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ROTATE - The SLRCFA Newsletter September 2025 Welcome to the new SLRCFA newsletter! Keep your eyes here for the latest news and updates from around the club! Route 66 Jet Event
The SLRCFA Route 66 Jet Event on September 5th – 7th was a blast! Thanks to all the Members and Pilots who participated and to our Volunteers (especially Contest Directors Dennis Chivetta and Larry Leuchtmann).
Raffle Winners: David Jones - A10 Thunderbolt Mike L. - Holy Smokes Jet Smoke pump Jeff Adams - Prime Membership (donated by Larry Collins) Mark Stellern - 64mm ducted fan assembly Larry Leuchtmann - TitanRC airplane stand Jay Wilson - Sennheiser headphones (donated by David Jones) Kolten Spies - Massager (donated by David Jones)
Welcome New Members Phil Best Billy Seitz Reid Stellhorn Ben Baker
Mark Your Calendars:
Toys for Tots Chili Cookoff and Fun Fly
The SLRCFA Toys for Tots Chili Cookoff and Fun Fly is scheduled for Saturday, October 11, 2025. Bring a pot of your favorite Chili to share, a toy to donate to Toy’s for Tots (in lieu of a Pilot Fee), and Planes to fly!
SLRCFA Christmas Party
The Annual SLRCFA Christmas Party will be held at The Timbers in Eureka on December 11th.
Bring a wrapped gift to participate in the White Elephant Gift Exchange. Membership renewals will also be collected to those members who prefer to pay at the Christmas Party instead of online.
SLRCFA Christmas Party tickets are $25 will be available on the SLRCFA Website (beginning in October) and at the door. Dinner is included. Merry Christmas!
Safety Minute
Please practice Flight Line Etiquette when flying –
- Announce your Intentions to other Flyers (takeoff, landings, etc.)
- Follow the Established Pattern
- Don’t Interrupt or Crowd other Pilots and their Spotters on the Flight Line
- Never enter the Runway or Grass to retrieve an Airplane without making other Pilots Aware and getting permission!
QuickStart
What do all our members have in common? All of us were beginners and had to learn to fly RC Airplanes! Our Club continues to have a robust Quickstart Training Program for new RC Pilots, meeting on Tuesday evenings. It is how we continue to grow our club and pass on our hobby to the next Generation.
Thanks to this year’s Instructors and to those members who have shown up Tuesday nights to share their expertise, stories, and patience! We have had many students go through the program this year, so you may notice some new faces around the club. If you see a new pilot while you’re out flying, be sure to introduce yourself and be ready to lend a hand, or your favorite flying tip! We are always looking for volunteers who are willing to help and become Instructors. If you have questions on how to help, please reach out to Larry Leuchtmann.
Volunteers are Needed!
Here’s a BIG THANK YOU to those Members who volunteered during 2025! To those members who didn’t have a chance to volunteer this year, please consider volunteering your time and talents to the Club for our remaining 2025 events and in 2026.
Our ability to keep the Airfield looking great and conducting club events like the Camp and Fly, 3D, Warbirds, and Jet Events are only successful and fun if we have Club Members support these events by helping as a Volunteers and as Participants (either as a Pilot, Spectator, or just to come and hang out with other club members!). These events also generate interest in the Community, which can translate to additional income for the Club (which helps us defer increases to membership dues despite significant increases in expenses).
We are considering what events we can support for the 2026 Flying Season, watch for communications in the coming months and thank you in advance for volunteering and participating!
Board of Director Nominations
The Board of Directors election is coming up soon so if you are interested in giving back to the Club, please consider running for the Board. Details on how to submit nominations will be communicated to the Club Membership soon via email and the Club Facebook page. Club Members who are Full or Prime Members are eligible to be nominated and to vote in the election. Indoor Flying Strarting in October Our annual indoor flying season starts Friday October 3rd at Eureka’s Central Baptist Church gymnasium. 6 to 9pm. Join us for some fun and challenging indoor flying fun. $5 per session. Field Cameras Did you know you can now visit the field anytime day or night, virtually, from your favorite device? Our new field cameras let you peek at a live video feed of what’s up at the field (video only, no audio). Check out the fun you’re missing or see if anyone’s out flying before you make the trip out to the field! Details on setting up the camera on your device can be found in the members section of the website under the menu heading Members > Field Camera. Have Something You’d Like To Add? Have news you’d like to share with the club, interesting new RC flying information, or maybe a plane for sale…? Let us know and we can publish it here in our newsletter. Send an email to SLRCFAWebmaster@gmail.com!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
St. Louis RC Flying Association Establishes Legal Defense Fund Amidst Civil Lawsuit
ST. LOUIS, MO – June 13, 2025 – The St. Louis RC Flying Association (SLRCFA) today announced the establishment of a legal defense fund to address significant legal expenses resulting from a civil lawsuit filed by a former club and board member. The lawsuit names both the St. Louis RC Flying Association and nine of its current and former board members as defendants, seeking monetary compensation, along with court and attorney fees.
The SLRCFA is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the hobby of radio-controlled flying in the St. Louis metropolitan area. For decades, the club has provided a safe and welcoming environment for enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels to enjoy this exciting pastime. The current legal action, however, threatens the financial stability of the club and its ability to continue its mission.
“We are deeply saddened and concerned by this lawsuit, which we believe is without merit,” said Dennis Chivetta, President of the SLRCFA. “Our board members are dedicated volunteers who have tirelessly contributed their time and effort to serve the club and its members. This legal challenge places an undue burden on their personal finances and the financial health of our organization.”
To ensure the continued operation of the SLRCFA and to protect its volunteer leadership, the club is urgently requesting support from its members, the broader RC flying community, and the general public.
