184 MODEL AVIATION
Executive Director Jim Cherry
In a recent “View From HQ,” column I
expressed concern about the loss of
building skills from one generation to the
next. I posed this question because it is always
a concern when a skill set is lost, not by any
directive but by the ever-changing world in
which we live.
Not surprisingly, I received numerous
responses to my thoughts about how we could
save these precious skills. With permission I
have reprinted some of the answers to the
challenge.
I thank these members for their insights. I hope
we all might find a thought or an idea that we, a
fellow modeler, a club, or even an entire
district can use.
“Thank you for your worthwhile
commentary on the loss of the building skill set
in Model Aviation (“View from HQ,” February
2009, page 184).
“I think that one method for passing on skill
sets is to have classes available where people
can learn the specific skills. Many people,
including myself, would be willing to pay a
significant tuition to take such a course. So you
could charge adults such as me to take courses
in building airplanes and rockets and you could
provide the courses for free to youth.
“Other areas of activity such as lapidary
arts, calligraphy, blacksmithing, and electronics
building have also had this problem of the loss
of the skill set. So people set up courses in
these fields so that newcomers can learn the art.
“This educational approach can potentially
make a skill set self-sustaining over long
periods of time. In the case of adult education,
the training activity can generate its own
revenue.
“Such training should be a priority for the
AMA.
“Thank you and have a good day.”
—Nickolaus E. Leggett
Reston VA
“I have been in the R/C model hobby as an
adult for over thirty years, in addition to years
of control line experience in my youth. I am a
retired aeronautical engineer. My current ‘fleet’
consists of one model built from [a] kit, one
kit-bashed model, one designed and built from
scratch, and three ARFs.
“Ten years ago, I wouldn’t look at an ARF,
no less buy one, but improvements in their
construction and the outstanding covering and
appearance factors have changed my
I
buying/building habits. Fortunately, I still do
enough building to maintain and improve the
skills I learned over the years.
“Our club includes a high percentage of
‘new’ modelers, including several youth
members. Many of these people do not possess
the building/repair skills of more experienced
members, so I have a personal interest in your
question in the Feb. issue of Model Aviation
about how to pass on these skills in an era of
more and more ARFs and fewer kits. I offer the
following suggestions (some of which I hope to
offer to my club).
“Events that offer learning might include
technical sessions at club meetings, club
projects, one-on-one mentoring, and hobby
shop sponsored workshops. Broad subjects of
designing, building, covering, and repair offer a
broad range of subjects. Specific considerations
of structural requirements, weight control,
adhesives uses, electronic systems, electricpowered
models, and basic concepts of
aerodynamics all could be addressed.
“Preparation for flying, including balancing
the plane, tuning engines, setting up the Tx and
Rx, flight trimming, and basic and advanced
maneuvers are additional subjects to be
considered.
“The local club is the chief source not only
of people who would benefit from this learning,
but most clubs have a wealth of knowledge in
their midst. Our small club, for instance,
includes members with backgrounds in
engineering, machine shop, carpentry,
electronics, computers, full scale piloting, and
model competition at the national level.
Bringing these skills to the club membership is
a challenge, but also a considerable resource.
“I hope these thoughts might help answer
the question you posed.”
—Don Vetrone
Wright Flyers, Club 3555
“Read your article in Feb 09 Model Aviation
magazine. You wondered how we can pass on
the building techniques to the next generation.
Well I thought the same thing back in the 60s
when MonoKote came out.
“You see back then you started with a blank
sheet of paper and drew your next project. The
way we builders looked at it: take the hours that
it took you to frame up and get ready for finish.
Those hours whether it be 20-30-40 hours. It
would take that long to finish the plane. We did
this for one trophy—the best finished airplane
in the meet, or was it self satisfaction.
“Bring back a true recognition method of
those that build whether it be a trophy a new
membership or everyday model needs as the
prize. I feel in today’s economy (lack of funds)
could be a driving force to not spend so much
money on an ARF.
“Anyway it’s a thought.”
—Bob Greer
AMA 6501
“I have been struggling with this issue for
many years. I had a small model airplane
building business and it thrived before the
Many times it’s the little things that count.
View From HQ
introduction of the cheap ARF alternative.
What happened next caught me by surprise!
“The model builder became a model
assembler and the ARF model became the
prominent model at the field. Gone was the
pride of constructing a ‘personal’ model, a
model that did not look exactly like the one
next to it on the flight line; gone was the
excitement of bringing a new model to the
field and have your peers judge your skills;
gone was the fun!
“Now, with today’s problems in the
economy, I have seen a surge in the ‘can
you repair my airplane’ requests. Although
buying a new ARF is less expensive, most
of these people come to my workshop to
learn the techniques required to do so. I
wrote an e-zine called Creative
Aeromodeler where I would expose most of
the techniques necessary to build and repair
your plane on my website
(www.advancedairframes.com) and I have
again seen a huge jump in the traffic on the
site.
“As far as how will we pass these skills
along to the new generation of modelers, I
have in my club (www.rcacf.com)
established a junior program similar to the
AMA’s junior program. I have also
encouraged kit building by establishing a
‘Model of the Month’ contest at our club
and only kit, plans, or scratch built models
qualify, the prize, a fifty dollar gift
certificate to one of the local hobby shops.
This certificate is sponsored by my
company, Gorilla Gate Company and by
one of our members, Mark Lee Edwards.
“In closing, I thank you for the awesome
effort you and your staff are doing at HQ, it
shows!”
—Jose R. Soto
President, RCACF
AMA 2105
Thanks to all who shared their ideas.
Some were not included because of space
limitations.
These tough economic times have affected
everyone. Be sensitive to your fellow pilot
and club member whom you may not have
seen at a meeting or the flightline for a
while. Sometimes a telephone call or simple
e-mail with a “how are you doing?” could
make someone’s day. Many times it’s the
little things that count. MA
In the spirit of flight.
Jim Cherry
Executive Director
[email protected]
04sig6.QXD 2/24/09 9:30 AM Page 184
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/04
Page Numbers: 184