ext to hosting and administrating
the Nats, the biggest annual event
for AMA is our convention that is
held in Ontario, California, each
January.
Far more than a trade or consumer show,
the AMA Convention is truly a multifaceted
affair at which several significant things
happen each year. Among these is the
centerpiece of an outstanding consumer
exposition where the newest and best
modeling merchandise can be seen and, in
many/most cases, purchased.
Add to the mix a rich and diverse series of
informational symposiums/forums, an
extremely well conceived, staffed, and
executed educational program, a safe and
spacious demonstration area, a static display
competition with classes for all types of
models, and even scheduled district and other
official AMA meetings, and you can see that
this affair is continually growing and
evolving to serve the membership of the
entire West Coast area.
In this issue there is a complete and
detailed report of the 2006 edition of the
AMA Convention.
This year one more exciting element was
added to the convention’s schedule. Burt
Rutan, who is a significant figure in
aerospace design and engineering—and a
noted model airplane builder and flier—was
recently inducted into the Model Aviation
Hall of Fame, and a special banquet was held
to allow Burt to be honored among fellow
modelers.
Burt was extremely active in modeling in
his youth, and he competed in many CL and
FF events on the West Coast and at the AMA
Nats in 1959 and 1960. Although he doesn’t
get the chance to build and fly models much
these days, he still has great and high regard
for those who design and build models—so
much that he made some pointed comments
on the subject and one startling statement at
the banquet during his acceptance speech.
The MA staff was granted an exclusive
interview with Burt after the banquet, and a
detailed transcript of his responses is included
in this issue. Also included in that article is an
account of the amazing comments Burt made
during his speech, so I won’t reveal the news
here.
Burt surprised everyone by presenting the
Academy with a special gift. There was a
payload requirement on the Ansari X Prizewinning
SpaceShipOne project (for more
information about this project go to
http://scaled.com/projects/tierone/index.htm)
in which his company has been recently
involved. Instead of putting dead weight
onboard he made part of the payload
significant items. Among these were several
model airplane kits—an idea originally
suggested by famed West Coast modeler and
hobby shop owner Tony Naccarato.
Burt presented AMA with a beautiful
Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
… this affair is continually
growing and evolving to
serve the membership of the
entire West Coast area.
N
Published by The Academy of Model Aeronautics
Rob Kurek
Director of Publications
Editorial offices: (765) 287-1256, extension
224 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays) Fax:
(765) 281-7907
Contributing Editors
Dave Brown
President
Doug Holland
Executive Vice President
Staff
(765) 287-1256 | www.modelaircraft.org
Fax: (765) 289-4248
Advertising Representative
Mark Lanterman, Airborne Media, 7414
Burton Dr., Liberty Township OH 45044
(513) 755-7494 | Fax: (513) 755-7495
Acting Executive Director Joyce Hager
NAA Representative David Ivey
Model Aviation is an official publication of The Academy
of Model Aeronautics, Inc., an associate member of the
National Aeronautic Association (NAA). NAA is the official
U.S. representative of the Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale (FAI), the world governing body for sport
aviation, and represents the U.S. at FAI meetings. NAA
delegated to the AMA supervision of FAI-related
aeromodeling activities such as record attempts,
competition sanctions, and selection of U.S. teams for
World Championships. (ISSN 0744-5059, USPS 087-930
Publications Agreement No. 40688541) is owned
exclusively by The Academy of Model Aeronautics, Inc., a
nonprofit organization, and published monthly at 5161
East Memorial Drive, Muncie IN 47302. Periodical rate
postage paid at Muncie IN and at additional mailing
offices. Canadian return address: Station A, PO Box 54,
Windsor ON N9A 615
Account Executive Angela Martin
Administrative Assistant Yolanda Jones
Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
AMA News Editor Elizabeth Helms
Art Director Carla Hart Kunz
Associate Editor Michael Ramsey
Graphic Designer Sarah Shaw
Managing Editor Shelia Ames Webb
Production Associate Jennifer Orebaugh
Stan Alexander
Darwin Barrie
Bill Boss
Kurt Bozarth
Paul Bradley
Sal Calvagna
Curt Contrata
Dave Garwood
Dave Gee
Greg Gimlick
Eric Henderson
Jim Hiller
James Holland
Mike Hurley
Louis Joyner
John Kagan
Mike Keville
Rich Lopez
Dave Mark
D.B. Mathews
Dennis Norman
Richard L. Perry
Dave Robelen
Greg Rose
Red Scholefield
Gene Smith
Ray Stacy
Joe Wagner
Technical Editor Bob Aberle
display case that contained two AMA Cub
kits and two Delta Dart kits that were part of
the payload that went into space aboard
SpaceShipOne. A fully built original Delta
Dart model is also in the case.
