ike many I have certain axioms and
truisms to which I always try to adhere.
A simple and popular example would be
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try
again.” Another, more pointed one is “A winner
never quits and a quitter never wins.” And yet
another old favorite is “Luck is where
preparation and opportunity meet.”
I actually collect these types of sayings and
try to put them into daily use whenever I can.
I’ve come up with a few of my own that are
modeling specific and have modified others to
adapt to my favorite pastime as well. For
instance, “An ounce of inspiration is usually
followed by at least a pound of perspiration.”
That’s an example of a modified old truism.
Some of my other favorites (mostly original)
are as follows: “It is possible to build a Stunt
model too light, but no one has ever done it” or
“There is only one correct amount of
horsepower—way too much!” That one
happens to fit both of my hobbies/sports: model
airplanes and motorcycling! And, of course, “If
a little bit is good, a whole lot more is better,
and too much is perfect!”
My most favorite is one that my very good
friend and modeling mentor Bill Simons used to
quote to me whenever I complained that I was
not scored high enough for my performance at a
contest when I was just starting out in
competition Aerobatics. He would say, “Fly
good enough, long enough, and they can’t keep
it away from you.”
It is not exactly grammatically correct, but it
got the point across and he was right. In fact I
thought so much of that one that I used it as the
title for a new book I’m currently writing. Bill’s
ability to cut through to the essence of a
problem was always amazing to me. He was
always able to “ … see the forest in spite of the
trees.”
All of these axioms or truisms are geared to
motivate us and help us succeed, proceed, and,
well, achieve a goal. They are helpful keys to
help achieve success if we use them and really,
really listen to their message.
What set me off on this tangent this month?
There is an article in this issue written by
my very close friend Bill Werwage about his
2004 F2B (CL Aerobatics, or Stunt) World
Championships-winning P-47 Thunderbolt.
Bill, for those of you who may not know the
name, is a competition Stunt flier who has been
at this game since he was 12 years old. He’s 64
now. When I say he’s been at this game for all
that time, I don’t mean that it’s his hobby and
he practices it as often as possible. I mean, quite
literally, that he’s been on a quest 24 hours a
day, seven days a week.
Sure, he’s had to make a living like the rest
of us, but I know that the foremost thought in
his mind on a constant basis is winning the
World Championships in the Stunt event. To
that end, those of us who know him well refer
to him as “The Man.”
No one I’ve ever met or heard of has put so
much of his life into just one goal as Billy has.
He won the World Championships in the event
on his first try in 1970 and then successfully
defended his title at the next World
Championships two years later in 1972. Since
Aeromodeling Editor Bob Hunt
L
that time his entire life has been dedicated to
capturing the title again.
If you’re doing the math, it took him 32
years to accomplish the task. During that time
he has been on 14 FAI teams, has captured
several medals other than the Gold, and has
consistently been at the forefront of Stunt
model and engine development. The point I’m
trying to make is that he never stopped putting
out 100% effort day in and day out for those 32
years to achieve his goal!
Think you really want something out of
life? Have you really put out the effort required
to achieve it? Are you devoting every waking
hour to do whatever is necessary to get to your
goal?
If not, don’t be too hard on yourself; not
everyone can do that. But the message is clear;
if you really want something, you must be
prepared to go far beyond the norm in
dedication, innovation, perspiration, sacrifice,
and desire to capture it. In my experience, those
who put out the most effort get the most in
return.
The harsh reality is that sometimes a goal is
unreachable no matter how much time and
effort you invest. But you will, in trying,
achieve things that would not have been
otherwise possible without your having strived
to reach that unattainable goal.
The catch-22 is that you won’t know if your
particular goal is achievable until you make the
total commitment to try. In other words, there
are no guarantees. It’s worth trying anyway.
Is Billy ready to retire now that he’s
reached his goal? Not on your life; he
celebrated for about 12 hours and then got right
back to work trying to put himself in a position
to win it all again. Winning is more than a goal
with him; it is life itself.
When I’m not trying to figure out ways to beat
Billy in competition I can be reached at (610)
614-1747. Or if the computer is your thing, try
[email protected]. My address is Box 68,
Stockertown PA 18083. MA
Modeling Spoken Here
6 MODEL AVIATION
In my experience, those
who put out the most effort
get the most in return.
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
Graphic Designer Jessica A. Booth
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
P.T. Granderson
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
07sig1.QXD 5/24/06 12:10 PM Page 6
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/07
Page Numbers: 6