I was born in San Rafael, CA on 10-11-1958. I guess like some I started with small balsa gliders and rubber powered planes around the age of 8?  I liked Gillows but built many others.  R/C came much later for me as nearing the end of my schooling I became a professional musician and toured the western united states.  I also acted in Star Wars as an Imperial Officer and Storm Trooper. Music brought me to Redding, CA in 1983 where I still reside with my wonderful wife Sandie and one of three sons, Jason 28, Darren 22, and Trevor 15.  My back was broken on 11-23-93 and is not going to heal...I deal with it. Soon into R/C I began putting on events.  For the past 15 years I have been volunteering in any way I can to help the hobby.  I have held all the types of club positions and duties, and volunteer for the IMAA and now the AMA.  4-5 years ago I started writing magazine articles and product reviews. I have written for 5 magazines and currently write for 3.  I will fly anything but love good aerobatic airplanes and War Birds….and combat….and racing….and…. I enjoy helping the hobby and plan to increase my volunteer duties with the AMA.

It is amazing how many aeromodelers I speak with who say they started as a kid.  They gave up the hobby.  Then start it up again later in life.

That would be my story…  Matt Rollins and I had lots of fun with control line at the age of 14 and 15.  We started with the Cox .049 with fish line type controls.  Before long we were flying .35 size with stainless steel lines.  By the time we were in High School we sort of lost contact and the hobby ended up in a box in the garage.

Around age 26 was another spark of interest.  This time it was with radio control.  I built a .40 size Ugly Stik and dug my .35 control line Super Tigre out of the box in the garage.  Craig Hath loaned me a radio and helped me solo.  One summer day after work I went to the flying field.  I took the plane off directly into the setting sun.  By the time I could see the model it was so far away I couldn’t tell if it was coming or going.  When I found all the pieces they went in the garbage.  The Super Tigre went back in the garage.  And the radio went back to Craig Hath.

Fast forward to December 2000.  At the age of 48, I bought a Hanger 9 Aspire sailplane for a Christmas present for my father.  The idea was to have a hobby we could do together.  We both had a lot of fun with that plane.  We have a .40 size Telemaster on the workbench right now.  It will be electric powered, as are all our airplanes and helicopters.  So we are still in aeromodeling together.  I am 56 and he is 84.  We are both members of the Las Vegas Soaring Club.

Many Associate Vice Presidents are retired.  I still work for a living.  I am in the insurance business.  I arrange employee benefits, typically group life and health insurance.  I help individuals with their personal insurance planning.  Even more so now, because employers are cutting back on fringe benefits.

When I travel around the Southwest, visiting the AMA events don’t be surprised to see my wife, Peggy there with me.  She enjoys the traveling and meeting the other ladies who join their husbands and boyfriends in the hobby.

I joined the Navy at 17 years old and was rated as an Anti-Submarine Warfare Operator and sent to VS-38 to fly S-3A Viking Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft. After 6 years in the Navy I got a Bachelors degree in business and was accepted to Flight School and graduated as a Naval Flight Officer where I was again sent to a Viking squadron flying S-3A and S-3B aircraft. I retired from the Navy in 1999 with 24 years of service. After getting a Masters degree in Computer Science I accepted a job with Commander, Naval Air Forces as the Integrated Warfare Systems Manager where I am responsible for all the Combat Computers, Radars, Gun and Missile Systems on America’s 11 active Aircraft Carriers. Married since 1975 to my High School Sweetheart, Tami Taylor, we have 6 children and 4 grandchildren.

My main interests are the fastest turbine powered jet I can get my hands on and Giant Scale but I love anything that flies and still fly Free Flight, Control Line and sport and scale Radio Control.

Jerry Neuberger
AVP, District X
Santee, CA
(619) 258-4477
jerry.neuberger@navy.mil

I started my modeling hobby late in life as with other hobbies.  When I was a kid, I did not have a lot of experience except with a Cox AT6...you know the yellow plastic ones with the finger-biting .049.  I did build a couple plastic models of cars and Apollo capsules but did not build the stick and tissue airplane models. I have always been interested in aircraft and tinkering.  Wow...that could lead into something!

When I was in high school, my electronics teachers offered to help the students to get their ham licenses, but I was into girls and cars.  However I did finally buckle under in 1980 and got my Advanced Class Amateur Radio License (N6ELO) and that was my main hobby for years.

Some time after returning home from Operation Desert Storm, I happened to be visiting my wife's sister and husband one weekend to find out he was getting involved in those radio controlled airplanes.  I was very intrigued and told my wife..."wow, that is something I would like to do" and started my research.  It did not take long to be completely obsessed by this wonderful hobby and the great people involved in it.

I enjoy all aspects of the hobby including research and development and helping others.  So here I am 17 years later as AVP and currently residing as president of my local club - Delta Valley Modelers in Stockton, CA.

I retired after 31 years in the military and still work a full-time job helping veterans.

Jon Wilson
AVP, District X and webmaster
AMA Leader Member - Admin
AMA Contest Director
IMAA #18479 - President Chapter #24
Ryde, CA
(916) 776-2797
gijon@citlink.net

Websites:
www.deltamodelers.org
www.kobeko.com/airplanes.htm

I was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, a LONG time ago.  Moved to California in 1944.  I was a Dental Assistant for 17 years, then taught and headed the Dental Assistant Program at Cerritos College for 19 years – retired in 1984. Jim & I joined Orange Coast Radio Control Club in 1990.  I became the Secretary and Newsletter Editor shortly after joining the club and continued to hold those offices until 2008 when I retired.  I even built my own airplane, a Sig Trainer, and did my solo performance on April 26, 1993 at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, CA and flew there until the site closed in 1999; then flew a few times at El Toro Marine Corps base (after it was officially closed by the Navy)until that field was closed. Flying was a late in life adventure thoroughly enjoyed by both my husband and me.

I received several awards and plaques from my club – the George Gibson, (the highest honor that is given by our club and only one time) the Toys for Kids Whitsitt, Woman of the Year 2003 and numerous others.  Of course, the one I received when I retired – Distinguished Service Award and the two from AMA – 2008 Superior Service Award for doing the District X Calendar for five years and again the Fellowship Award – for which I am still reeling – It’s so wonderful.

Betty Bliss
bliss1@earthlink.net