett has over 30 years of R/C experience, but refers to himself as a “professional R/C helicopter pilot.” That’s literally true, because Todd’s profession — and passion (helis) — are one and the same. And that requires him to wear several hats. First hat: he’s the president, CEO and owner of Synergy Helicopters, Inc., manufacturers of the N9. When he’s not making business decisions at Synergy, he’s wearing his second hat: that of owner and chief instructor of the Freestyle 3D R/C Helicopter Flying School in Moorpark, CA. And in his spare (?) time, Todd wears his third hat: industry consultant to Futaba, YS engines and Morgan fuels.

Will Berninger
You'd think that anyone who is a: 1) licensed pilot and owner/operator of a flight school; 2) licensed aircraft mechanic and owner/operator of a repair facility, and 3) manager for a small G.A. airport wouldn't have time for R/C. However, Will and his wife Marian are not only frequent sights at flying events, but frequent volunteers when contest directors and fellow fliers need help. Will, an avid scale aerobatics competitor, has placed second for three years running in IMAC's North Central region and recently placed third in unlimited class at the Tuscon Shootout.

Jeff Blaylock
Despite being a relative newcomer to R/C (a pilot since '97, a competitor since '99), Jeff Blaylock is clearly an enthusiastic one. In addition to being '02's IMAC Southwest Region Unlimited Champion and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Aerobatics (RMA), he's also an AMA contest director and an assistant director for IMAC events in the Southwest. Currently a general contractor in his family's business, Jeff has also earned a commercial instrument rating to prepare him for a career in aviation.

Todd Blose
Todd Blose learned to fly with the help of his Dad (Max Blose) in 1975 at the age of 12. Todd flew in his first NATS in 1978 in Lake Charles, LA. at the age of 15. Throughout the 80's Todd has traveled as far as Virgina Beach and Washington State from Texas to compete yearly in the NATS. Since 1990 Todd has missed only one Nationals and two USA Team selection meets .Todd was invited to fly in the 1996 Don Lowe Masters. In 1997?Todd was invited and flew in the Tourniment Of Champions in Las Vegas. Todd also competes in IMAC on the local level in Unlimited and does Demos all over the state of Texas. In 2005 Todd placed 5th at the US Nat's in FAI and was Dictrict 6 NSRCA FAI Champion 2005 and 2007. In 2005 Todd placed 5th at the US Nat's in FAI and was Dictrict 6 NSRCA FAI Champion 2005 and 2007.

Terry Boston
Though a job transfer to the Memphis area took up much of Terry Boston's time this summer, he hopes to back at the bench and field soon. Though he's been an R/C pilot since '78, Terry has been a pilot and model builder since the mid-50s. In addition to competing in IMAC events himself, Terry has also built aircraft that have competed in some of R/C's most prestigious events, including the TOC, Don Lowe Master's and the Extreme Flight Championship.

Matt Botos
I currently reside in Kennesaw, Georgia but I was born and raised in Grafton, Ohio where I initially started in the world of R/C. I have been involved in the R/C hobby for 19 years now, flying R/C helicopters for the last six of those years. For the last seven years I have been employed as an IT Manager at the EarthLink World Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. I am thankful to all of my sponsors for supporting me throughout the years as well my friends and family for understanding my passion for this amazing sport.

John Burdin
When you grow up with a free flight champ and Navy pilot for your dad, it's only natural to grow up loving flight. But despite being introduced to model airplanes at 6 and R/C at 12, it wasn't until the late '80s that John got back to R/C. In addition to renewing his passion for pattern (and competition), he also branched out into IMAC planes before settling on ducted fan jets as his main interest. John attends every jet event he can, including (and serving as co-contest director of) the International Jet Rally in Lake Wales, Florida, each November.

Evan Chapkis
Though he first learned to fly in '77, it wasn't until '90 that Evan took a drive past a flying field and turned back to R/C. Despite the time, soloing was no problem. "It was like riding a bike, you never forget." He started pylon racing in '91 and switched to pattern in '93, the same year he met a teenaged Jason Shulman. By '96, he was the Florida Pattern Association's Masters Point Champion and exploring IMAC events. In '01, he placed 9th in the IMAC Nats and met Rolando Perez, who turned him into a hard-core heli fan.

Mike Clemmens
Pilots have been flying model airplanes for decades, a unit of time ideal for marking important events in Mike Clemmens' life, too. He started building and flying C/L in 1965 at the age of 5, received his first R/C plane in 1974 and has been building and flying giant-scale models since the mid-80s. He's been an IMAC judge and competitor since 1997 and is now, in 2004, the Scale Aerobatics Chairman for Canada, the owner and operator of MSC Props and a valued member of Team Futaba.

Peter Collinson
A native of Pinehurst, NC, Pete has been an R/C pilot since age 9 and a competitor in precision aerobatics since age 11. Since ’97, he’s won over 40 competitions (including consecutive National Championships in ’98, ’99 and ’00) and tried out for the F3A-FAI World Team in ’07. Peter is obviously a man who’s going places in R/C, but he’s going places in other ways as well. That’s because Peter has been flying full-size planes since he was 14, and soloed at 16 in a Porsche Mooney. Now 22, he lives in Wrightsville Beach, NC, and flies commercially for Northwest Airlink, transporting passengers ‘round the country in a 50-seat Canadair regional jet.

