The Prairielands Council will be holding their Illini Jamboree September 12 – 14, 2008.  Scouts from all over will be coming to the Rantoul airport for a weekend of camping, fireworks, Illini football, and scouting fun.

They are asking the club to help in two ways.  First, many of the scouts will be there to earn their Aviation merit badges and they are looking for about ten club members to help teach an aviation class to make this happen.  There will be an organizational meeting before the event to give the instructors the materials and criteria to help the scouts.  We are told that if you can fly a model plane, you have enough knowledge to teach or assist with the classes.  They need this help from 1 to 4 PM on Saturday the 13^th.

Our second opportunity to help also comes on the 13^th from 5 – 9 PM, they would like as many club members as possible to come and fly.  They would like a variety of aircraft from fast to slow, large to small, gas, electric, plane, jet, or helicopter.  There will be several thousand scouts there that would love to see our aircraft and enjoy watching us fly.

If interested in helping with the merit badges please contact Denny Anderson at 217-840-7424.  He is our contact from the Prairielands Council.  If you are interested in flying, we will keep you informed through the club meetings, newsletter, and web site.

Our Flight Training program will start on Thursday, 5/15/08 and continue every Thursday evening through the summer (weather permitting) at the CCRCC Airfield from about 5:00 pm until dusk.  The last session will be on 9/25/2008.

The club provides the models, fuel, and expert instruction - so just bring a positive attitude and enthusiasm (a hat and a pair of good sunglasses certainly wouldn't hurt either).  This is open to the public and no prior experience is necessary.  Come out and join the fun!!

August 23 & 24, 2008

• Registration 8:00am
• Flying 9:00am to Dark
• Landing Fee for Pilots - Free to the Public
• IMAA legal giant scale aircraft only during the event
• Open flying the Friday before and Sunday after 12:00pm
• Prizes for pilots
• Raffle for public and pilots

Contact Information

Our Event Coordinator is Tom Griffith. You may Contact Tom at 217-355-6153.

What qualifies as Giant Scale Aircraft?

The concept of large or giant scale is generally considered to apply to radio controlled model aircraft with minimum wingspans of eighty (80) inches for monoplanes and sixty (60) inches for multi-wing aircraft. Ducted Fan aircraft with one hundred forty (140) inches combined length and width, measured from wing tip to wing tip at the widest point perpendicular to the fuselage and added to the length of the fuselage, excluding any protrusions. Quarter (1/4) scale replica's or larger with proper documentation (minimum 3 view drawing of an actual person carrying aircraft) which do not fit the size requirements will be permitted. However, the concept does not encompass radio controlled model aircraft so large as to have the potential of carrying a human being.

Sanctions

• AMA    479
• IMAA   IL-5-16-8-27-28

Lodging 

• Days Inn, Champaign 217-356-6873
• Drury Inn, Champaign 217-398-0300
• Fairfield Inn, Champaign 217-355-0604
• Fanmarker Inn, Rantoul 217-893-1234
• Hampton Inn, Champaign 217-337-1100
• La Quinta, Champaign 217-356-4000
• Marriot Courtyard, Champaign 217-355-0411
• Microtel, Champaign 217-398-4136
• Travel Lodge, Champaign 217-328-3521
• Super 8, Le Roy 309-962-4700
• Econo Lodge, Champaign 217-3567497
• Red Roof Inn, Champaign 217-352-0101
• Sleep Inn, Urbana 217-367-6000
• Super 8, Rantoul 217-893-8888

Camping

• Camping is allowed at the field but there are no electrical or sanitary hookups.
• Camping with hookups is available at the Tin Cup Campground, Mahomet, IL (6 miles west of flying site).

The WILL-TV "Prairie Fire" episode that features the Champaign County R/C Club aired on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008 at 7:30pm.

Watch the video replay HERE.