Coachella Valley Jerry Unruh Memorial Jet Rally

For 3 days in early February daybreak to nightfall, the serenity of the inexperienced agricultural fields encompass the Coachella Valley RC Membership (CVRCC) had been awash in sounds of mannequin turbine engines.  Welcome to the Jerry Unruh Memorial Jet Rally 2023.

After months of preparation underneath the steering of CD Dan Metz, we had virtually 50 pilots registered. These radio management jet turbine pilots descended on the spectacular flying subject, with their superb plane in tow, some so far as Arizona, adjoining southwest states, and one from Brazil, putting the CVRCC on the worldwide flying venue.  For 2023, the membership devoted the rally to fellow membership member and benefactor Jerry Unruh, who unexpectedly handed away in 2022.  Being a talented turbine pilot, Jerry cherished flying his enormous vibrant inexperienced CARF Mephisto to its limits. To Jerry, we salute you.

This 12 months’s flightline was equally spectacular with over 100 jets of every kind and sizes. From the balsa package constructed “Johnny Jet” designed by John Buckner to the large crown-jewel MIBO twin turbine A-10 by Jordan Issue that took over three years and $30K to construct.  We additionally had a number of nice flight demonstrations by superb piloting talent by Crew CARF Elad Fish’s 3D Mephisto, Jan Sunberg’s CARF MiG-17 and award-winning scale flights by Gabrielle Pellegrini’s Feiboa T-33.

Along with taking part pilots, we had nice attendance by native communities’ spectators, a lot of whom had by no means seen such actions. Dan Metz and supporting membership members distributed even flyers to close by RV parks, Group Facilities, and the well-known Palm Springs Air Museum. Equally fulfilling was the on-site catering of genuine Mexican delicacies that stored everybody fed as pilots flew from sun-up to sun-down.

The Coachella Valley RC Membership additionally acknowledge that we don’t stand alone. The assist and generosity of our occasion sponsors and membership members is sincerely appreciated. Many of those sponsors be a part of us annually, some with new initiatives not but available on the market.  These embrace Banana Pastime’s Lancer B-1 EDF, International Jet Membership’s James Bond turbine BD-5J, Kingtech’s G4 Ok-85 turbine and new releases of radios from FrSky RC Inc.

Reflecting again on the three-day occasion, we can’t be happier of the result.  The comradery of pilots, praises from spectators, assist of our sponsors, membership members and their households, and the monetary achieve from varied proceeds.  These moneys earned allow the membership to assist causes we endear together with Wounded Warriors,  Rebuilding America’s Warrior (RAW), and Tunnel to Towers. Thanks to everybody for his or her participation and assist.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY RALPH SQUILLACE