Brian Copfer
Brian is an R/C lifer. His parents (both former team members of American R/C Helicopters in the 1970's) taught him to fly helis in his pre-teens and he turned to fixed-wing aircraft at 14. He currently competes in IMAC ( 2003 & 2005 IMAC Southwest Unlimited Champion) as well as flies aerobatic demonstrations throughout the Utah, Idaho and Colorado. He along with fellow Team Futaba pilot Jeff Blaylock, share responsibilities in running and administrating Rocky Mountain Aerobatics (contest coordinators). When he's not flying, Brian works as a game developer for Electronic Arts (EA) in Bountiful, Utah.

Kevin Cordell
Kevin Cordell’s introduction to R/C probably sounds familiar to a lot of pilots. After a few visits to the local field, he bought a plane. Then, a year or so later, his wife mentioned that helis looked pretty cool, too. However, when she found out what helis cost, she decided planes were just fine…but it was already too late. Kevin was hooked. Over the years, he’s made steady progress up through the ranks of AMA contest flying, and now competes — and judges — at local F3C events. (“The guys that I used to fly with don't give me near as much trouble as they did when I flew,” notes Kevin.) Kevin was also the CD for the 2001 F3C Worlds and makes it a point to make the Toledo show and IRCHA World Helicopter Jamboree each year.

Ralph Dalusio
Started flying Heli's in 1971, flew competition for many years doing well at the local & regional contests. I took 1st place in the first FAI East Coast Championships in 1982. I was the alternate on the first United States World Championships team in Canada in 1985. I won the New England State Championships several times. Also won the New York State Championships several times. My biggest accomplishment has been having the pleasure of teaching many new pilots to learn to fly. I had been teaching at the RC Flight training Center for 11 years. Have taught many students from all over the world. I get to meet many of these students during the year as I attend many events.

Steve Dionne
A resident of Rimouski, Quebec, Steve has been an R/Cer since ’90 and IMAC’s biggest supporter in Quebec since ’98. With Steve’s help, participation in IMAC events has grown from 8 pilots competing in one class (Basic) to 60 pilots and four events each year. In addition to taking responsibility for contest schedules, Steve also serves as the link between local modelers and larger IMAC and Scale Aerobatic organizations. In addition to competing in local contests, Steve’s passion for IMAC has taken him to IMAC events in Ontario, the Canadian Scale Aerobatic Nations (twice!) and the JR Challenge in Florida, as well as to Muncie, IN for the AMA Scale Aerobatic Nationals.

Tim Diperi
Tim got into R/C at the start of the '70s and by the end, was already a confirmed heli enthusiast. He's also a confirmed competitor: he's attended most Nats since '83, and focused on F3C/FAI events exclusively since '89. In addition to performing at demos and education events (often with his daughter and two sons along), Tim also writes freelance for several magazines. Outside of R/C, Tim is also a business owner, an electrical engineer and licensed commercial pilot who, in his "spare" time, serves as co-leader of his sons' Boy Scout Troop.

B.E. “Rusty” Dose III
If you see an RV with plates that read, “PLNCRZY”, it’s a sure sign that you’ve found Rusty Dose and family. Home base is Port Washington, WI, where Rusty lives with his wife Alice, and their two “plane crazy” sons Chip (4) and Tom (2). Rusty’s day job is investment counseling, but it’s clear that he lives for R/C in general and F3A competition specifically. In addition to being a past treasurer of the National Society for Radio-Controlled Aerobatics, Rusty has most recently served as the fund-raising coordinator for the USA’s ’07 F3A Team. However he’s also a contributor to Fly RCmagazine and the R/C Universe web site, and has developed a series of high-level clinics/training sessions for precision aerobatic pilots.

Tom Erb
Though Tom loves to compete in AMA heli events, he's the first to admit that the most rewarding part of the hobby for him is teaching others to fly. A 28-year R/C vet, Tom devotes almost half his R/C time to others, and the remainder to his own varied interests. In addition to flying planes of all sizes and a growing interest in electrics, Tom is a long-time heli pilot with more than a dozen years of AMA competitions under his belt.

John Erickson
John is League of Silent Flight Level V #122, achieving the goal in August of '06. He has been a soaring pilot for over 12 years, primarily flying thermal duration and hand launch. At the International Hand Launch Glider Festival he has 5 top ten finishes. He has authored an article for Model Aviation and is current president of the Santa Clarita Soaring Association. His occupation is registered architect specializing in residential design.

"I'm really enjoying the Futaba 2.4 ghz FASST system in my hand launch gliders. Futaba has always been at the leading edge of development and I'm proud to be a team member"..

John Estlow Jr.
Many R/Cers have served as judges at contests. However, there's only one who is also a Magistrate of Virginia's Supreme Court and the recipient of the '01 Joe Nall award, and that's John Estlow Jr. An avid modeler for over a half-century, John is also the founder of the "Meeting of the Giants" IMAA Fly-in in Danville, VA, a member of the Danville Aeromodelers, the Gretna Aeromodelers and the Confederate AirFarce, and a winner of the Model Airplane News' "Cover Like A Champion" contest (for his 1000+ piece MonoKote^® trim scheme for the Weeks Solution "X."

Jim Flannigan
One of the best ways to ensure that students will be active, involved and enthusiastic is to find a teacher who’s the same way. And that pretty well describes Jim Flannigan. “I like teaching new people about the hobby, helping them become successful pilots and showing them what the aircraft and equipment are capable of doing.” Jim also enjoys flying giant-scale aerobats and performing 3D demo flights throughout the central region of the United States.
An active R/Cer for over 25 years, Jim in a Division Manager for a national auto parts chain.

