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2026 SPA East Masters
The 2026 SPA East Masters, sponsored by the Johnson City Radio Controllers, was held on October 10-11 in Johnson City, TN. One life lesson we should already have learned was made very plain to us again this weekend — Timing is Everything!!” Here in JC, we have had about three weeks of consistently good flying weather — maybe a bit breezy some days — but otherwise good. Those pilots who arrived early on Thursday and Friday were treated to the last of the great conditions — and a great Friday evening barbecue dinner — before the unpronounceable hurricane remnants came through Saturday morning, lingering into Sunday and putting a damper on everything that was planned. With the impending bad weather, several pilots who had registered either didn’t make the trip or left early, leaving only eight intrepid contestants. You’ll notice that the group photo was taken under cover, but the picture gave a more intimate, (though cold and rainy) look. With Saturday’s rain and particularly variable wind conditions, Saturday was called off, with the hopes of getting an early 8AM start and at least two good rounds Sunday morning. Unfortunately, things didn't go quite as planned. Sunday dawned with 100% humidity, causing a combination of low hanging fog and haze. Finally the sky improved some around 9:30, and those who wanted to fly took to the sky in passable conditions to fly low, tentative patterns — but even then they encountered patches of haze at times that made their airplanes disappear in and out of the “ether” like invisible “stealth” technology. By the time one round was completed, heavier mist and drizzle was moving back into the area, so we (wisely) called the contest after one round. Of special note, local pilots and JCRC club members Jeremy Fox and Lance Odom - denoted with an asterisk (*) - flew in their first SPA contest. They did very well, perhaps because they were the most calm due to the familiarity with their home field. Due to a printer problem, only scores for the Basic class are shown below. Here are the full results.
Annual Points Champions: These pilots accumulated the most points in their respective classes during the entire year.
Memorial Trophy Winner — Jamie Strong A LOT of the fun and enjoyment of any SPA event is simply getting together, talking about airplanes and repeating stories. We have the greatest guys in the world as SPA members, and it was thoroughly enjoyable getting together with our new and long-term friends at the field. That’s what I remember as a lasting memory, not so much the competition itself but the camaraderie. In my estimation, the contest was a success — it could have been better, but bad timing intervenes sometimes. I believe those who came and remained had a great time sharing each other’s company. Here's looking forward to another year of fun and fellowship starting in just a few months. Duane Wilson |
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