People who have frequented this forum for a while may remember that there used to be what were known as the "Micro Seminars" at the NEAT Fair in upstate New York (neatfair.org). These seminars were talks on Micro RC Planes which at the time required equipment that couldn't be bought from Horizon and others. Just getting small planes to fly at reasonable speeds indoors was difficult. Sergio Zigras of the Bergen County Silent Fliers hosted the seminars in their club's tent and people who were making advances in Micro RC would give short 20 to 30 minutes talks. In 2004 I worked to get an indoor night started at NEAT to coincide with the Micro Seminars via my club the Boston Micronauts. We first had it at Walton, and then later in the high school gym at Downsville. In 2009 family and work duties meant I could not run the indoor night any more and Joe Malinchak took over running the indoor night. The seminars continued for two years at the KIEF dome event in PA, but those ended when the dome collapsed. Although the indoor nights have continue at Downsville, there have not been Micro Seminars since about 2009.

Soooo ... it's time for a Micro Seminar Reunion. This is a one-time event for the 2019 NEAT Fair, which coincides with the 20th anniversary of the NEAT Fair. Joe Malinchak and I are coordinating and getting this to happen. We have a large 20x40 tent with folding tables and chairs. We will have Micro Seminar talks, kind of like "Micro RC TED Talks" in the tent. We will have two nights of indoor flying at the Downsville School on Friday and Saturday nights September 13 and 14. We will have the popular "half time show" of fliers showcasing their micro RC planes at the indoor nights. And, of course, there will be lots of camaraderie, and outdoor flying of micro planes. It's a reunion.

We will post more information on the seminars as the talks get finalized. Here are some tentative (close to definite) talks/presentations:
* Ben Pipenberg and Matt Keennon of Aerovironment on the Mars Copter program for NASA.
* Petter Murren of ProxDynamics, a talk on the Black Hornet, an Airborne Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS) for dismounted soldiers.
* Adam Woodworth of Google, a talk on the Project Wing package-delivery drone project.
* Gordon Johnson, a talk on constructing micro airframes from carbon fiber rods molded in curved shapes from CF tow.
* Rick Ruijsink and Matej Karasek of Delft University in the Netherlands on the Delfly Nimble flapping wing flier.
* Nick Leichty of MicroFlierRadio on molding fiberglass micro props, and updates to his servos.
* Martin Newell, a talk on his MVP Micro STOL plane.
* Joe Malinchak (topic TBD).

If you have been to NEAT, this is a good year to come again. If you have never been, this would be a great year for your first NEAT. Many of the people who were regulars at the Micro Seminars and Indoor Nights at NEAT are coming back for this Reunion.

UPDATE
THE SEMINARS WILL BE IN A TENT AT THE SOUTH END OF THE FIELD, RIGHT NEAR THE PARK FLYER FLIGHT STATION. LOOK FOR A TENT WITH A "BOSTON MICRONAUTS" BANNER.

PDF OF THE SPEAKERS SCHEDULE, AND DATES AND TIMES AND DIRECTIONS TO THE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY INDOOR NIGHTS HAS BEEN UPLOADED IN THIS POST.

Definitely will be there

This years NEAT Fair should be an amazing event. We will have some of the world’s best micro modelers in attendance flying some cutting edge planes. Gordon is correct, this is the year to attend NEAT!

Wow, Gordon! That is quite a list of legendary speakers. Petter Murren is one of my idols.

Sure sounds like a better than ever year to attend NEAT. Gonna have to see if I can work out a way to make it.

I'll be there!

Graham, great you are coming.

I just added one more confirmed presentation to the first post, Rick Ruijisink and Matej Karasek from the Netherlands on their flapping wing flier.

Hi Gordon Do you know what days/times the seminars will be held? Trying to coordinate with volunteering.

Pete

Sounds like fun guys I will stop by

Originally Posted by Petefoss

Hi Gordon Do you know what days/times the seminars will be held? Trying to coordinate with volunteering.

Pete

Pete, Seminars will be Friday and Saturday. We don't know times or schedule yet. We are still lining up and finalizing speakers. And, we may need to adapt to weather on the fly. If weather gets bad we may need to hold the seminars in your new motorhome. My suggestion would be to try and get your volunteer time slots as early as possible on those days.

Originally Posted by Graham Stabler

I'll be there!

Graham, you are killing me I have known you for close to 20 years and never met you in person. Next thing Billy Stiltner will pop up My wife will be in Italy during that time, and while most would cry"bachelor weekend", not so. I am left behind to watch over her 300 plus prized orchid collection during the height of hurricane season here in south Florida. If one threatens I have 24 hours to dismantle the outdoor greenhouse and bring all of those plants to indoor shuttered storage. After the blow it all goes the other way back out. We have done it twice in the last five years, and it is a bear. I would much rather be there with you guys talking micros . I will be upstate way Oct. 19th if anybody wants to hang around . Dave

I just updated the speaker list to include Martin Newell.

Hi Gordon, should you move this thread to the NEAT Fair 2019 forum so more attendees will see it?

May I suggest putting another thread in the NEAT forum, linking it to this thread. My rationale is that some micro fliers may not frequent the NEAT forum, so they may miss it. By having it in two fora (sp?), it'll get greater exposure.

As it is, I'm going to make a link to this thread in the Unofficial NEAT schedule thread.

Bill B.

All good suggestions. Feel free to link to this thread.

Tom Hunt started a new thread in the NEAT forum today, with the information I emailed him last night. He has also put that same information on the NEAT Fair web site.

Sounds interesting. I hope some of the seminars get recorded.