Snohomish Radio Aero Club AMA #650

SRAC Inc. was founded in 1953 as the Seattle Radio Aero Club, a name which persisted, despite the various moves, until it was recently changed to Snohomish Radio Aero Club. The clubs first flying site was located at the Sand Point Naval Air Station, on the shores of Lake Washington. The usual beaurocratic guff closed this site down in 1958 and the club had to move.

From 1959 to 1966 the club leased a flying site at Arlington Airport. Suddenly, with only 2 weeks warning, our lease was cancelled. Through considerable searching, another flying site was leased near Martha Lake, in the area now called Mill Creek. After less than a year, the property was sold and again our lease was terminated. It became obvious that the only way to have a permanent site was through ownership.

Paul Cole presented a plan to the members to enable the purchase of acreage. Subsequently, on September 15, 1967, twenty-five people of the current thirty-five members, joined together with equal amounts of cash. With monthly pledges to buy the 25-acre site, our new flying site included constructing a paved runway with taxiway, pit area and car park. As commonly known by our good friend and neighbor to the north Mr. Robert Kazan, the Snohomish Model Airport was created.

After about one month of use, we started to encounter problems with 3 or 4 not-so-friendly neighbors. They thought our flying activities were detrimental enough to their privacy and well being, that they complained to the county councilman. This action initiated a full-blown hearing at the Snohomish County Courthouse, in Everett Washington, to have us stopped.

The situation was indeed serious and things looked bad for us. Prior to the hearing we did several things to prepare our case. First, we hired an attorney. Then we canvassed the entire immediate area to petition for support. Several people signed and two of the petitioners did appear in court on our behalf. Then we came up with a spelled out safety program of controlled flying and the mandatory use of mufflers. Also, we invited the commission out to actually view our activities before they passed judgement. This also offered us the opportunity to extol the virtues and wonderful benefits that RC flying would have on the community.

We came to the hearing well prepared and it paid off. The commissioners voted unanimously in our favor. We did not, however, rest on our laurels. We continued to improve on safety standards and form the basic rules from which they have evolved today. Due to this progressive program, we have never since been seriously threatened by being “closed down.”

There was an upheaval in 1981 when the county annexed a piece of the property on the East side to build a new Machias Road. This required moving all club facilities Westward a hundred feet or so. Since then, happily, all has remained steady.

It is now the new millennium. Our club has with stood the challenges of time. We have endured the legal and social rules of our community. Generations have witnessed our ambition and we embrace the new and younger members as if they were our legacy.

We have continued our AMA Charter for 50 years. The year 2003 has all the elements for a great time. The Golden Anniversary is the best anniversary of them all. Our remote control world is rising to a new level of virtual reality. The future of our club is jumping into hyper speed with the addition of the Internet. With the advancements in R/C product, quality and performance is improving at a rapid rate, providing R/C enthusiasts the opportunity of a lifetime. Ahead of us are the uncertainties that September 11, 2001 crated.  Currently in 2003, war and terrorism are creating a new economy for the patriots of our homeland and for the deprived citizens of Iraq. With courage and unity, we will survive these uncertain times because our strength in union and commitment to our community will prevail over extinction. We congratulate ourselves for a job well done and invite everyone to enjoy life to the fullest.

May God’s speed be with us and all who fly with us, and may pieces never multiply.