By late spring that case should be
prominently and proudly displayed in the
AMA museum in Muncie, Indiana. Please be
sure to search it out and see it when you are
visiting the Academy headquarters. Thanks to
Burt for this thoughtful treasure.
Wake of Katrina: In this issue we are
featuring an article about the 2005 F3A (FAI
RC Aerobatics) World Championships that
was contested in St. Yan, France, in August.
A bit late for this report, you say? We’d
normally agree, but in this case we are
pleased to be able to present it at all.
The author of this piece is Brian
Clemmons, who was the assistant manager of
the US F3A team. He was late in getting his
report to us, but we don’t blame him a bit; his
home was one of the thousands that were
devastated by hurricane Katrina last August.
The hurricane hit while he and team manager
Bryan Hebert were trying to drive to their
Louisiana homes from the airport after
returning from the World Championships.
At the end of his report Brian gives a full
account of his and Bryan’s ordeal. We are
thankful for the report, but we are far more
grateful for their safe return. We wish them
both a quick return to normal life.
On that note I have an update on AMA’s
post-Katrina efforts. AMA posted a help Web
site after the storm in an attempt to place
displaced modelers from the affected area
with those who had spare living space.
Modeling Spoken Here
Thankfully not too many people had to
use that service, but there were a few, and
I’m certain that they are thankful for the
efforts and hospitality of their fellow
modelers.
This seems like an appropriate place and
time to write about a personal Katrinarelated
experience. I was given the
opportunity recently to go to Gulfport,
Mississippi, to spend a week with the North
Carolina Baptist Men (NCBM), who is
fielding and funding disaster relief teams.
This is but one of many faith-based groups
and other civil groups that have dedicated
themselves to helping in the affected
region.
My brother James C. Hunt is a member
of the NCBM group, and he arranged for
me to go along as a guest helper for a
week. It’s certainly one I will never forget.
The NCBM has committed itself to
staying in the Gulfport area for two years
and restoring/rebuilding 500 homes! This is
a volunteer group, and it supplies all the
labor and required materials at no charge to
the homeowners.
Much of the material comes from
donations from large home-improvement
companies and other sources, but, still, much
of it is actually purchased by the
organizations that do the work. Those who
had no flood or disaster insurance were
eligible to request help from these groups.
The home my work crew was assigned
to, and all the others in the development
around it, had been flooded during the storm.
It sat approximately 15 feet above the
normal waterline but had at least 9 feet of
water in it during the worst of the storm.
When the water subsided, all the homes
in the area were water damaged to the point
that many of the roofs had to be completely
rebuilt and reshingled, and all the wallboard
and insulation and most of the doors and
windows had to be torn out. Then the wood
framing had to be treated with chemicals to
kill off any mold and inhibit growth of new
mold.
After that, each home had to be inspected
before new construction could proceed.
Once okayed by the building inspector, the
work crews could go in and reinsulate,
rewallboard, rewindow and redoor, refloor,
and finally repaint the homes.
The six-man crew I was on was assigned
the task of completing the wallboarding of a
large ranch home and taping, spackling, and
sanding the seams. My brother, who was our
crew chief, knew of my supposed expertise
with a sanding block, so when the time came
I was drafted to block-sand the walls. This is
just another example of how modeling skills
can benefit us in other parts of life.
The rewarding part of this experience
was seeing the joy in the face of the 80-
plus-year-old woman who owned the house
we were rebuilding. The sad reality was in
the realization that we were not even
making a tiny dent in the overall need of
the region.
Katrina devastated a larger area than the
total square miles of the country of
England! And no matter how much disaster
footage you watched on television in the
weeks after the hurricane hit, you’ll never
get an accurate picture of the amount and
depth of the wreckage unless you go and see
it for yourself.
If you have the time and wherewithal to
volunteer, I strongly suggest that you do so.
The work is challenging and the days are
long, but the rewards are great and the need
is immediate. It will take generations to
restore this area, and the media’s focus is
off the region to a great degree. They need
help—lots of it—and soon.
If you cannot commit to going down
there and working with a volunteer group,
please do whatever you can in terms of
donations to your favorite faith-based or
civil group.
