July 15, 2020: CL Navy Carrier

By Melvin Schuette

COVID-19 has had an adverse effect on the 2020 Nats. Control Line Navy Carrier is a prime example. While the number of contestants is down across the board and Navy Carrier may be one of the smaller categories, the number of people who chose to stay home could be easily noticed. More than fifty percent of our regular contestants decided to stay home due to the virus. In fact, the numbers of event entries were so small; a category that normally takes three days to run was done in one day.

We can understand why those who chose to stay home stayed home, but they missed one of the best days for flying Carrier that we have had in years. Other than the heat, you could not ask for better weather.  For the entire day, the winds were less than five miles per hour.

Event Director Bob Haywood did the tabulating duties as well. Thomas “TJ” Vieira did the center judging duties. Paul Kegal, Joe Otto, and David Rigotti did the timing duties. Without people like these, it would be impossible to run the events.

Now for the nitty gritty on who did what.

In honor of Eugene Ely, the man who made the first aircraft takeoff and landing from a carrier ship, the Navy Carrier Society awards the Eugene Ely award to the person who accumulates the highest total in three classes of the official events. With a score of 933.19 points, this year’s Eugene Ely award was awarded to Melvin Schuette.

The Navy Carrier Society is looking for an Event Director for the 2021 AMA Nationals.

Paul Smith preparing his MO-1 for flight.

Paul Smith's .15 Carrier plane during low speed.

Benard Shumski launching Alan Buck's Nostalgia Profile.

Melvin Schuette's electric Japanese KIK 76.

Benard Suhamski flying his High Speed flight.