How large will IMAA become? We have continued to welcome all who have an interest in large R/C aircraft and we continue to grow. The bulk of our new members will always be those who have been into R/C for a number of years and now have the interest and the funds to enjoy the larger aircraft. The relaxed, low stress, non-competitive type of flying also appears to fit well with this age group. The membership roster will always show both gains and losses each month yet we usually show a net gain each month. The sad part of this tale is that many of our losses are due to death by natural causes. I guess the ageing process will continue to both help us and control our size to some extent. While we are members let's enjoy it to the maximum.

First annual chapter RE-CHARTER - We are currently sending out and processing the Chapter rosters and checking the addresses of the contact person for each. I hope you have received yours and taken the time to make any additions and/or changes and returned it to the secretary. The up-dated roster of chapters will be presented in the next issue (Spring 97). I do not normally like to utilize this column to bore you with "what I did last summer" type information, but the following item may be of interest to some. I attended a local, by invitation only, model flying party this fall not far from home. It was intended over the years to be a gathering of old time modeling friends of the host club. The last few years it has also grown into an event that O.T. models with R/C assist have began to show up in increasing numbers. Last year the old timers would get into the air 8 and 10 at a time and play follow the leader and so on. Everyone, both those flying and watching, seemed to have a great time during these scrambles. The idea came about that next year let's see how many we can get into the air at once. A roster was started to maximize frequency use. The conditions were ideal on Saturday afternoon. The roster was reviewed and aircraft were fueled and lined up on the strip. At that point we turned on all radios to check for any radio problems and found none. At that time we began starting the engines and take offs at random as soon as you were ready. What a sight. Because all aircraft were around the same speed and flying in a large traffic pattern, no problems appeared during the record attempt. You did not have time to look around and enjoy it as much if you were one of the pilots as I was. Taking your eyes off your own aircraft and then trying to find it again could be fun when they all were similar. Only the pilot who was flying a 14 foot Quaker did not have that problem. One spectator standing behind the line said it all - "All I can think of is it looks like a flock of Sea Gulls down at the local landfill". The official count was TWENTY SIX aircraft at the same time!

The next meeting of the Board will be on February 8, 1997. Please communicate with your Directors and Assistant Directors your questions or concerns that may require action or discussion by the Board. We need your input into the operation of IMAA now and in the future. Election of officers will be held again in 1997 and please give some thought to getting involved in the leadership required to make IMAA bigger, better, and most of all more FUN. See you at the "Big is Better" events.