On Saturday, September 12, 2009, a small band of flyers gathered at Cain Field to try their skills and knowledge of flying in the Annual All-Up-Last-Down Event.

As in year’s past, I sponsor this Event, and present the “Icarus Award” to the flyer who’s able to keep his airplane in the air longer than anyone else that day.

The day was overcast and cloudy, with light winds and cool temperatures.

Six members registered to fly, but, at the last moment, Jim Troxell had to ‘scratch’ his own name from the list, due to radio frequency issues.

When the air-horn sounded, five airplanes launched within a ten-second window, and the Contest was on!

John Sennott was first on the ground, with a time of 3:54.

Bill Jones followed John, with a time of 11:42..

Then, for the next fourty minutes, it was anybody’s guess, as the remaining three pilots just continued on and on and on………..

Finally, at 48:38, Paul Ciarelli’s batteries gave out, and he was on the ground.

With only two pilots remaining in the air, and both flying Goldberg “Electras”, it was anybody’s guess as to who would be the winner.

At around 50 minutes, Dan’s battery gave out, and a few minutes later, Dan was on the ground with an official time of 55:31.

With that, all Tom Heron had to do was land on the Field……..

And that he did……..with the winning time of 58:26.

Interesting note here…….Tom didn’t have to land………as he was carrying almost 8,000 mah worth of battery capacity…….almost FOUR TIMES the capacity as was in Dan’s entry !!!

I would have to say that all the guys who entered had a fun time…….judging by the comments and laughter all during the Event.

Be sure to join in the fun next year…….but you better have a LOT of battery capacity tucked away in there somewhere……..

Duie