Kim Foster
With over 40 years of R/C experience, Kim’s not only been everywhere (man), but done most everything, as well. At Top Gun, for instance, he’s won every place in the top 10 except 7th and 1st (in overall) and placed first in biplanes, aerobatics and team once each, and four times in high static scale. In addition, he’s also been to the Scale Masters (four times, with a 2nd and Best Biplane to his credit), the NATS (“too many times to keep track of…”), four World Championships and 4-5 jet events per year. If you’ve seen Kim in ’07, you’ve probably also seen his most recent scale masterpiece: a Frankel T-34. While he’s focuses on scale and jets (he currently flies a King Cat), Kim also likes to branch out occasionally. He “dabbles” in helicopters, foamies, sport and pattern and competes in Advanced C/L stunt, too. Plans for the future? “Maybe another run at the World Championships, and more than likely a run at the World Jet Masters, too.”

Ryan Gonsoulin
For Ryan Gonsoulin, 31, of New Iberia, LA, the world is a very busy place. In addition to being owner of a mechanical engineering firm, he's also the President (and Safety Officer and Board Member) of the local "Cajun R/C" club, a regular IMAC competitor, an accomplished designer and builder (See Ryan's Rebel, R/C Modeler, December 2002) and the lucky husband of a very supportive wife, Jenny.

Mike Goza
Preparations for '05's F3C championships in Zamora, Spain are well underway and Mike is eager to manage the team and help bring home the gold for Team USA. An R/C pilot for three decades and a heli pilot for over two, Mike is a sponsored pilot, Team Futaba member and a contributing editor for Model Helicopter Technique magazine. He is also a multi-talented member of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where he contributes to on-going work in robotics, computer graphics and computer simulations.

Buddy Hale
Just 23, Buddy is currently a Master of Science Degree candidate in Computer Science. He’s also a 10-year veteran of R/C and the proud recipient of the Bob Smith Award at the ’04 Joe Nall Fly-in. “For my dad and me, flying is more than a hobby; it’s a passion and truly a team effort.” While he enjoys all facets of R/C, Buddy has focused largely on giant-scale precision aerobatics and going to as many fly-ins as possible. His goals for 2007 were to begin competing in IMAC and aerobatic contests and to explore the flight possibilities of warbirds and turbines.

Don Hamilton
For these Team Futaba Members, R/C is definitely a family affair. Don was introduced to R/C by a patient and passed his love of the hobby onto his sons Stephen and Jordan. Most weekend afternoons (and sometimes mornings), they pack up their gear and head out for as much R/C as they can squeeze in. If they're not competing, they're sharing the fun of R/C with others as Team Futaba ambassadors. What kind of fun doesn't matter at all. Say the Flying Hamiltons: "If it's R/C, count us in!"

David Harkey
With twin daughters and five grandkids to visit, you'd think David Harkey would be too busy for R/C. You'd be wrong. A modeler since '89, he turned to helis in '91 and, just five years later, became the USA Class II National Champion. In '97, he took on twin responsibilites, serving as the Vice President and President of IRCHA between '97 and '00, and as Assistant Event Director at every AMA Heli Nationals since 1997. He has also been an FAI/F3C competitor since 2000 and served as USA F3C Team Manager in '99. Plus, David served as USA Judge for the 2005 F3C World Championships in Zamora Spain and XFC helicopter judge from 2005 to 2008.

Mike Harrison
An avid second-generation modeler, Mike got his start in C/L at age 11, his first taste of C/L stunt flying and competition as a teen and picked up pattern in 1978 after dental school. Mike has flown in all team trials since starting FAI in 1985, and in recent years, has racked up several Top Ten or Final performances at the Nats. In addition to designing and flying his own aircraft, Mike has also seen several kitted, including the Obsession, Odyssey, Rhapsody, Ares and (most recently) the Symphony.

Bryan Hebert
Bryan has been designing, building and flying models for “…as long as I can remember…” and admits to being something of a perfectionist. It’s a quality he brings to everything, including his model designs. His past models have won at all levels of competition world-wide, and his most recent airplane, the Shinden, is currently being kitted in both composites and laser-cut balsa. As a pilot, Bryan enjoys precision aerobatics and has placed in the Top 10 several times at the American NATS. He’s also won numerous trophies for building as well as flying, and that makes him a natural (and willing) source of information for anyone who asks.

Jeff Heitman
A modeler for 28 of his 36 years, Jeff currently has both a 46% Ultimate Biplane and a Carden Edge 540 in his personal hangar, and hopes to add a pattern ship to the fleet in the near future. When he's not flying R/C, Jeff doubles as a flight instructor and dedicated examiner for the Citation Excel at FlightSafety International. A holder of both airline transport and CFII ratings, he looks forward to IMAC giant-scale events and meeting new pilots at every one.

Cliff Hiatt
For Cliff Hiatt, life has been a series of firsts. Born in Chitose, Japan, he got his first taste of control-line in '64 and of R/C in '70 (for which he scratch-built his first R/C system, an RCM Classic). He entered his first fixed-wing aerobatics competition in '74, the same year he won his first Senior Nats title (Class A Pattern) and entered his first heli competition in '82. He placed first in AMA Expert and F3C classes in '84, won a place on the first U.S. F3C team ('85) and won his first World's F3C championship in '95, in Kasaoka, Japan. A long-time sponsored pilot for Futaba, he is also the "first" chairperson of the AMA R/C Helicopter Contest Board.

