One of the CRCJA Founding Memebr has passed away. After a long battle with Cancer, George Allison "Snoopy" passed away Saturday September 18th. We had reveiced word that he was in the Hospital and this time he felt it was the last time. I spread the word out and many people had a chance to speak to him and have that one last conversation. I was able to get at least two in with him so take care my dear friend.

Charlotte, Georges wife, wishes me to pass along the tremendous thank you for allthe calls and warm wishes to her late husband and the rest of the family.
Services are as follows:
Saturday September 25, 2004br> Holy Cross Mortuary Chapel
5835 West Slauson ave.
Culver City CA 90230
10:30 Viewing
11:00 AM Mass 11:30 or right after the Mass is over. Burial at the Mortuary Chapel
in lieu of flowers Donations can be made to the American Cancer Society

Best In the West History by Hot Wheels

"BEST IN THE WEST"

A brief history 1989-1997

As the CRCJA grows in membership, it is important for the membership to know a little about itself, and some of the events that CRCJA has done. I am a relative newcomer to Ducted Fans and got started with a Byron MIG 15 in 1987. In my neck of the woods information on Ducted Fans was pretty much non-existent and I made lots of phone calls to complete and successfully fly my MIG. I had "Jet Fever", and since I was a licensed AMA Contest Director, and had access to a lakebed, I thought a Jet Rally would be a good idea.

I contacted Lowell Wexler for some assistance and approached the Muroc Model Masters with the idea. Support from the MMM was secured in the person of Al Lockhart. Unfortunately MMM did not have any funding available, so Lowell and myself decided we could advance the funds without the MMM guaranteeing the funding. The event was the largest Ducted Fan event in the Western States and was named "The Best In The West" by myself on the opening day. The event was held in September of 1989. That was also the first year for the Arizona Jet Rally. Bob Ruff was doing it in November 1989. Bob and I spent a lot of time on the phone pumping each other up.

The event at Muroc was an overwhelming success and the Muroc Model Masters then wanted to continue doing the "Best In The West". Being the only licensed CD in the club placed me in the spot for the next couple of years. I was the Contest Director or Assistant Contest Director for the Best In The West 1990,1991, 1992 (rained out and canceled by the Air Force) and the 5th Best In The West 1993. The 1993 event was moved to the Antelope Valley Tailwinds Airpark, Lancaster California to insure that the event would not be canceled due to weather conditions at the MMM Lakebed site.

The event had grown in status and among the pilot prizes were; a George Miller T-38; George Miller YF22; 2 Spring Air Retract Systems; Sunset Models A-10, K&B engine, a 4channel, a 6 channel and a 7-channel radio. Other stores and manufactures such as Pegasus Hobbies, Hobby Shack, Steve Courney of Hurricane Fans, Jet Hanger Hobbies, and many others had donated many other items. Pilots where overwhelmed with the amount and variety of premiums. Pilot grab bags had become a part of the Best In The West tradition and included a participant plaque for every entrant. After doing five Best In The West's, it was time to pass on the baton.

During the Mesa event in 1993, twelve California Jet Jocks got together in a motel room in Mesa and formed CRCJA. I became a member not too long afterward. One of my first contributions to CRCJA was to be Contest Director for the First Sanctioned CRCJA event. This was done in January 1995, hosted by the Antelope Valley Tailwinds. It was a one-day fly-in; entry fee was $5.00 and included a lunch for the entrant and helper. Early in 1995 I was approached by the CRCJA spokesperson and asked if the Muroc Model Masters would be willing to give up the "Best In The West" name. I then went to a General Membership Meeting of the MMM and proposed that the event name be passed on to the CRCJA, this was agreed to.

David Eichstedt then proposed to the CRCJA to do another Best In The West #6. This was to be a CRCJA event hosted by a local AMA club. The Muroc Model Masters were offered the event first. They felt they would not be able to support the event. The Antelope Valley Tailwinds were then offered to host the event. An agreement was reached for CRCJA to rent the Tailwinds Airpark for $150.00, and AVTI could have the food concession. This was agreeable to both organizations. Again I was recruited to be the Assistant Contest Director.

Best In The West #6 by anybody's standards was the Best of the events thus far. A major contributor to the event, secured by David was NASA with a contracted amount for services provided by "The Ivie's" and Bob Sumoski in the way of presentations on calculating air speeds at Quartz Hill High School, California. Students where to calculate drag factors on Paul Ivies BIM Viper, and Bob Sumoski's U-2. Maximum speeds where then taken at the event with radar and compared to the student's calculations. Spectators where bussed in from outlying parking facilities on a regular schedule. The food booth grossed almost $2,000.00 in Hot Dog sales to give you a perspective on the number of spectators.

During the previous Best In The West events, it had become tradition to design T-shirts and sweatshirts with a different jet aircraft displayed. Original design was done by Bob Sumoski and included such aircraft as the U-2, SR-71 and YF-22. A new logo was designed by David Eichstedt for the Best In The West 96. This logo was then adopted by CRCJA as their new logo, and Bob Sumoski then used the new logo to design business cards for CRCJA. Best in the West 96 received coverage in many national and world magazines as well as local newspaper, radio and television coverage. Total gross for the event between the two organizations was almost $6,000.00. Approximately $2,400.00 was put into the CRCJA treasury giving the organization a healthy start for future events.

The next Best In The West #7 of 1997 got off to a rocky start, but ended up fulfilling the expectations of the name that "The Best In The West" had deservedly earned. The event almost did not come about because the event director quit as director four months before the event, Ken Hoon then stepped into an almost impossible situation, and with the help of other CRCJA members managed to get the event completed at Rialto California March 1997. Over 21 sponsors contributed to the huge prize table along with the 18 pilot awards that where given. This was the event that Paul Ivie's Ultra Viper piloted by Larry Jacobs. Broke the World Speed Record. The Viper had a BVM Fan and Engine and had Paul's own design variable tail cone to produce a speed of 255MPH.

Bob Sumoski
"Hot Wheels"
CRCJA would like to thank David and Bob for the 1996 "Best in the West" Ken Hoon for the 1997 and the tailwinds club for having us as guest on many occasions. But best of all to the Muroc Model Masters for letting us have the "Best In The West" name. As we approach the 8th Annual Best In The West we can only make it bigger and better. In an effort to promoted and expand Jet Events in the Western United States, we shall make use of the name and carry our event to various locations. The 1999 Event is in talks for Utah and for the year 2000 we are trying to have it in Denver.