How to Donate:
Donations to the St. Louis RC Flying Association Legal Defense Fund can be made through the following methods:
The SLRCFA is committed to transparency and accountability. All funds raised will be exclusively used to cover legal expenses directly related to this lawsuit, including attorney fees, court costs, and other associated litigation expenses.
Importantly, any residual funds remaining after the conclusion of the litigation will be allocated to pay for future Director & Officer (D&O) Insurance premiums for the St. Louis RC Flying Association. This proactive measure will help protect the club and its volunteer leadership from similar legal challenges in the future.
“We are hopeful that with the support of our community, we can successfully navigate this challenge and continue to provide a thriving environment for RC flying in St. Louis for many years to come,” added Mr. Chivetta. “Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant difference.”
The St. Louis RC Flying Association thanks its members and the public for their understanding and support during this challenging time.
About the St. Louis RC Flying Association:
The St. Louis RC Flying Association (SLRCFA) is a non-profit organization established to promote the hobby of radio-controlled aircraft flying in the St. Louis area. The club provides flying fields, training, and a community for RC enthusiasts of all skill levels.
Media Contact:
SLRCFAwebmaster@gmail.com
Another FIRST FLIGHT in the books. We had eight fellows show up, Morgan Klussman drew the first flight. Pretty cold and windy, but always worth it!
Morgan's flight: https://www.facebook.com/slrcfa/videos/1947585505549555/
We just placed our first Point-of-Sale display at Schaefer's Hobbies counter for our wildly-successful QuickSTART first-year RC membership, "LEARN TO FLY RC."
If you have or know of a business where you think the clientele might benefit from this offer (and like a boost to the bottom line with a little extra margin), reach out to us. Contact info here.
Stan King, our long-time SLRCFA president, passed away this week. Stan was a ground-breaking RC pilot who flew even though he was a quadriplegic. Click below for a great autobiography on Stan kept by the AMA.
https://www.modelaircraft.org/files/KingStantonStan.pdf
Stan's memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 17, at 11am CST at:
Webster Groves Baptist Church308 Summit AvenueWebster Groves, MO 63119(314) 962-6868
If you wish to make a donation on Stan's behalf, the two charities specified by the King family are:
Webster Groves Baptist Church, the King family churchhttps://wgbaptist.com/
St. Vincent De Paul, the charity that purchased Stan's wheelchair lift.https://svdpstlouis.org/donate
SLRCFA is making a donation to both charities.
Actually, it would take a whole lotta chicken dinners to pay for this sharp jet!
John Reed won the EARLY BIRD raffle by renewing (or setting his account up for auto-payment) by December 31st. This year, every FULL member who didn't let their membership expire got a ticket. PRIME members got two tickets. Only ticket holder were allowed to purchase additional tickets.
John attended the January 2018 Club Meeting where he won the fantastic Freewing Avanti S 80mm EDF Ultimate Sport Jet - PNP.
John has now maidened the plane with three spectacular flights on Sunday, January 28, 2018, and is shown above shortly afterwards.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the EARLY BIRD renewals/new memberships. It's make a big difference... we had a record amount of cash to start the year, which mean's we're not scratching our head on what the budget will be this year. We also paid our big field bills (lease and property taxes) in mid-December due to the EARLY BIRD program from both December 2017 and December 2018 pulling our cash forward. Basically, we need our money on Jan 1, so we ask you to renew by December 31, and it's a big deal!
SIncerely,
Marshall L. Henley, SLRCFA President
Well, the show lived up to the hype! Denny Spark's did a fantastic job welcoming us to his shop, demonstrating his approach, and showing us his many, many, many planes.
CLICK HERE FOR SLIDE VIDEO OF THE NIGHT
Don't miss our next meeting! We'll have Paul Appelbaum doing a builder's clinic. Click here for more information.
Click here for article
If you fly at SLRCFA, you'll know Jonathon Hendrickson. He's the (relatively young) guy who flies just about everything and knows a lot about all types of aircraft. Jonathon is a go-to guy for electric flight, FPV, drone photography, racing planes, battery maintenance, charging equipment, engine tuning, full-scale pilot licensing and even riding mower repair. He even created our Pilot Instruction program.
He's "Mr. Know-It-All" in the best way possible. On top of all that, for the last two years, he was the ultimate go-to guy: the SLRCFA President.
Jonathon stepped down as President in 2017 after serving on the board since... well, I think since 2007 (I'm not the best record-keeper that far back). The last two years would have been a challenge for any leader, with two floods and a sea-change in our cost structure (and subsequently, dues) due to a large property tax increase. Beyond that, changes in leadership are always potentially difficult, and Jonathon took over from Stan King, who had been President for well-past a decade (Stan was honored with a plaque for service and a lifetime SLRCFA membership in 2016, along with long-time Treasurer, Ron Lawson).
Clearly, Jonathon stepped up during 2015/2016 to a multi-year stint that required a great deal of change. During his tenure, Jonathon led the following successful changes:
December 2017 rolled around and only 12 nominees for the Board of Directors were nominated. All 12 accepted nomination, and all 12 are qualified to serve on the board. The 12 were the 11 already serving, plus a new Director nominee, Kurt Seiter, the owner of HolySmokes smoke pumps, a long-time member and frequent sponsor of SLRCFA events and activities over the past three years (picture at right).
Because only 12 Directors and Officers were serving / nominated, there was no membereship vote needed or held to determine which 12 would serve. Let's change that in 2018!
Following the Christmas Party, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to elect Officers, as follows, for 2018. Because the SLRCFA Constitution is in the process of being re-written to allow direct-vote for officers (assuming it passes a vote by the Board and the Members), this is likely the President / Vice President vote that will be made directly by the Board:
(c) 2023, St. Louis Radio Control Flying Association