Kurt Koelling
Kurt has been flying R/C for the past 9 years and is an extremely active competitor in IMAC with over 80 competition wins. He is a 7-time IMAC National Championship finalist (2001-2007) including the 2007 IMAC Unlimited National Champion (and Bill Bennett cup winner), 2001 IMAC Sportsman National Champion, and 2007 Canadian IMAC Unlimited National Champion. He is a 3-time Tucson Shootout Invitational class competitor, 3-time Don Lowe Masters competitor, and XFC Extreme Flight Championships competitor. Kurt currently serves as a member of the AMA Scale Aerobatics Contest Board and IMAC National Sequence Committee.

Derek Koopowitz
Californian Derek Koopowitz notes that he’s been playing with planes since he was 7 years old “…in one way or another…” but does own up to moving over to gas-powered R/C cars back in ’74. He returned to R/C flying a decade later and in 1996, he began competing in pattern events. A long-time member of IMAA, IMAC and NSRCA (Pattern), he currently competes in FAI Class and supports flying and flying events in several capacities. He is the ’07-‘08 President (and a former Treasurer of) the NRSCA and the AMA District X R/C Aerobatics Contest Board Representative. In addition, he has also been the official scorekeeper at the TOC since 1998. When he’s not flying, leading or keeping score, Derek is the IT Audit Manager for the California State Automobile Association.

Jason Krause
I am 31 years old and have been flying helis for 11 years. I currently work for Synergy Helicopters and Align Taiwan designing and testing. I have participated in many contests including: 2002 3D Masters (2nd Place), 2002 XFC (2nd Place), 2003 XFC (2nd Place), 2004 XFC (1st Place), 2005 Micro Heli Cup (1st Place), 2005 Align 3D contest Taiwan (1st Place), 2006 HTC cup Taiwan (7th Place), and 2006 XFC (3rd Place).

Dan Landis
Dan Landis has been flying R/C and full-size airplanes for over 15 years, but he’s actually the third generation of R/Cers in his family. Both Dan’s father and grandfather have been R/C pilots for more than 40 years. Dan says that his father was an extremely strong influence on his flying career, crediting his father’s dedication for creating the opportunities he needed to polish his pattern skills and become a certified flight instructor. After competition, Dan says that his favorite part of flying is sharing his knowledge and passion for R/C with others.

Eric Larson
At 29, Eric Larson is more than your regular husband and father. He's also a commercial airline pilot, a licensed aircraft mechanic and enthusiastic R/C heli fan. After learning to fly R/C airplanes at age 12, Eric turned to helis four years later and currently provides flying demonstrations and help to other modelers at about 18 heli events each year. Though his main interest is in helis, Eric notes that "I do fly airplanes when I get the time."

Lyle Larson
Lyle began flying R/C so long ago (’74), that his first radio was square brown box Futaba. “They advertised it with a picture of a servo underwater, with a goldfish swimming by.” The goldfish and brown box Futaba system are long gone, but 33 years later, Lyle is still flying Futaba and still competing with the best. “Most of my racing efforts in the last four years have been in FAI,” Lyle says, “and I compete in Europe about 4 to 5 times a year.“ In addition to being the manager for the USA’s World Team in ’07, he’s also been a pilot on four teams himself. Team finishes included two firsts and two seconds. As an individual, Lyle can look back on fourth and eighth as a pilot and two second-place finishes as a caller. Not content to leave competition at the field, Lyle manufactures racing planes under the California Speed Pros name.

Kenny Lauter
Born in San Bernadino and now a student at Cal Poly in Pomona, 22-year-old Kenny Lauter is easy to describe as the original jack of all trades. A master scuba diver, Kenny is also a sushi chef, professional builder and carpenter, flight instructor and long-time R/C competitor. In 2003, Kenny earned honors for his 5th place finish in the IMAC Nats Unlimited Class, for being an F3A team trials finalist and for the first of back-to-back first-place finishes in the S.W. Regional IMAC Championships.

Ty Lyman
A lifelong aviation buff, Ty got his introduction to RC in 1997. Two years later, after a visit to the Don Lowe Masters, he was hooked on scale aerobatics. Ty flew his first IMAC contest in 2000, winning the basic class, and has been competing ever since. Now a fixture in Unlimited on the Southeast IMAC circuit, Ty is also a member of the IMAC International Sequence Committee, the IMAC Assistant Regional director for Virginia, and a IMAC Judging Instructor. Though scale aerobatics is his primary interest, Ty also follows the pattern scene closely and has aspirations at giving it a whirl someday. Ty and his wife Gaynell have two wonderful children, Josh and Samantha, who stay home and keep dad on his toes everyday.

Jim Martin
“I enjoy all types of flying,” says Jim, “whether it’s free flight, control-line, R/C or full-scale. In fact, my interest in model aviation helped start my career in full- scale aviation.” Jim, a pilot, mechanic and a Maintenance Safety Inspector for the FAA, took up R/C in the late ‘60s. He competed in scale and pattern events during the late ‘70s, but his interests have broadened considerably since then. Current activities include serving as an Associate VP for AMA District III and as a judge at NATS, Scale Masters & Top Gun events in R/C Scale. He’s also training to be an FAI rep for the USA in R/C scale and performs with the Buckeye Aero Squadron, an AMA show team in Dayton, OH. And in his spare time? Jim gives a typical Team response: “I enjoy helping others build and fly.”