Soapbox rebuilt, resanded, repainted, and
put away.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/04
Page Numbers: 6,90
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/04
Page Numbers: 6,90
ext to hosting and administrating
the Nats, the biggest annual event
for AMA is our convention that is
held in Ontario, California, each
January.
Far more than a trade or consumer show,
the AMA Convention is truly a multifaceted
affair at which several significant things
happen each year. Among these is the
centerpiece of an outstanding consumer
exposition where the newest and best
modeling merchandise can be seen and, in
many/most cases, purchased.
Add to the mix a rich and diverse series of
informational symposiums/forums, an
extremely well conceived, staffed, and
executed educational program, a safe and
spacious demonstration area, a static display
competition with classes for all types of
models, and even scheduled district and other
official AMA meetings, and you can see that
this affair is continually growing and
evolving to serve the membership of the
entire West Coast area.
In this issue there is a complete and
detailed report of the 2006 edition of the
AMA Convention.
This year one more exciting element was
added to the convention’s schedule. Burt
Rutan, who is a significant figure in
aerospace design and engineering—and a
noted model airplane builder and flier—was
recently inducted into the Model Aviation
Hall of Fame, and a special banquet was held
to allow Burt to be honored among fellow
modelers.
Burt was extremely active in modeling in
his youth, and he competed in many CL and
FF events on the West Coast and at the AMA
Nats in 1959 and 1960. Although he doesn’t
get the chance to build and fly models much
these days, he still has great and high regard
for those who design and build models—so
much that he made some pointed comments
on the subject and one startling statement at
the banquet during his acceptance speech.
The MA staff was granted an exclusive
interview with Burt after the banquet, and a
detailed transcript of his responses is included
in this issue. Also included in that article is an
account of the amazing comments Burt made
during his speech, so I won’t reveal the news
here.
Burt surprised everyone by presenting the
Academy with a special gift. There was a
payload requirement on the Ansari X Prizewinning
SpaceShipOne project (for more
information about this project go to
http://scaled.com/projects/tierone/index.htm)
in which his company has been recently
involved. Instead of putting dead weight
onboard he made part of the payload
significant items. Among these were several
model airplane kits—an idea originally
suggested by famed West Coast modeler and
hobby shop owner Tony Naccarato.
Burt presented AMA with a beautiful
Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
… this affair is continually
growing and evolving to
serve the membership of the
entire West Coast area.
N
Published by The Academy of Model Aeronautics
Rob Kurek
Director of Publications
Editorial offices: (765) 287-1256, extension
224 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays) Fax:
(765) 281-7907
Contributing Editors
Dave Brown
President
Doug Holland
Executive Vice President
Staff
(765) 287-1256 | www.modelaircraft.org
Fax: (765) 289-4248
Advertising Representative
Mark Lanterman, Airborne Media, 7414
Burton Dr., Liberty Township OH 45044
(513) 755-7494 | Fax: (513) 755-7495
Acting Executive Director Joyce Hager
NAA Representative David Ivey
Model Aviation is an official publication of The Academy
of Model Aeronautics, Inc., an associate member of the
National Aeronautic Association (NAA). NAA is the official
U.S. representative of the Fédération Aéronautique
Internationale (FAI), the world governing body for sport
aviation, and represents the U.S. at FAI meetings. NAA
delegated to the AMA supervision of FAI-related
aeromodeling activities such as record attempts,
competition sanctions, and selection of U.S. teams for
World Championships. (ISSN 0744-5059, USPS 087-930
Publications Agreement No. 40688541) is owned
exclusively by The Academy of Model Aeronautics, Inc., a
nonprofit organization, and published monthly at 5161
East Memorial Drive, Muncie IN 47302. Periodical rate
postage paid at Muncie IN and at additional mailing
offices. Canadian return address: Station A, PO Box 54,
Windsor ON N9A 615
Account Executive Angela Martin
Administrative Assistant Yolanda Jones
Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
AMA News Editor Elizabeth Helms
Art Director Carla Hart Kunz
Associate Editor Michael Ramsey
Graphic Designer Sarah Shaw
Managing Editor Shelia Ames Webb
Production Associate Jennifer Orebaugh
Stan Alexander
Darwin Barrie
Bill Boss
Kurt Bozarth
Paul Bradley
Sal Calvagna
Curt Contrata
Dave Garwood
Dave Gee
Greg Gimlick
Eric Henderson
Jim Hiller
James Holland
Mike Hurley
Louis Joyner
John Kagan
Mike Keville
Rich Lopez
Dave Mark
D.B. Mathews
Dennis Norman
Richard L. Perry
Dave Robelen
Greg Rose
Red Scholefield
Gene Smith
Ray Stacy
Joe Wagner
Technical Editor Bob Aberle
display case that contained two AMA Cub
kits and two Delta Dart kits that were part of
the payload that went into space aboard
SpaceShipOne. A fully built original Delta
Dart model is also in the case.
