184 MODEL AVIATION
Joyce Hager Executive Director
View from HQ
LEADER CLUB AWARD: Some of you
may remember that I wrote about the
Leader Club Program in one of my
columns early this year. Since that time we
have increased the number of Gold Leader
Clubs to 88, Silver-level clubs now stand
at seven, and there is one Bronze-level
club.
With roughly 2,500 chartered clubs, I
know that there have to be more that
qualify for one of these awards. Details
about the program and qualifications are
located in the Membership Manual or on
AMA’s Web site—www.modelaircraft.org
—or you may contact Erin Dobbs at
[email protected] for assistance.
Ambassador Program: Sign three and fly
for free! The Ambassador Program is still
in existence, and this year we have signed
up 822 new members.
It doesn’t take much to participate. A
current member can sponsor three people
who are interested in flying models and
encourage them to join AMA. The
sponsoring member’s name and AMA
number must be clearly identified on each
new member’s application. In exchange,
the sponsoring member will receive a free
one-year membership to AMA.
Let’s see how many new members we
can sign up through this program. Details
are available on the AMA Web site.
The Hobby Shop Program that AMA has
been involved in for the last several years
has been a good source of new and renewal
memberships. As I write this in June, 457
people have become members this way so
far this year.
If you know of a hobby shop in your
area that does not participate in the
program, please contact Erin Dobbs at
[email protected].
Things at the International Aeromodeling
Center in Muncie, Indiana, are moving
along nicely. The grass is growing, and the
rain keeps coming.
The dedication of the Willie McCool
Control Line circles will be taking place
during the opening of the Control Line
World Championships (CLWC). All areas
are preparing for the visitors expected for
the National Aeromodeling
Championships and the CLWC.
Check out the Competitions portion of
the Web site for a schedule of events.
During this busy time, members who
don’t attend these events might find it hard
to contact some of the staff at AMA
Headquarters. If you can’t contact a
particular staff member or department,
please leave your message with the
receptionist; we will try our best to get
back to you in a reasonable amount of
time.
If you have a real emergency, please
direct your correspondence to me at
[email protected] or leave a
message on my telephone.
The Competitions Department staff will
be the hardest to reach since they are the
ones who are heavily involved in both the
Nats and the CLWC. Please have patience
with this department; we do try to put on
good events while servicing the rest of the
membership.
Have you seen the new Web site for
beginners? It is called Sport Aviator and
can be found at www.masportaviator.com/.
Here are just a few comments concerning
this site:
“This site is exactly what I was hoping
the Academy would do several years ago
when I suggested a “Beginners” column
for Model Aviation. The format is good,
the articles seem easy to read, and the
content is simple insofar as I have read.
Congratulations!”
—Bob Spivey
“It’s great. I learned more here in 10
minutes than I did with my instructor in 10
hours.”
—Ray Smith
“I would have enjoyed a site like this
when I first started to learn how to fly. All
the information is right here.”
—Marguerite
This is only a sample of the comments
I have received. I am pleased at how this
site has turned out and want to thank
Frank Granelli for the wonderful job he is
doing.
George Jenkins, one of our members
from Florida and a member of the Sarasota
R/C Squadron, has offered to help clubs
develop a brochure that could be handed
out at club functions—for free! This flyer
can be passed out at mall shows, field
events, etc.
George designed the flyer in Microsoft
Publisher and has offered to modify it to
include any information or picture a club
would require. A sample of the brochure
can be seen on the club’s Web site at
www.sarasotarc.com.
The club would need to send George
the exact wording and maps needed for the
individual club situation. It should be
provided in Microsoft Word so he can
copy and paste without having to do
unnecessary typing. The club’s logo can
be in a scanned format as an attachment in
the same E-mail or separate.
The subject line of your E-mailed
request should read “Re: AMA club
brochure request” to not be confused with
spam or junk E-mail. A proof copy will be
sent to the club in PDF format for
approval and to make any necessary
changes. It will take roughly four to six
weeks to complete the project.
The completed artwork will be
provided to the club in PDF format. The
club would be responsible for copying the
brochure or having it commercially
printed.
George wrote, “I hope it will work to
promote model aviation and be as good a
communication piece as it has been for our
club.”
He will communicate by E-mail only.
Please do not send faxes or call. His
address is [email protected].
George, thank you for the generous
offer to assist other AMA clubs; I am sure
it will be much appreciated. MA
Have you seen the new
Web site for beginners?
Happy flying,
Joyce Hager
Executive Director
[email protected]
09sig6.QXD 6/23/04 11:16 am Page 184
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/09
Page Numbers: 184