494:(AMA) is the world's largest sport aviation organization, representing a membership of more than 150,000 for the purpose of promotion, development, education, advancement, and safeguarding of modeling activities. AMA is the voice of its membership, providing liaison with the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Communications Commission and other government agencies. AMA also works with local governments, zoning boards, and parks departments to promote the interests of local chartered clubs. AMA seeks to introduce young men and women to the art and craft of aeromodeling. Through an active educational outreach program, AMA supports teachers and community-based organizations who wish to infuse topics in math, science, and technology with aviation activities. (www.modelaircraft.org or call 800-435-9262)
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was the creation of Frank
Geisler of Gloucester, Virginia. Frank is an avid RC pilot, USAF veteran and AMA contest director who volunteers his free time to help promote the sport/hobby of radio controlled flying. When Frank discussed this project with some of his friends, it was received with such
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This type of project had been attempted before. What sets this project apart from all the others ever attempted or completed was that the pilots hand delivered the plane from pilot to pilot; the plane was never shipped by mail to its next destination. In this way a "chain" was created of pilots
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All the equipment used for the WAA-08 was donated by the participating pilots. Fortunately, one of the pilots was Bill
Stevens, owner of Stevens AeroModels in Colorado Springs, CO. Bill donated a plane called the SQuiRT which stands for Simple, Quiet, Robust, Trainer. This tough little
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enthusiasm that the project was born of this energy. All that was needed was to find hundreds of RC pilots across the US in every state willing to fly the plane at their home field and then drive to the next pilot, thus forming a nationwide network of pilots who would fly across
America.
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It ended its journey at the home field in eastern
Virginia 5 years, 145 days, 21 hours and 50 minutes after it made its maiden flight. Over 340 RC pilots registered to take part in this history making project. 248 Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Chartered clubs hosted the adventure.
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that personally flew the model, then handed it off to the next pilot, all across the continental United States. In the end, the model airplane flew in all 48 states and covered a distance of over 30,000 miles.
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was easy to fly and could take the abuse that over 340 pilots would dish out. With Bill's help, Horizon Hobby agreed to donate their newest high-tech radio control system to go along with the plane.
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chartered clubs in search of volunteers willing to help the project come to fruition. In only 5 weeks from inception, 230 pilots had joined, representing all 48 continental United States.
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The routing of the plane is handled by Frank
Geisler, who e-mails the pilots when they are scheduled to meet the previous pilot of the plane and then fly it themselves.
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The goal of this event was to help promote model aviation. A sample of one of the videos that helped bring this event to the masses can be found at
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25:(RC), designated as a park flyer, in all 48 contiguous United States with hopes to make all 50, if Alaska and Hawaii could be reached. A
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115:. Use the link to reference WAA-08's outstanding museum display, Pilot's Log Book entries, and more info about the adventure.
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436:, the SQuiRT pays tribute in Columbia, SC. Flown by "Wings Across America 2008 (WAA-08)" pilot Jerry Branch on 3/12/2009.
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937:"Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Radio Control Plane & Helicopter News, Tech Tips, Reviews"
890:"3 generations fly RC plane in Richland event - Mid-Columbia News | Tri-City Herald : Mid-Columbia news"
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205 pages of notes taken recording my personal experiences and important events of the WAA-08 adventure
733:"oswegocountynewsnow.com | Powered by the local newsrooms of The Palladium-Times and Valley News"
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8,500' – Highest altitude flown by the SQuiRT by pilots Rod B (180) & John C (180a) of Dillon, CO.
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is a small radio-controlled plane typically flown in a field such as a local park or soccer field.
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686:"'Wings Across America' Sends Park Flyer Model Airplane on Long Journey | Aero-News Network"
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107 degrees –Hottest temperature that the WAA-08 plane was flown: Mike H (#127) Valley Mills, TX
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0 degrees –Coldest temperature that the WAA-08 plane was flown: Richard C (#263) Butte, MT.