Don McClellan
I started as a young kid flying with my Dad, and still fly with him. Now we've added my son who at 12, soloed in RC last year. Started competitive flying in the late '70's with Pattern, then late in the '90's got into Scale Aerobatics. Now I'm flying in the Unlimited class of IMAC and also compete in Team Scale with my Dad's Mosquito and my friend's Boomerang, with which we competed at TopGun 2006 and 2007. I travel to many contests in Ontario, Michigan and Ohio and have met many great flying friends along the way. Have recently entered the world of RC helicopter flying and am really enjoying that challenge - something completely new (two nitro copters and one electric). I fly using the 14MZ and enjoy showing all its capabilities to fellow competitors at all the events. It's way too easy to sell. For many years, I've run the CAN-AM IMAC contest in the NC region, held late in the season each year. Occupation is classic car restorer, mostly European classics.

Laddy McMurry
If health problems hadn't forced Laddy McMurry into retirement, he might still be building Cosworth, Chevy Ilmor and Mercedes Indy car engines for CART and IRL racing. Instead, he discovered helis 14 years ago and reports that "I'm still learning something new with every flight." A meeting with fellow heli (and race) fan Ted Schoonard led to a field rep's position for Miniature Aircraft. Similarly, a meeting with Steve Helms at IRCHA (and good words from Ted and Cliff Hiatt) resulted in a rep's position at Futaba and YS. "I'm very grateful for all who have helped me along the way," says Laddy, and he shows it by building helis for friends and helping newbies wherever he finds them.

Gordie Meade
2004 was a busy year for mathematics professor Gordie Meade. In addition to flying about 3 days/week in season (plus weekends in his off time), he was active in his local club, attended and/or competed in 9 events, served as contest director for a tenth, contributed to the written U.S. proposal for new 2006 and 2008 F3C rules and test flew new patterns for comment. At present, 2005 plans include the possibility of making revisions to the AMA rules he originally wrote for Class 1, II and III helis, and definitely include getting married in June!

Ben Minor
Though he lists his primary interest as FAI-F3C heli competition, Ben admits to taking special pleasure in assisting newcomers and providing support for Futaba Technical Assistance. An R/Cer for 23 years and heli pilot for 18 of them, he's held two national titles in Class II and III heli events and enjoyed multiple first-place finishes in the same classes at regional events. A multi-term president of his local club, Ben adds that by day ("when I'm not building or practicing, that is), he's a small animal veterinarian.

Garrett Morrison
My name is Garrett Morrison and I live in Lodi CA. I'm training to be and EMT Fire Fighter and just love every aspect of the Fire Service. I'm 23 years old and have been flying for 9 years. Eight of my nine years of flying have been with Futaba and I really enjoy using Futaba products. My interest in this great hobby is mostly Giant Scale aerobatic, but I also venture out and do a little of everything. I have been to many different spots around the world flying RC demo's and competitions. My two favorite elements that I enjoy the most is IMAC unlimited competition and Freestyle. Well I'm very happy to be here on Team Futaba and if you ever see me out at the field come by and say hello. I'm always willing to help with any problems even if its a different brand so don't be shy!

Nob Muraki
Nob has very fond memories of '95's F3C World Championships in Japan. As team manager, he was on hand as U.S. Pilots flew to unexpected dominance, and the one who had to find a third U.S. flag for the podium during the award ceremony. A talented heli pilot in his own right, he started in R/C helis in '87 and followed a second in novice class at the '88 Nats with a first in intermediate class just two years later. A team member since '91, Nob enjoys R/C, FAI and the people he meets at events.

Phil Noel
For lucky Phil Noel, his work and his hobby are one and the same: R/C helis. He switched to helis in '85, after 12 years in fixed-wing craft, Similarly, he began his own R/C heli business in '96, after a quarter century in both sides of the audio business. He's also been the manager of the Canadian FAI/F3C team and a FAI/F3C World Championship judge (two times for each), as well as the treasurer and chair for the committee that organized the Canadian Nats. A 9ZH convert, Phil enjoys meeting new people at traveling events, and bringing fresh ideas, new products and hands-on help to local flyers.

Chad Northeast
Unlike fellow Canadian Phil Noel, Chad is an 8-year veteran of F3A events, a 3-time pick for the Canadian F3A team and a 2-time pattern winner at the Canadian Nats. And while his job has taken him to the Middle East and South America, his skills as a pilot took him to the semi-finals at the '01 World Championships in Ireland. When he's not flying FAI pattern, Chad designs, builds and flies indoor electric models. A 5-year Team Futaba member, Chad is a mechanical engineer who is married to a mechanical engineer. Both work in Canada's oil and gas industry.

Brian O'Meara
I entered my first model airplane contest when I was five years old, in 1953. Like many young boys in the 50's, I built and flew many U-Control planes. I built my first RC plane in 1967, forty years ago. My first radio was an Orbit. My next radio was a Kraft and had them build me a Kraft Signature Series in 1978. At that time I was flying pattern.

I built my first scale war bird in 1976, a .60 size, Royal kit of a KI-61 Tony. I flew this plane in both scale meets and pattern meets.

