192 MODEL AVIATION
Executive Director Jim Cherry
he weather is warming up and you
should be finishing all of those
winter building projects.
For the first time in my flying/building
career, I am so far behind that I cannot
justify buying one more thing until I finish
some of the other projects that are calling
my name every time I go into the
workroom. When did the airplane that I
couldn’t keep my hands off of for so long
become the stepchild of the workbench?
For many, April is the beginning of the
flying season as the days get warm enough
to make it fun and not an endurance contest.
At AMA Headquarters in Muncie,
Indiana, some of the staff will be attending
the annual Weak Signals Toledo Show in
Toledo, Ohio, April 4-6. We plan to have
representatives at the National Retail
Hobby Shop Association (NRHSA) show in
Las Vegas, Nevada, April 22-25, and at the
Electric Flight Expo in Phoenix, Arizona,
April 25-27.
If you have been out of the country for a
while and are not aware of the new AMA
Park Pilot Program, I encourage you to visit
www.parkflyer.org. Acquaint yourself with
this exciting new program designed to get
thousands of new fliers acquainted with
safe flying and the AMA.
We held the first Executive Council (EC)
meeting of 2008 under the leadership of the
new president, Dave Mathewson. As a part of
the new administration, Dave submitted a
revised plan for AMA committees in 2008.
As one aspect of the committee-building
process, the Academy is conducting a poll of
members who are interested in serving on an
AMA committee. The form to submit your
name for consideration is on page 49 of this
issue of MA. Mail the form to AMA or check
out the Web-based poll and apply
electronically. A roster of open committees
and their mission statements is available for
review along with the polls.
T
With a membership of more than
150,000, we cannot guarantee that
everyone who submits his or her name for
consideration will be asked to serve. We
expect that many more will volunteer than
can be accommodated. Some committees
following a bylaws’ mandate already have
their membership determined.
As far as I am aware, this is the first
time a membership-wide invitation has
been offered, so if you have some expertise
in a field or endeavor outlined in one of the
committee’s mission statements, please
take time to respond and you may find
yourself in a position to help shape AMA’s
future.
We also plan to poll the membership
concerning members’ governmental and
legislative horsepower. We will be seeking
AMA members who are well connected
with federal elected officials and staff.
The Academy is preparing itself for
interaction with these legislators. We know
there is strength in numbers and often
getting access to these lawmakers—without
having to go the hired-lobbyist route—
depends on who you know.
If you are on the “short list” of a
congressman or woman, let us know. It is
one of those things in life that we hope we
never have to use, but often by the time you
need connections, it is too late to find out
who knows whom on Capitol Hill.
“You know you’re a modeler when ... ”
has continued to amaze me! Stanley
Jablonski starts us out with: “You don’t
have the time to iron wrinkles out of a shirt,
but you will spend an evening ironing
MonoKote.”
Bob Kirkpatrick: “You would rather
watch the batteries in your new radio
charge than spend ‘romantic’ time with
your wife. (And I wonder why many wives
don’t come out to the flying field.)”
Andy Koschmann of Valley
Aeromodelers in Appleton, Wisconsin,
thinks you know you’re a modeler when:
“You keep debonder next to the Band-
Aids in the medicine cabinet.
“You consider CA a necessary part of
your first aid kit.
“You know what CA stands for.
“You don’t understand how anyone
could not know what CA is.
“You go to the local hobby shop to
socialize with friends.
“You buy industrial-grade power tools
to cut balsa and lite ply.
“You get a new plane, radio, or engine
and have ‘show-and-tell time’ at the next
club meeting, just like you did when you
were in kindergarten.
“You are disappointed when all the
presents are unwrapped Christmas
morning and there is nothing under the
tree to support your modeling needs.
“Your wife is embarrassed to take you
to social events because she knows you
will talk to everyone about airplanes until
you find someone that actually cares.”
Finally, not in the vein of “You know
you’re a modeler when ... ” but just as
funny is from Ron Hill in Pensacola,
Florida:
“There are three prices that you pay for
a model airplane:
“1) The price that you actually paid for
it
“2) The price you told your wife you
paid for it
“3) The price you pay when your wife
finds out what you actually paid for it” MA
In the spirit of flight.
Jim Cherry
Executive Director
[email protected]
If you are on the “short list” of a
congressman or woman, let us know.
View From HQ
04sig6.QXD 2/25/08 8:34 AM Page 192
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/04
Page Numbers: 192