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908:"Randolph County man takes part in project to fly model airplane across the country"
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The following sites published articles on the WAA-08 Wings Across
America adventure
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The Wings Across
America 2008 adventure is over, but its legacy is living on at the
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Oldest Female: Carol
Bershers 68. Marva Clingaman also admits she is at least 68.
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South Bend Radio
Control Club (10) Coordinated by Terry Rensberger pilot#339
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6 nationally publicized magazines have run articles on the WAA-08 adventure
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McCloud man paticipated in radio controlled Wings Across
America flight
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4,500+ posts on the online RC Forums in support of the WAA-08 adventure
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was a group of model airplane enthusiasts that flew a battery-powered
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29 registered pilots in California (the most, followed by NY with 22)
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Hampton Roads R/C Club (53) coordinated by Sam Verlander pilot #404
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Northeast Electric Aircraft Technology (NEAT) 12–14 September 2008
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Hawks R/C Junior Aviators (10) Coordinated by Tim Pease pilot #64
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Monroe County RC Club (23) Coordinated by Mike Friesel pilot #359
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Toledo Weak Signals (17) Coordinated by Charles Hainy pilot #346
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796:"Wings Across America brings cross-country RC event to Joplin"
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Tri-County R/C Club (30) Coordinated by Scott Saxon pilot #398
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Dallas Electric Aircraft Fliers (DEAF 23) 27–28 September 2009
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Prop Floppers (15) Coordinated by Kent Clingaman pilot #347
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Tarheel R/C Flyer (22) Coordinated by Mike Then pilot #397
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Southeast Electric Flight Festival (SEFF) 22–28 April 2013
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Southeast Electric Flight Festival (SEFF) 1–3 May 2009
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12,000+ emails sent in support of the WAA-08 adventure
834:"Woodburn Independent | Hometown | Flying — RC style"
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Motor: GWS sp400 (1st one replaced after 215 flights)
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Western States Electric Fun Fly (WSEFF) 4–6 June 2010
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Wings Across America 2008 (WAA-08) official website
992:Academy of Model Aeronautics AMA Article on WAA-08
108:On May 24, 2008, Frank launched the first flight.
598:TV & newspaper, Columbia, SC March 12, 2009
119:WAA-08 Statistics (current as of 11 October 2013)
282:1 Weekly RC Podcast that provides WAA-08 updates
731:Now, Oswego County News (September 29, 2023).
60:Frank used the internet RC forums and emailed
476:September 12–14, 2008 Downsville, New York.
473:Northeast Electric Aircraft Technology (NEAT)
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447:Dallas Electric Aircraft Fliers (DEAF 23)''
338:Battery Charger: Cellpro 4s from FMA Direct
311:Plane: Simple Quiet Robust Trainer (SQuiRT)
182:National Electric Fly In (NEFI) 11 Jun 2011
160:112,490 hits on our WAA-08 Google Maps page
42:park flyer model that is used in this event
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414:Steve Cranford (WAA-08.org Domain creator)
323:Batteries: MaxAmps 1100 mAH 7.4V 25C LiPos
142:1 registered pilot in Delaware and Vermont
460:Southeast Electric Flight Festival (SEFF)
320:ESC: Spectrum 18 Amp from Medusa Research
592:newspaper, Ripley, WV December 30, 2008
417:Desert Eagles Model Airplane Flying Club
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700:"Free Young Eagles Flights | EAA"
463:May 1–3, 2009 Andersonville, Georgia
127:812 pilots have flown the WAA-08 plane
604:newspaper, Joplin, MO August 7, 2009
433:"Doolittle Raid" Memorial Celebration
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879:thenewstribune.com January 22, 2011
450:September 27–28, 2009 Dallas, Texas
344:Built from: Balsa and vinyl covering
