NARAM-50 - Welcome

Contest Director's Welcome

NARAM-50!

Wow... The NAR is now fifty years young and going strong. NARAM-50 will be held at Great Meadow near The Plains, Virginia. This is a premier location to have an event such as NARAM. This large open area is surrounded by rolling hills and beautiful countryside. This location is where the TARC national fly off is hosted each year and was also home to NARAM-46.

I am your Contest Director, Jim Filler and I have been flying rockets since I was 10 years old. I am officially a BAR -- I left the hobby for a time and came back. I have known many of you for several years and hope to meet even more of you at NARAM-50. Please feel free to contact me directly via e-mail. Just check the contacts page here on this website.

NARHAMS #139 and NOVAAR #205 are your host sections and I expect that anyone who attends will be pleased with the event we are planning to celebrate the NAR's 50th birthday. We have been hearing already that many of the pioneers of the hobby are planning on attending. The Old Rocketeers Reunion will be held on Saturday, July 26th at a location near Manassas, Virginia. We are planning on a catered event, lots of nostalgia and a few surprises. All rocketeers are invited to attend the event, and there will be a separate registration available here on the NARAM-50 registration page. Old Rocketeer Reunion Patches are going to be distributed to those with a NAR number lower than 50,000.

Sport flying will be available during the entire event with a waiver for flights up to 4500 feet AGL and up to 'J' motors. Plenty of open rolling grass is prime landing area for your flights. During the opening weekend we will also be hosting the RC Championships for all RC glider pilots who wish to participate. Want to have some real fun? Be sure to enter the Drag Race fun event on Sunday. We are also planning on having the Imagination Celebration again this year as well as a couple of exciting activities you will not want to miss! This golden anniversary NARAM will have a contest schedule of only four days with a day off planned for Wednesday. This will allow for a break in the action as well as an opportunity to visit some of the great attractions in this part of the country. We have a whole page on the website here dedicated to the attractions to see in the region. You can visit and tour the Udvar-Hazy Center which is an extension of the National Air & Space Museum at near by Dulles International Airport just a few miles from the host hotel. You can also take in the sights of our nation's capital, just a short drive away. Our host hotel the Sheraton Four Points (this was formerly the Holiday Inn from both NARAM-46 and TARC) has been remodeled and I must say I have seen the rooms and they are nice! NARAM at night will have all the regular activities including the NAR Town Hall meeting, the vendors forum, and of course the annual Cannon Education Auction.

Now that you know some of the details and plans we are making for NARAM-50, I am personally extending an invitation to you and your family to come join us in Virginia this July to celebrate the NAR and NARAM turning 50 years young. Questions? Just e-mail me at naram50@nar.org

See you there!
Jim