Welcome to Dare County Radio Control Flyers
Interested in Radio Control Aircraft? Then Dare County Radio Control Flyers is for you!
We are an Academy of Model Aeronautics chartered club that promotes radio control model aviation as a sport and recreational activity at the home of the first flight, the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Membership in Dare County Radio Control Flyers is open to any person interested in participating in radio control aviation. Whether you are an experienced radio control pilot, a beginner, or just interested in learning more about this rewarding hobby, we have the resources, expertise, and desire to make your experience into the world of radio control aviation enjoyable and gratifying!
Club Bulletin Board
Club Receives Grant for Public Flying Event: 05/13/23
Jim Davis, president of Dare County Radio Control Flyers, announced that the club recently received a $1,000 "Takeoff And Grow" grant from the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Foundation. Only twenty-two such grants were awarded nationally, and these funds will be used to host a public event for residents of our community during late-September Davis stated.
The event, entitled the Outer Banks Festival of Model Aviation, will afford local residents the opportunity to learn about the hobby of model aviation by actually flying a radio control aircraft under the supervision of one of the club's instructor pilots. In addition to flight operations, other activities will include raffle prizes that will be awarded to non-club members who give flying a try, and lunch consisting of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and soft drinks.
Admission to this event will be at least one non-perishable food item or a tax-deductible cash donation per attendee, all of which will subsequently be donated to the Beach Food Pantry.
According to Davis, this will be the third consecutive year for this family-friendly event. "Last year we introduced forty local residents of all ages to radio control model aviation, and we are planning for even more guests this year" Davis added.
Further information about this event will made available in the near future.
Club Announces Contest for Members: 04/08/23
Jim Davis, president of Dare County Radio Control Flyers, announced today a challenging event for its members that will be held on Saturday, June 3, 2023. The event, entitled Rocket Madness, will be a contest involving the construction and flying of a FliteTest glider that will be designed to be taken aloft by a rocket-propelled booster. Rocket Madness is designed to encourage the creativity and test the engineering skills of its participants, while providing a fun-filled and exciting event for members to enjoy. Additional details for this event, as well as the rules and prizes, are available at the link below.
Club Earns Gold Leader Club Status Again for 2023: 03/14/23
Dare County Radio Control Flyers was recently notified by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) that it once again attained the level of a Gold Leader Club according to club president, Jim Davis. This level of recognition was granted following a determination by the AMA that the club had attained all the required elements that demonstrate commitment to safety and the advancement of model aviation within our community on the Outer Banks. Currently, only 8.2-percent of the AMA's 2,500 charted clubs are Leader Clubs, and only 170 have earned the top-level distinction as Gold Leader Clubs.
Business Meetings for 2023: 03/12/23
Dare County Radio Control Flyers will be conducting its business meetings for 2023 in the meeting room at the rear of the Dare County Public Library in Kill Devil Hills the third Thursday of each month beginning at 7:00PM. All members are encouraged to attend as your thoughts and participation are vital to the growth of our club and the planing of enjoyable activities. As always, any person interested in learning more about our club and model aviation activities on the Outer Banks are welcome to attend. Information about our meeting location, including an interactive map and driving directions, is available at the link below.
Flying Event Provides Donations for Beach Food Pantry: 10/20/22
Dare County Radio Control Flyers club president, Jim Davis, met Elisabeth Silverthorne, executive director of the Beach Food Pantry to drop off non-perishable food items and cash donations that the club collected at their "Outer Banks Festival of Model Aviation" event on October 15, 2022.
The club wishes to once again thank those who visited with us and donated to this worthy organization that does so much to assist local residents in need.
Elisabeth reported that our donation was enough to provide 350 meals—enough to feed eight people for two weeks!
Dare County Radio Control Flyers Named Club of the Month: 06/01/22
Dare County Radio Control Flyers was recognized by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) as "Club of the Month" for June 2022 on a recent AMA podcast. The announcement was made by the AMA's social media manager, Lee Ray. You may watch an excerpt of that podcast announcement in the accompanying video link to the left.
We are very proud of our members for their efforts as a team over the past few years, and this national-level recognition is the most recent accomplishment that makes our club truly noteworthy.
Program for New Pilots Implemented: 06/24/21
Club members Jim Davis, Grant Dick, Steve Smith, and Robert Yanacek were recently approved by the Academy of Model Aeronautics as Introductory Pilot Program instructors/mentors. This innovative program seeks to encourage those with little or no previous knowledge of radio control aviation to try out the hobby at no cost, while providing 90 days of liability insurance coverage in addition to the knowledge, experience, and guidance of our club's designated instructors/mentors.
Recreational UAS Safety Test Now Available: 06/22/21
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released their long-awaited safety test that is now required for all radio control pilots. The test, known as TRUST, will now be required for a recreational-use pilot to register with the FAA as required by law. Although it is referred to as a "test," it is in all actuality little more than a 30-minute course of instruction designed to ensure that model aircraft pilots understand their obligation to operate both safely and lawfully when using airspace. The test is available free of charge, through a number of FAA approved TRUST test administrators.
FAA Releases Improved Mobile Application: 11/16/20
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has redeveloped their mobile application to provide situational awareness to recreational flyers in knowing whether it is safe and lawful to fly their model aircraft in a particular area. This application, known as B4UFLY, utilizes interactive maps and GPS technology to alert radio control pilots where they can and cannot fly. This application is highly recommended for all club members because it alerts you in real time to areas where flight operations are restricted, controlled, or under a temporary flight restriction. The application may be downloaded at no cost, and is available for both iOS and Android mobile platforms.
Radio Control Pilots Must Register with the FAA: 12/21/15
Those flying Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs), which includes model aircraft, are now statutorily required to register with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The registration for recreational-use pilots covers all of the model aircraft you operate for a period of three years. In addition, as part of the statutory requirement, pilots must also ensure that their FAA issued UAS registration number is displayed on an outer surface of any aircraft or drone they own and operate. Registration is inexpensivem quick, and easy.