279:1 Parade (Logan County Fair Parade)
1002:EAA Young Eagles Article on WAA-08
486:Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA)
273:6 Local television news broadcasts
53:Wings Across America 2008 (WAA-08)
18:Wings Across America 2008 (WAA-08)
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1017:Back Yard Flyer magazine article
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218:Club with the most WAA-08-pilots
204:Youngest Female: Nicole Hansen 8
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130:230 AMA Chartered clubs visited
73:The WAA-08 Completed Pilots Map
199:The oldest and youngest pilots
113:National Model Aviation Museum
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1027:WGHP 8 News Article and Video
492:Academy of Model Aeronautics
249:Most flights in a single day
207:Youngest Male: Evan Holman 6
62:Academy of Model Aeronautics
1022:Western States Electric Fly
838:www.woodburnindependent.com
653:"Wings Across America 2008"
479:Western States Electric Fly
213:Oldest Male: Bill Baily: 97
176:The Joe Nall 11–18 May 2013
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329:Receiver: Spektrum AR6100e
173:Kitty Hawk, NC 17 Aug 2013
1042:Radio-controlled aircraft
1007:The Valley News Chronicle
411:Al's Bicycles and Hobbies
23:radio-controlled aircraft
860:www.theoutlookonline.com
610:magazine, June 28, 2009
332:Servos: 2 Ea Hitec HS-55
877:3 generations take part
737:Oswego County News Now
264:33 Online news stories
43:
490:Founded in 1936, the
390:Grumpy Monkey Designs
375:Big Al's Hobby Supply
168:Major events attended
136:333 registered pilots
124:26,587 miles traveled
70:The WAA-08 Pilots Map
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760:Wings Across America
616:July 2010 issue #80
553:Woodburn Independent
405:Medusa Research Inc.
335:Radio: Spektrum DX6i
254:69 on 31 August 2013
1012:Pike County Courier
941:Model Airplane News
856:"Come burn with me"
896:on March 14, 2012.
763:The Jackson Herald
584:Published articles
529:The Jackson Herald
372:SuperFly RC (Tram)
301:2 on Flying Giants
276:1 Local radio show
44:
866:on July 19, 2011.
844:on July 18, 2011.
823:mtshastanews.com
639:modelaircraft.org
579:(Pilot #395/395)
573:(Pilot #259/260)
567:(Pilot #259/260)
396:FliteLine Hobbies
363:Stevens AeroModel
349:Stevens AeroModel
133:48 states visited
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802:. August 7, 2009
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565:The News Tribune
541:The Joplin Globe
512:EAA Young Eagles
498:Online web pages
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387:Castle Creations
353:Year Built: 2008
326:Props: GWS 7x3.5
306:Plane statistics
298:2 on RC Universe
292:135 on RC Groups
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914:. July 4, 2013.
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614:FlyRC" magazine
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571:Tri-City Herald
547:Mt. Shasta News
523:The Valley News
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295:33 on WattFlyer
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267:30 Local papers
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482:June 11, 2010
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561:(Pilot #250)
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314:Wingspan: 38"
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287:Forum members
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944:. Retrieved
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925:Joplin Globe
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894:the original
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864:the original
859:
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842:the original
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804:. Retrieved
800:Joplin Globe
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782:www.wltx.com
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703:. Retrieved
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602:Joplin Globe
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531:(Pilot #84)
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408:Nico Hobbies
402:Vinyl For RC
384:Hobby Hangar
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559:The Outlook
519:(Pilot #45)
393:E Cubed R/C
1036:Categories
946:October 1,
806:October 1,
742:October 1,
720:Derry News
705:October 1,
655:. WAA 2008
621:References
517:Derry News
369:Redneck RC
27:park flyer
966:flyrc.com
912:Fox8 WGHP
674:WLTX news
577:WGHP Fox8
507:Aero News
84:parkflyer
659:July 21,
535:WLTX.com
358:Sponsors
422:Gallery
381:MaxAmps
47:History
962:"Home"
778:"WLTX"
635:"Home"
39:SQuiRT
948:2023
808:2023
744:2023
707:2023
661:2014
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