In 1980, I had qualified and flew in the first US Scale Masters in Los Angeles, CA. Along with my long standing attendance record, I have won the championship twice as a pilot. The first time was four years ago in Kansas City with a KI-61 Tony at the 2004 Championship, I also earned both the top single flight score and the top overall flight score. With the same plane at Top Gun 2004, I earned the top flight round.

For the last 2 years, I have been flying a 101 inch Seafury. We earned fourth place last year at Top Gun along with "Runner Up Critics Choice" and "Most realistic Flight" award. I flew the plane all over the country over the last year and everywhere I have flown it, the plane has won many awards. In Phoenix 1/8th Air Force fly in, it won "People's Choice", Pilots Choice" and "Most realistic flight."

In October 2006, I won the US Scale Masters for a second time with the big Seafury. No one in the country has attended more US Scale Masters than my self.

I am the event manager for Warbirds over the Rockies, and my planes have been featured on the cover of national R/C magazines 6 times over the years.

Tanner Pacini
While many thirteen-year-olds enjoy skateboarding, baseball and fishing, few have set speed records in R/C pylon events. Tanner Pacini has. In January, 2004, Team Futaba's Gary Schmidt loaned Tanner an airframe, which he promptly used to break the Winterfest Q-500 Junior record not once, but twice. In April, Tanner broke the Q-40 Junior Record at Sepulveda Basin in California. His future goals include competing in the '05 Nats, making the F3D team in '06, and someday, becoming a fighter pilot.

Mark Parker
For team member Mark Parker, consistency is king. Married almost a quarter century, Mark went to work for the FAA in 1984, the same year he became the co-owner of a Cherokee 140. He's also attended every AMA Nats (save one) since he began pylon racing in 1990 and achieved a 2nd Place in Q500 in 2005 and a National Championship in Quarter 40 in 2006. While he's always enjoyed the outdoors (hunting, fishing, golfing and slow-pitch softball), Mark now has two indoor interests as well: making his own brushless motors and indoor 3D flight.

Shailesh Patel
Shailesh has been flying R/C since 1976 and been using Futaba radio systems from the very beginning. He has competed in many scale competitions including the AMA National, U.S. Scale Masters, and Top Gun which has allowed him to amass many top finishes. Lately he has been building jets that are very scale and on the cutting edge of the hobby.

Wally Pitts
Prior to discovering R/C, Wally was active in full-scale aerobatics, warbirds, IAC and airshow flying. He notes R/C is not only easier on the body, but that his wife is much happier that the only thing flying upside down is his model! Since flying in his first IMAC contest in '00, Wally has taken on a number of leadership roles in the organization, including his current role of IMAC president. In addition to being a husband, father and IMAC competitor/president, Wally is also a flight examiner and an international captain who flies Boeing 757s and 767s worldwide for American Airlines.

Greg Poppel
Like many Team Futaba members, Greg is a multi-talented fan of, and contributor to, the world of R/C. In addition to being a co-announcer for the XFC, Scale Masters and IRCHA, Greg is also a builder and writer for numerous articles in R/C Universe and Fly R/C magazines. A veteran pilot with over 30 years of experience, he goes for the extremes, dividing his time among IMAC events, giant-scale fly-ins and indoor electric flying.

Raiko “R/C Kid” Potter
At 19, Raiko Potter was just getting introduced to the fun of R/C and flying. Today, at 39, he’s a single father of two daughters and the owner of “Extreme R/C Qustoms” — a business dedicated to expanding the outer limits of airplane appearance. “I am an extremist builder,” states Raiko, “along the lines of popular TV shows like Pimp My Ride and West Coast Choppers. I get to express the radical side of kit bashing and modification in building for myself and other nationally known pilots.” “…Extreme R/C is my way of bringing together other extreme builders, so we can express our artistry through the models that we fly.” In addition to flying pattern, IMAC and helis this year, Raiko also served as the assistant manager for Team USA during the ’07 Worlds.

Kevin Reinhart
Even though Ontario resident Kevin Reinhart has been interested in R/C for many years, he’s been flying for only the last four. The reason: other commitments. One of those commitments was skeet shooting. He competed world-wide for years, and represented Canada as a member of its National Skeet Shooting Team. He currently competes in Advanced Class in IMAC events, and is the first to admit that his twin passions — learning and competition — are the forces that drive him. Kevin sums it all up this way: “This is a terrific hobby for meeting great people and learning from them.”

Pete Rosas
“As a kid in the ‘70s, I flew control line with friends at our local park. We didn’t have much of a budget back then, but we did have fun. And that’s always been what R/C is all about for me: having fun! I feel we all fly for the same reasons: our love of R/C aviation and all that goes with it.” states Pete. Meeting people is a part of it. “My home is in Council Bluffs, Iowa, but you can find me at flying events from South Dakota to Tennessee, Colorado to Ohio and everywhere in-between. And in the course of traveling those miles, I have made some life-long friends.”

Another part is R/C’s ability to let the modeler get away from everyday problems…a gift he regards as priceless. “As I’ve told friends, ‘When that plane leaves the ground, they could be foreclosing on my house for all I care. I am there, in the moment, and totally focused on flying.’ “And,” he asks with a grin, “how often do you get the chance to do that legally?”

“If you see me at an event, introduce yourself,” Pete adds, “I love to talk to people who love R/C aviation as much as I do. See you at the flying field!”

