Written by MF (c. 2025); Update by JP (2025); Reformatted and Edited by JS (2025)
Julie Parker - AMA Hall of Fame Nomination
by Mike Fedor, NFFS Hall of Fame 2010, AMA HOF 2022
Julie is an AMA Contest Director (CD) and lifetime member of the National Free Flight Society (NFFS). Her first exposure to Free Flight began in 1983 in San Antonio, Texas where she and her future husband, Faust, joined the Tri-City Fliers model club. She supported Faust for several years before getting involved in electric Free Flight in about 2006, when we were living in Houston. She started in F1Q and later took up F1S.
Competition Results: Julie has been an avid competitor in F1S and F1Q all over the U.S., including: Texas; Muncie, Indiana; Pensacola, Florida; Lost Hills, California; Eloy, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; and Wellington, Kansas. She has twenty-three top five finishes in America’s Cup (three-time AC Champ in F1Q; 1 time in F1S). She is also three-time National Champion in F1Q. Other major contest wins include three-time winner in MaxMen F1S, first in F1S in the Ike, first in F1S in the Kotuku Cup, one first in F1S and two firsts in F1Q in the Sierra Cup, and three-time winner in F1Q at the Southwest Regionals.
Volunteer Work: She has been a constant volunteer at the Outdoor Nats for many years and was an assistant CD when Faust CD’d the Nats. She is the Nats manager/coordinator. Julie recruits the CD, helps organize the volunteers, makes sure plaques and trophies are ordered, coordinates the score cards with AMA, and organizes/manages the annual NFFS Hall of Fame banquet and the Nats picnic. She has compiled an instruction manual and daily checklist for the Nats CD, making the position and responsibilities consistent and easier for the CD from year to year. She has been NFFS Symposium Director since 2021, managing the deadlines, publishing, and financial aspects of the process. Locally, she is Vice President of the Texas Cloud Climbers club and has been the Texas Cup administrator since 2014.
NFFS Involvement: In 2018, Julie became NFFS Treasurer. Several years into the position, she was appointed to the NFFS board of directors. Since that time, she has taken on many projects and tasks in support of the youth development program, scholarship program, and other aspects promoting the success of NFFS and its members. Many of those programs involve financial interaction with AMA, which she manages, reports and keeps track of all aspects. Early on, it was discovered that financial records were not in good order or were completely missing. For more than four years, she worked on reestablishing financial records and reporting practices, including working with a CPA specializing in non-profits to get us up to date with IRS and required filings. In addition, she set up quarterly financial reports for the board of directors and NFFS president. There were several investment accounts that were under-performing, and she worked to consolidate and rearrange investments. Those accounts have more than tripled in value since then. On a day-to-day basis, the position involves normal accounting duties as well as sending out thank you letters to donors indicating tax exemption info. The position is timeconsuming, often frustrating, at times rewarding, and absolutely essential for the success of NFFS.
Awards: She received the FAI Jean Batten Award at the Kiwi Cup in 2022. Recipient of the NFFS Presidential Award for outstanding service in 2015, 2019, 2023 and 2024. Publications: Annual Report of the National Free Flight Society, Symposium 2014 article “From Supporter to F1Q National and Americas Cup Champion” by Julie Parker. She was also included in the same publication as one of the “Women in Free Flight”.
Support Role: Julie has been a strong supporter for husband Faust for years and her main task was to be sure he had his “ducks in a row”. This has also included traveling to four World Championships (Israel, Argentina, Hungary, and California) to support both Faust and the entire U.S. teams. She is a strong supporter of the Junior Outdoor and Indoor U.S. Teams, the Science Olympiad program and the Senior U.S. teams. And now it’s her turn to compete in the 2025 World Championships in Romania as a member of the F1Q team; the first woman on the first U.S.A. F1Q team. [2025 update from Julie Parker: “I made the USA Outdoor Free Flight Team in October 2024 and would be on the F1Q Team as the fourth member and female member. At the World Championships in Romania this past July, I finished 12th overall, 3rd highest place woman and the F1Q Team finished 3rd overall.”]
She has assisted with running our local club contests for many years and obtained her CD license several years ago and is CD-ing some of our local club contests.
July 2025: Julie receiving a trophy and FAI diploma certificate at the World Championships in Romania. [Photographed by Faust Parker. Photo provided to the AMA History Project by Julie Parker.]
She is one of the best timers on the field and is always a willing timer for anyone in need. And I can attest to the fact that the time she gets is accurate, whether it’s a max or short. Conclusion: It should be obvious that Julie deserves a place in the AMA [Model Aviation] Hall of Fame. Her contributions to Free Flight have been extremely valuable to NFFS, AMA, and her local club. Please take this nomination seriously and vote her in.
July 2025: Julie with her trophy and FAI diploma certificate on the awards stand at the World Championships in Romania. [Photographed by Tiffaney O’Dell. Photo provided to the AMA History Project by Julie Parker.]
July 2025: Julie launching her Free Flight Sergei Vorvihvost geared model airplane. [Photographed by Rae Murphy. Photo provided to the AMA History Project by Julie Parker.]
July 2025: Julie launching her Free Flight Sergei Vorvihvost geared model airplane at the World Cup contest before the World Championships. [Photographed by Tiffaney O’Dell. Photo provided to the AMA History Project by Julie Parker.]
2025: Julie receiving her AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame plaque from AMA District VIII Vice President Lawrence Harville. [Photo provided to the AMA History Project by Julie Parker.]
2025: Julie’s (center, in tie dye shirt) AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame plaque presentation with Texas Cloud Climbers club members and District VIII Vice President Lawrence Harville (far left, in red). Faust Parker at right of Julie, in red shirt. [Photo provided to the AMA History Project by Julie Parker.]
This page is a text transcription of the original document, made automatically and may contain errors. .