Our favorite cottage industry supplier, Al Heinrich, with a Strato Streak, powered by one of Al's new Russian Elfins.

Here's Bruce Augustus, editor of SAM Speaks, with a big Ram Rod for NOSGas.

Here are Katy and John Patton at the right plus Annie Lidberg in the center helping a young girl with her Delta Dart.

It's Frank Roberge with a Lucky Lindy [in the back, Ted Hidinger].

Good to see Jay Jackson from Utah back at the SWR! 

Jim O' Reilly flies P-30, in addition to FAI events: 

Sid and John Hobbs showed up from California to fly P-30 in their first contest!

Activity at the AMA 'officials' table: Greg Tutmark, from Seattle, came to work as the Asst. CD; Arch Harlan,  Mike Lidberg, Chris Lidberg and Annie Lidberg. 

FF Gas is in good hands: Jeff Ellington and John Keller. Satellites still rule!.

Jay Dickhous, from Tucson, with his SAM large rubber fuselage  model.

FAI folks were busy, too - here's Willard Smitz of Arizona and his F1B.

SWR is more than models, flight times, records and just being there. Most of all, SWR is the people. I get to see the contest differently from the contestants; I don't fly, I get instead to talk to almost everyone who attends. All the people who make things happen, John and Katy Patton and a crowd of kids with delta darts. Steve Riley, 
Elmer Nelson, Randy Burrows, helping set things up and take them down afterward. My gracious hosts, Al Lidberg and his daughter, Annie: who feed, transport and house me while i'm in Arizona. It's Arch Harlan, telling stories of Dyna-jet free flight, it's Dick Strang, Jean Andrews, Bob Angus and all the people from Tucson i get to be with. Herb Kothe, Dave Ramsey, and Art Hillis from Colorado who make the trip to fly and swap stories. Larry Kruse and his party dodged blizzards on the trip from Oklahoma. Being able to meet the likes of Bob White, Randy Archer, Jim O'Reilly, Don Blackburn and find out that they are real people. Having Klarich Kits and Al Heinrich/Aerodyne 
think enough of SWR to be there to provide kits, engines, rubber and accessories for us to buy. Hanging out with Dan and Marion Keegan from Carson City and helping trim a Thermic 50. The two guys from Houston asking me about Super Tigre engines. The 'California Contingent' - Lynn Pulley and Daryl Perkins setting records. Frank Roberge quietly flying the wings off almost every class he enters. Seeing Frank and Lynda Pollard who come from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. It is these and all the others who I didn't mention who make SWR the event that is. As Al Heinrich says, ''If you are not having fun, you're not doing it right.'' Well, we did it right - See you next year!

It's Jean and Bob White, and Bob launching his F1B.

Here are the Brocks.

Martyn Cowley and his F1A.

Guy Mennano is active in both FAI and AMA gas.

Hermann Andresen, Marv Bashaw [I think], and Sal Fruciano relaxing.

Alan Peterson, Herm Andresen, and Peter Brocks.

Jim O'Reilly receiving an FAI award.

The weather gods smiled upon Eloy for the 52nd running of the Southwest Regionals. 
While El Nino was pounding the eastern half of the country, we had some of the best contest weather we could have wished for. The turn out was the best in years. On the FAI side the turn out was moderately stronger. But, on the AMA/Nostalgia side our numbers were up strongly. 

Participation in F1G Coupe set a new record for the SWR. Twenty-three began the contest with nine making fly-offs. After the first round, eight remained. It was good to see Marv Bashaw hanging in there for the second fly-off round. Five made it to the third and final round. The air turned cold and the times were marginal. Arizona's own Alan Petersen endured to take first place. Ralph Cooney, Jim O'Reilly, Peter Brocks and Paul Crowley followed.

F1H was fun. Two of the top three were junior fliers and beat some real stalwarts.
Dallas Parker took first followed by Brian Van Nest and Ryan Archer. You guessed it, Ryan is Randy's young son and has been making some waves in this event. The genes have obviously been passed along!

Mike Woodhouse and Rich Rohrke, who won F1B].

Phoenix and Tucson MAC folks: Dick Wood, Dick Strang, and Peter Brocks.

Randy Archer picks up the F1C perpetual cup - well, it is called the Randy Archer Invitational!

Randy launching his F1C!

Maybe he really can 'see' lift.

Randy, Herm, and John Nystedt.

Faust Parker - Houston, TX - Faust was our 'poster boy' for the SWR pins in 2002!

Don't know just who this is, but he wasn't successful in launching his ROW gas model.

John Nystedt and Mike McKeever, winner of F1A.

Dallas Parker (CA), 1st place in F1H.

Ryan Archer, 3rd place in F1H.

John Pratt (CA) holding his Coupe.

John Pratt launching.

John Pratt with his F1B.

David Oldfield and Mike Woodhouse came from England to fly with us!

Al Heinrich and his Strato Streak. [SR]

The Spirit of Free Flight at Eloy! 

That's the smiling Gene Smith retrieving a P-30.

[pic by Steve Riley]

The SW Regionals is the high point for me, every year! We put together a collection of events that we hope the flyers will like, and pretty often, they show up in big numbers to fly with us. The weather has been really good to us for a number of years - can it keep being good? We hope so - and hope that you all will keep flying with us. It's been 53 great years - join as as we add to that number!

Al Lidberg - AMA CD; Pres. SW Regionals Modelers Assoc - an organization with representatives from Phoenix MAC and SAM 31 of Tucson.

The following pics are from the RC Old Timers contest: [Pics are by Gerald Martin and Dave Harding.]

Gerald Martin tries to explain to Frank Borman why his Alpha Corsair was easily the best model on the field. [GM]

Key Crawford and Frank Borman listen in awe as Gerald describes one of his incredible flying feats, "There I was, hanging on my prop." [GM]

Ken Kear with his very nice Stinson 1/2 A Texaco RC scale. [DH]

Gerald made the Ohlsson fly-off, but due to a frequency conflict, he flew solo after the other 3. Here is his "Texan" cheering section.[DH]

Gerald takes it away from Don Blackburn. [DH]

Ed Hamler singing and playing the world famous song, "The Chilvarous Man Eating Shark", while Gerald tries to play along. [GM]

The good times continue with the usual suspects serenading the Arizona moon.

Gerald's Ohlsson take off - accompanied by the Texans!

Gerald's touchdown. [DH]

Planning the celebration: Gerald, Eut and Keith. [DH]

George Tallent, the O&R guy, receives the SAM 'Hall of Fame' award from Fred Mulholland

High Time Gas - Larry Fry Award

Daryl Perkins

Junior/Senior Sweepstakes

Deangelo Kusik

F1A

Mike Mc Keever

1882

Jim Parker

1854

Hector Diez

1817

F1B

Rich Rohrke

1873

Bill Booth

1860

George Schroedter

1841

F1C

Randy Archer

2404

Don Chesson

2350

Faust Parker

1978

F1G

Alan Peterson

1237

Ralph Cooney

1232

Jim O'Reilly

1230

F1H

Dallas Parker

1320

Brian Van Nest

1278

Ryan Archer

1163

F1J

Faust Parker

840

John Warren

824

Jackie Sheffer

799