By late spring that case should be
prominently and proudly displayed in the
AMA museum in Muncie, Indiana. Please be
sure to search it out and see it when you are
visiting the Academy headquarters. Thanks to
Burt for this thoughtful treasure.
Wake of Katrina: In this issue we are
featuring an article about the 2005 F3A (FAI
RC Aerobatics) World Championships that
was contested in St. Yan, France, in August.
A bit late for this report, you say? We’d
normally agree, but in this case we are
pleased to be able to present it at all.
The author of this piece is Brian
Clemmons, who was the assistant manager of
the US F3A team. He was late in getting his
report to us, but we don’t blame him a bit; his
home was one of the thousands that were
devastated by hurricane Katrina last August.
The hurricane hit while he and team manager
Bryan Hebert were trying to drive to their
Louisiana homes from the airport after
returning from the World Championships.
At the end of his report Brian gives a full
account of his and Bryan’s ordeal. We are
thankful for the report, but we are far more
grateful for their safe return. We wish them
both a quick return to normal life.
On that note I have an update on AMA’s
post-Katrina efforts. AMA posted a help Web
site after the storm in an attempt to place
displaced modelers from the affected area
with those who had spare living space.
Modeling Spoken Here
Thankfully not too many people had to
use that service, but there were a few, and
I’m certain that they are thankful for the
efforts and hospitality of their fellow
modelers.
This seems like an appropriate place and
time to write about a personal Katrinarelated
experience. I was given the
opportunity recently to go to Gulfport,
Mississippi, to spend a week with the North
Carolina Baptist Men (NCBM), who is
fielding and funding disaster relief teams.
This is but one of many faith-based groups
and other civil groups that have dedicated
themselves to helping in the affected
region.
My brother James C. Hunt is a member
of the NCBM group, and he arranged for
me to go along as a guest helper for a
week. It’s certainly one I will never forget.
The NCBM has committed itself to
staying in the Gulfport area for two years
and restoring/rebuilding 500 homes! This is
a volunteer group, and it supplies all the
labor and required materials at no charge to
the homeowners.
Much of the material comes from
donations from large home-improvement
companies and other sources, but, still, much
of it is actually purchased by the
organizations that do the work. Those who
had no flood or disaster insurance were
eligible to request help from these groups.
The home my work crew was assigned
to, and all the others in the development
around it, had been flooded during the storm.
It sat approximately 15 feet above the
normal waterline but had at least 9 feet of
water in it during the worst of the storm.
When the water subsided, all the homes
in the area were water damaged to the point
that many of the roofs had to be completely
rebuilt and reshingled, and all the wallboard
and insulation and most of the doors and
windows had to be torn out. Then the wood
framing had to be treated with chemicals to
kill off any mold and inhibit growth of new
mold.
After that, each home had to be inspected
before new construction could proceed.
Once okayed by the building inspector, the
work crews could go in and reinsulate,
rewallboard, rewindow and redoor, refloor,
and finally repaint the homes.
The six-man crew I was on was assigned
the task of completing the wallboarding of a
large ranch home and taping, spackling, and
sanding the seams. My brother, who was our
crew chief, knew of my supposed expertise
with a sanding block, so when the time came
I was drafted to block-sand the walls. This is
just another example of how modeling skills
can benefit us in other parts of life.
The rewarding part of this experience
was seeing the joy in the face of the 80-
plus-year-old woman who owned the house
we were rebuilding. The sad reality was in
the realization that we were not even
making a tiny dent in the overall need of
the region.
Katrina devastated a larger area than the
total square miles of the country of
England! And no matter how much disaster
footage you watched on television in the
weeks after the hurricane hit, you’ll never
get an accurate picture of the amount and
depth of the wreckage unless you go and see
it for yourself.
If you have the time and wherewithal to
volunteer, I strongly suggest that you do so.
The work is challenging and the days are
long, but the rewards are great and the need
is immediate. It will take generations to
restore this area, and the media’s focus is
off the region to a great degree. They need
help—lots of it—and soon.
If you cannot commit to going down
there and working with a volunteer group,
please do whatever you can in terms of
donations to your favorite faith-based or
civil group.
Soapbox rebuilt, resanded, repainted, and
put away.