Scott "Rusty" Russell
Though he's been flying (and flying Futaba!) for 24 years, Scott reports that he's recently developed a taste for competition. "There is nothing like that first major competition," says Scott. "You swear you can't do it, but when it's all over, you feel this great sense of accomplishment." Now, after competing in the '02 XFC and '03 and '04 Top Gun and Scale Masters, Scott believes that win or lose, competition attendance is worth the time "just in the new friends you make."

Manuel Santos
Behind every successful man there’s a woman, and Manuel truly appreciates the support he gets from his wife Elisa. However, Manuel’s interest in R/C dates back to before his marriage, to age seven. Now thirty-eight, Manuel lives in Mexico City and works as a professional photographer for a living. He’s also an active…and successful…competitor. He began flying 3D in ’02. Since then, he’s placed first in Mexico’s IMAC National Free Style event and racked up five consecutive first place finishes in Mexico’s National Fun Fly Tournaments. He’s also placed in the top 15 at the ’04 and ’05 Extreme Flight Championships, and in 2006, competed at the ETOC in Toledo.

A.J. Seaholm
Though born and raised in Billings, Montana, A.J., wife Michele and daughter Taryn now call Lee’s Summit, Missouri their home. A.J. was introduced to R/C at age seven by his dad, soloed at eight and was winning in Novice class pattern contests at age nine. He and his father also pursued pylon racing until baseball and education took priority. Even so, he still found time to set Junior and Senior national records in Formula One — achievements which he attributes in large part to help from fellow team member Lyle Larson. In college, he played D1 baseball and graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. A job with Honeywell Aerospace in Kansas City, Missouri, gave him the means to go back to his roots in R/C. He and wife Michele teamed up to win two R/C Combat national titles before A.J. returned to his true passion (pylon racing) in 2004. In 2006, A.J. enjoyed the double distinction of placing third in Q40 at both the AMA Nationals and Phoenix QM 40 Classic.

Dwight Shilling
Unlike many other pilots, Dwight didn't switch to helis; he started with them. That was in 1983. After flying for 7 years, Dwight switched from sport flying to Futaba radios, Kyosho helis and competitive flying "and the rest, as they say, is history. Since then, Dwight has won places on four U.S. teams and competed in 14 national events. Favorite memories include placing fifth in his first Worlds event and being a member of the '95 U.S. Team.

Carey Shurley
Carey Shurley knows the value of support, in both modeling and in his job of managing a worldwide computer network. “When I was getting started, I didn’t know what to buy or how to do some things and had a really hard time finding the right information.” Carey notes that the internet makes getting started easier, but also that “…nothing can replace a live person…” for conversation or hands-on help. Says Carey, “It really gives me a good feeling inside to help somebody who wants it. “

Jim Stark
Since age 10, Jim has been involved in all forms of RC, but has spent the past 15 yrs primarily flying helicopter, honing his freestyle flying skills. In addition to pushing his own limits of flying, he also enjoys working with young and new pilots. In 2003 Jim was given the opportunity to compete in the XFC, placing 5th in 2003 and 2004. Jim is also contantly working with manufacturers in new product testing and development. Since 2006, Jim has also designed and produced his own line of performance parts through Hyperformance RC, located in the Chicago, IL. Experiencing modeling from the sport, competition and business sides has given Jim a very unique perspective. Jim has a true passion for all types of modeling and considers himself very fortunate to have started at a young age.

Chris Stephenson
While Chris does fly nitro and airplanes, he freely admits that electric flight and helis are his main passion. That's pretty much to be expected. Chris is an electrical engineer and former Minnesotan who spent five years developing the Ion-X heli for Miniature Aircraft. He moved to Florida this year to continue with the company and doing the work he loves. "I think e-flight is an emerging facet of our hobby," says Chris. "I love to help modelers learn more about it and enjoy passing on what I have learned. For me, R/C has become more than a hobby; it is truly what I do."

Tony Stillman
AMA Hall-of-Famer Tony Stillman was introduced to C/L by a friend, to R/C by a local R/C club's contest and to competition by a young electronics whiz named Steve Helms. A familiar face at every Nats since '90, Tony is perhaps best known for his many achievements and history of service to the AMA and R/C. Currently a member of the AMA Frequency Committee and a regular contributor to R/C Report, Tony is also a tireless Contest Director and former, 4-time US F3A Team Manager.

Rob Stump
A proud Team Futaba member since 1996, 39-year-old Rob is an active duty aircrew member of the United States Air Force and resides with his wife and four children in Washington DC. Rob has always had a passion for flight which began after seeing the Blue Angels at an air show when he was a child. He was always building model airplanes after that and at the age of seven he began flying control line models. Later he started sport flying and eventually began flying precision aerobatics. After several years of competition flying and top three finishes he decided to take on a new interest and began flying helicopters. Although he still flies fixed-wing when he can find a runway he mostly enjoys flying his helicopters 3-D. “Flying, having fun, helping people get in the air and the camaraderie between friends are what this hobby is all about!”

Michael Swift
Though he's a 50 year-old precision sheet metal fabricator today, Michael Swift started his modeling career with plastic kits at about age eight. From there, he progressed to building with wood, which led first to fixed-wing aircraft in '75 and to his first heli "a Kavan Allouette" in '77. He began flying competitively during the early '80s and has been enjoying 3D aerobatics since the mid-'90s.

