“Fifty years ago it was common for young
people to fly CL in more populated areas of the
country. Park flyers present an opportunity to
bring model aviation back into these areas.
Melding liability control with financial realities
will be difficult, but we must overcome this
obstacle if we are to attract this new generation
of aeromodeler.
“Efforts must be made to work with
municipalities to create safe and acceptable
places for these models to be flown. The
number of these modelers will have a profound
effect on aeromodeling of all types. We need to
expend the effort to ensure that the effect is
positive. If they do not act responsibly, they
could have the opposite consequence.
“Facilities for the enjoyment of our sport
are central to the activity. The need to acquire
more flying sites and to preserve the ones we
have must remain high on our list of priorities.
We cannot afford the luxury of having
members who disagree with a policy adopted
by a club to control its facility, and going to the
government department that controls the use of
the site in an attempt to resolve their grievance.
We must convince the members to address
those concerns internally—within the
aeromodeling ‘family’—in order to avoid
losing flying sites because of internal
squabbles.
“Most importantly, we need to be
responsive to the needs of the membership.
Diversity is considered a strength for any
organization; if this is true, then AMA should
be the strongest organization on earth. We are
certainly diverse. The challenge is to unify
those diverse interests into a single voice that
can speak for and to the issues we face.
“As the sport grows, it becomes more
diverse—particularly as technology and
economics allow us to expand the boundaries
of feasibility and popularity. At one time—not
so long ago to some of us—the extremes of
aeromodeling were confined to a narrow
group; .60s were ‘big,’ .15s were ‘small.’ A
‘light’ model was 4-5 ounces, and a ‘heavy’
one was 10 pounds. Speed records were set in
WHEN I WAS RE-ELECTED president,
one of the Executive Council (EC) members
suggested that I present a “State of the Union”
address at the first EC meeting of the new
term. I thought it was a good idea and wrote
the address, but I was unable to present it in
person. A medical emergency prevented me
from attending an EC meeting for the first time
in 25 years.
On January 26, 2005, AMA’s Executive
Director Don Koranda read the statement to the
council. Well received, it was suggested that I
share the address with the membership.
“As I embark on another term as president,
I look out at AMA and see a healthy
organization, led by a dedicated group of
elected volunteers, and managed by a hardworking
staff. I see an organization that has
come a long way since the 1960s when a
number of people in the aeromodeling industry
ran a ‘dump-the-deficit’ campaign, in order to
keep the association afloat.
“AMA has grown into a financially stable,
effective organization, dedicated to advancing
the sport of model aviation. The facilities we
have for our employees are first class, as are
the National Model Aviation Museum and the
flying site, which we maintain for the
members. Our balance sheet is the envy of
many organizations, and our standing within
the international model-aviation community is
at the very top. Our education and heritage
programs are fulfilling our charitable premise,
and the number of young people being exposed
to model aviation because of that work is
inspiring.
“While the organization is healthy, it faces
a number of challenges in the years ahead,
including slowly shrinking membership and
constantly advancing technology which will
challenge our ability to keep pace.
Technological advances are the lifeblood of
our sport and organization, yet they will
challenge our rules and structure.
“The organization needs to be prepared to
meet those challenges. Safety should continue
to be our top priority because the availability of
affordable insurance coverage is of paramount
importance to the sport.
“Among the challenges we face in the
immediate future is one which is both a
challenge and an opportunity. Park flyers—as
the new breed of ‘little’ RC model airplanes
has become known—present an opportunity
for AMA and the sport to grow to a size
unimaginable in the past. Creating programs to
attract that group to AMA without
undermining the core membership of the
organization will be difficult, yet it will be
necessary if we are to prosper in the future.
Dave Brown AMA president
President’s Perspective
April 2005 5
We had better strap in
and get to work; it’s going
to be a thrilling ride.
the 140 mph range, while sport models
flew at 70 mph.
“Those extremes could be handled within a
‘one-membership-fits-all’ policy, and there
was little need to consider any other plan.
Technology has not only made it possible to
fly a greater cross-section of models, it has
made flying models across a wider spectrum
practical and popular.
“Who would have thought 25 years ago
that models capable of flying 300 mph would
become accessible to the common modeler?
Who would have believed that an RC model
weighing only a few ounces would be
available and have enough thrust to hover on
its electric motor and fly for nearly a half
hour? Who would have guessed there would
be 50-pound models with enough power to
accelerate vertically?
“These are commonplace models today
and what the future will bring is exciting to
ponder. We have outgrown the idea of ‘one
AMA membership fits all,’ and it is time to
consider a multitiered membership structure to
serve the interests of all aeromodelers. Those
flying at the high end of the envelope don’t
want any more limitation than necessary,
while those in the rest of the sport don’t want
to carry the liability cost in their dues.
“Those who only invest $100 or less in
their RTF equipment are not inclined to spend
$58 to join the association. I believe a
multitiered system of membership is the only
logical way to address these needs at both
ends. The challenge is to accomplish this
without undermining our current base of
membership.
“I see AMA as a strong organization, rich
in heritage. It is vibrant with some new,
enthusiastic people recently elected to join
those leaders who have all been a part of
bringing AMA to this point. During the next
few years, I expect to see a number of changes
in AMA, not only within its leadership, but
also in its basic being.
“AMA must change—not as a reflection of
its being out of step with the times we are in—
but in response to changing times. I feel
confident that the leadership of AMA now and
its leadership in the future will continue to
serve the sport of aeromodeling well.
“To those new members of the EC, I
extend a welcome. Your fresh ideas will bring
a lot to the table. To those members of the
council who have been here for a while, I
thank you for your service to the aeromodeling
community. Together we are responsible for
the future of AMA and the sport of
aeromodeling in the United States.
“We had better strap in and get to work;
it’s going to be a thrilling ride.” MA
SINCE 1936
Dave Brown
AMA president
[email protected]
Edition: Model Aviation - 2005/04
Page Numbers: 5