o you belong to an AMA
chartered club? Many would say
of course, assuming that the
majority of AMA members do.
Would you be surprised to learn that
only roughly half the members of AMA
belong to clubs? I have been since I first
saw the statistics. Can we believe them?
My gut feeling has always been that
the majority of members belong to clubs,
but the numbers have remained roughly
the same for a long time. I would
estimate the number of members in the
average AMA chartered club at
approximately 40. This corresponds with
what would result if roughly half of our
members belonged to clubs—even taking
into consideration those who belong to
more than one club.
As the sport experiences the rapid
emergence of park flyers—those small,
electric-powered RC models—many
think that clubs are no longer as
necessary as they have been in the past
because park flyers can be flown almost
anywhere. Nothing can be further from
the truth.
While you can physically fly the little
models anywhere, there are problems
with doing that literally. Flying park
flyers in inappropriate places is resulting
in problems for all of us.
These models span a wide range, from
expensive, complex, small helicopters to
the RC models you find in Wal-Mart,
Target, and RadioShack. Members in our
President’s Perspective
AMA President Dave Brown
D clubs do not seem to have too much
trouble embracing the upper-end models
and even the simple foamies, but those
who fly the simpler models are finding it
difficult to gain acceptance within AMA
clubs. This is understandable, but I think
we might want to re-examine our attitude
toward these pilots.
This past winter, I participated in a
number of indoor RC fly-ins that an
Indiana club held in a hangar at the
Anderson airport. I was amazed at the
broad cross-section of models flown there.
The spectrum ran from Air Hogs to $1,000
helicopters.
What I found interesting was how well
the people got along and how much pure
fun everyone had. It didn’t matter if you
were flying a “serious” model or a dimestore
RC toy, everyone enjoyed whatever
model he or she was watching at the time.
Some of the “toy” models stole the show
at some point when they did something
that caught your attention.
If this acceptance is possible in an
indoor venue, then why not at the normal
club site?
I would like to see clubs make
particular efforts to work with
communities to provide a specific place in
a park or similar place for flying the
smaller RC electric-powered models.
Ideally this would be in or close to the
town or city where it would get the most
use and do the most to grow our activity.
If the people who use that site end up
migrating to larger models, they will join
The Academy of Model Aeronautics is a world-class association of modelers organized for the purpose of
promotion, development, education, advancement and safeguard of modeling activities.
The Academy provides leadership, organization, competition, communication, protection, representation,
recognition, education, and scientific/technical development to modelers.
Mission Statement
the club and fly at the normal club field. I
would not banish those little models from
the club field.
If the club tries to convince the city to
provide a designated spot for park flyer
pilots near where they live, then it has
gone a long way toward ensuring that
those who fly these little models are less
likely to fly in inappropriate places, which
could result in local ordinances which ban
model flying—ordinances that might
unintentionally apply to your club.
Think about this effort as flying field
insurance. It doesn’t matter if the public
field for small, electric-powered models
requires AMA membership; what matters
is that those people have a designated
place to fly, which will help protect your
field.
Besides, how many of “us” would like
to be able to stop at this nearby park for a
quick flight with our little foamie on the
way home from work when we do not
have the time or inclination to make the
long trip to the club field? MA
Until next month.
Dave Brown
AMA president
[email protected]
July 2007 5
If this acceptance is possible in an indoor venue,
then why not at the normal club site?
07sig1.QXD 5/23/07 12:50 PM Page 5
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/07
Page Numbers: 5