Doug Trent
At 40, Doug Trent is a former Marine pilot of the AV-8B Harrier and A-4 Skyhawk, current 767/757 pilot for UPS and a strong believer in giving "the new guy" a hand. A heli pilot since 1975, Doug is frequent instructor at the field and host each winter to a friendly, chili-fueled get-together for new pilots. "Less experienced and budget-conscious modelers desperately rely on our advice," says Doug. "I believe in Futaba products and the difference the Team can make in our hobby."

Mark Trent
Former west coaster Mark Trent grew up in a small town in central California, but is now a resident of St. Peters, Missouri. He moved to the Midwest just seven years ago, but has been an avid modeler for twenty-eight. Mark started out flying with a Futaba 4AL, and has worked his way up through FG7, 8UAF and 9CAP systems before switching to his current system, the 14MZ. He’s a current AMA turbine waiver holder whose primary interests include giant-scale 3D, electrics and (naturally) turbine jets. However, Mark also enjoys participating in R/C in a number of different ways, including production of 3D videos, running his own web site and flying as a member of the Bud Light aerobatics team.

Dezso Vaghy
The government in Kingston, Ontario, Canada knows pattern veteran Dezso Vaghy as a systems analyst, but in R/C, he enjoys the distinction of being the first Canadian to enter an electric plane in his country's F3A national competition. He's also a four-time F3A Canadian team member who has competed in Poland ('97) and the U.S. (Pensacola, '01), and will represent Canada in France in '05. His plane is a Focus 2 powered by a Hacker C50. His radio Futaba^®!

Aaron Valdes
As the Lead Aerospace Engineer for the Hunter UAV program, Aaron Valdes enjoys applying his knowledge of UAVs to model airplanes and vice versa. Even so, his first love is still flying R/C gliders. Other firsts: San Diego Season Championship ('93, '94), first Futaba Team sponsorship and SC2 season championship ('95); unlimited class LSF/AMA Nats championships ('95, '96); and first alternate slots on the US F3B team '98, '04). First choice for soaring? A 6.6-meter Nimbus 4.

Rusty Van Baren
Rusty admits that he’s been flying R/C for about four decades, and in that time, “I’ve tried almost ever aspect of R/C, from cars to boats to airplanes. I’ve always used my Futaba radio equipment, and always felt confident in its reliability.”

His first competitive events were in pattern, and it wasn’t long before he was competing in Masters and FAI Pattern classes at the national level. At about the same time, he tried his hand at airplane design. His efforts included a pattern plane called the Scepter and a Firebird. He attended his first Formula 1 race at the ’74 NATS in Lake Charles and has concentrated on racing ever since. He currently competes in Q-40 with the Miss Ashley II, an AMA 422-legal semi-scale replica of the full-size Miss Ashley II. He not only competes with it, he also designed it and markets it himself. Highlights of his four-decade history in R/C include being a member of the U.S.A’s FAI F3D pylon team and a NATS championship in overall Pylon.

Dan Venables
1977 is an important year in Dan Venables’ history. That was the year that he discovered R/C and became a Power Engineer and Millwright with the Black Velvet Distilling Company. A pattern competitor since ’80, Dan has placed in several Canadian national completions and won the Western Canadian Championship in FAI twice. He also served as team mechanic at the ’01 Worlds in Ireland competed for Canada at ‘03’s Worlds in Poland. Currently, Dan is serving on the M.A.A.C. precision aerobatics committee and as treasurer for the Windy West RC Club in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. In addition to pattern competition, his interests now include electric helis, too.

Tony Watkins
Tony is an American citizen, but was born in Madrid, Spain in 1966, where his father was stationed while serving in the U.S. Air Force. After graduation from high school, Tony followed suit and joined the Air Force, serving as an airborne crypto-logic linguist. He speaks three languages, including Farsi, which is spoken in Iran and Dari, which is spoken in Afghanistan. Though his fascination with R/C airplanes began at age seven, it wasn’t until six years ago that he finally gave it a try. “I first learned to fly with a FlightStar 40,” Tony remembers, “”I soloed with that plane after a few hours of instruction and knew I had the bug.”

He soon moved on to larger, aerobatic planes and competitive flying. Tony currently flies in Advanced IMAC and Intermediate Pattern. “I fly three to four times a week,” Tony says, adding “It’s a great time to be in the hobby!”

Glen Watson
Born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in 1957, Glen Watson learned about R/C from his dad who built a Challenger, Sr. Falcon and Sky lane 62. Years later (1994) Glen flew in his first contest in Novice class. Despite stiff competition, Glen won every round with his Telestar ARF powered by a Royal 46 and a Futaba Super Seven radio. It was then he became hooked on pattern and has been an active pattern modeler ever since. Glen's competed in 30+ regional contests and the AMA Nationals 5 times. His achievements include 1998 Advanced National Champion and two-time NSRCA VI Masters district champion.

Dean Wilson
Dean began flying model aircraft in 1986. Like most people, he started with trainers and sport planes. But now he's an accomplished pilot of high-performance aircraft, including helicopters — and for the past six years he's unleashed his skills in FAI-F3A R/C Aerobatics Pattern competition. During his first three years as a contest pilot, Dean won three consecutive R/C Aerobatics National titles in Classes 401, 402, and 403. When not outshining other pilots, he lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, and pursues a career as a Mechanical Engineer, MS. "I love all aspects of modeling, not just airplanes," Dean says. "The problem is, there's just not enough time to get to all of them."