In The Air - 2006/06

INtheAIRLATE-BREAKING NEWS FROM THE ACADEMY
Frequently Asked Questions About AMA’s
Competition/Technical Department
June 2006 9
Q. How do I contact the Competition Department?
A. Call AMA Headquarters at (765) 287-1256. When the automated attendant comes on, enter extension 230 to speak to Technical Director
Steve Kaluf ([email protected]), 232 to speak to Michelle Lamb ([email protected]) regarding sanctions and “Contest
Calendar,” or 231 to speak to Lisa Johnson ([email protected]) about FAI teams. You can also fax the department at (765) 286-3303.
Q. How do I sanction an event?
A. A licensed CD needs to apply for the event sanction. Sanctioned event applications are available from the Competition Department. Forward
the application to the Contest Coordinator for the district in which the event will be held. The Contest Coordinator will check the dates and area,
draw protection, and forward the application to the Competition Department for processing. Once processed, a sanction certificate will be mailed
to the CD.
Q. Who is my District Contest Coordinator?
A. This information is published monthly in MA in “Focus on Competition” in the “Competition Directory” section.
Q. Why would I need additional insurance for a sanctioned event?
A. The AMA sanction event certificate is the normal means of providing proof of $2.5 million of insurance coverage for the event sponsor. If you
need to extend this coverage to land owners or other organizations whose property will be used for the event, you may obtain an additional
insurance certificate to provide to these entities.
In cases where the flying-site owner is already issued a certificate of insurance under a club charter, no further application is necessary. Any
club activity, including the sanctioned event, is automatically covered.
Q. What are the reasons for sanctioning?
A. First, it offers protected draw area and date protection for like events.
Second, it offers a chartered or non-chartered club additional insurance if it decides to fly in an area other than what is listed in AMA’s club
records as its club flying field. This supplemental insurance is also for additional sponsors who may require it for the particular event.
Third, it offers a written text listing advertisement in the “Contest Calendar” section of MA. (Subject to lead-time requirements.)
Q. What is the deadline for the magazine and what is the lead time?
A. The “Contest Calendar” deadline is the 14th of every month. Material for this section must be submitted 90 days prior to the event for at least
one listing in the magazine.
Q: Are AMA rule books available?
A: Yes. The official version of Competition Regulations is available on the AMA Web site at www.modelaircraft.org/compreg.asp. If you are
unable to print the rule book from the Web site or don’t have Internet access, you can purchase a copy from the Competition Department. The
cost is $5 for the entire document or $2.50 per section.
Q. What or who is the FAI?
A. FAI stands for Fédération Aéronautique Internationale—the world sanctioning body for sport aviation, including full-scale aircraft and
models. US participation in World Championships events is under the auspices of the FAI, and it uses the rules put forth in the FAI Sporting
Code (the rule book for international competitions).
Q. What are FAI programs?
A. These are internationally recognized events. Members participate in the programs to become members of a team that competes in World
Championships that are held in various countries.
The programs (of which there are 15) are devised by the participants of that event along with a Team Selection Committee (elected
participants from each district). AMA supports the Team Selection Committee by distributing information, tabulating various votes, etc.
AMA does have guidelines and some set procedures for each of these groups. The Academy supports the various teams monetarily and
administratively.
Q. What is an FAI stamp and how do I get one?
A. This is a stamp on the National Aeronautic Association license that allows one to fly in international FAI events. It can be obtained through the
Competition Department.
Q. Can I pay for my FAI stamp and my program entry fees by credit card?
A. Yes. Contact the Competition Department. You may pay with MasterCard or Visa.
Q. Are FAI Sporting Codes available?
A. Yes. You may purchase the entire Sporting Code for $12 or $5 per section. The Sporting Code is also available on the FAI Web site at
www.fai.org/aeromodelling/documents/SC4. MA
06sig1.QXD 4/25/06 1:58 PM Page 9• Brad Shepherd writes a construction
article for the RC .40-powered Super
Akro-1 “Chips.” He even shows his own
design for the smoke system in this
airplane. Kirk Robinson shares his design
for a 1/2A CL trainer made from
corrugated cardboard. For the FF
community, Bill Noonan writes about his
rubber-powered, 1/16-scale Sopwith
Dolphin.
• George M. Myers reports on the 1981
WRAM (Westchester Radio Aero
Modelers) Show. The big news is the
introduction of the NE5044 microchip that
makes RC transmitter encoding simple
and inexpensive.
• For those who are thinking about
venturing into non-fixed-winged aircraft,
Tom Burdin details his method of learning
to fly an RC helicopter in part one of a
two-part article.
• In “Firewall Finesse” Bill Evans shows
how to install a firewall in a plastic
fuselage that will ensure proper spacing
and alignment.
• Bud Tenny presents a fine article about
the techniques required to make and apply
microfilm to FF Indoor models.
Twenty-Five Years Ago in MA:
June 1981
INtheAIR
• New products include FabriKote and
FabriKote-Lite—a fabric covering material
from Top Flight; Sterling Models Inc.’s
new Cessna 170, Taylorcraft BF 12-65,
and Real Sporty “Kids for All Ages”
models for rubber power; Model Rectifier
Corporation’s 1/5-scale Spitfire; Dave Platt
Models, Inc.’s RC Me 190E; Balsa USA’s
1/3-scale Fly Baby biplane; and Vito
Tomero’s plans and parts package for a
1/6-scale Sea Fury. MA
—Rich LaGrange
AMA Librarian
10 MODEL AVIATION
Sign Three, Fly Free:
Become an AMA Ambassador
Did you know you can earn your next
year’s membership renewal at no cost to you?
More than 300 AMA members have already
helped the association by signing up new
fliers; here’s your chance to help increase the
size of your organization. The rules are:
• Any active AMA member is eligible to
receive the free membership.
• Each active member will receive a one-year
AMA membership credit for each three new
or former AMA members who join. (You can
earn more than one free year!)
• All new or former memberships must be full
Open or Senior Citizen memberships to
qualify. New sign-ups cannot be current or
recent AMA members. (Their memberships
must have expired by December 31, 1995.)
• The sponsoring member’s name and AMA
number must be clearly identified on each new
member’s application.
• Current AMA Life Members will receive an
AMA merchandise credit of equal value to a
one-year free membership. Free-membership
credits will be applied to the next AMA
membership year. MA
—Membership Department
AMA Acting Executive Director Joyce
Hager (R) awards Clifford Wilbur his
Life Membership certificate as his
daughter Vicki Hartl looks on.
AMA District VIII Vice President
Sandy Frank recently convinced 75-yearold
AMA member Clifford Wilbur to
sign up for an AMA Life Membership.
Links on theWeb!
For more news, events,
and information, go to
www.modelaircraft.org.
Never Too Old to Become a Life Member
Clifford mentioned that he had
thought of purchasing an AMA Life
Membership for years, but had not
done so because, in his words, “no
one had ever asked” him to do so.
Sandy did that, and Clifford wrote a
check for the full amount. He has been
added to the list of more than 500
AMA Life Members.
If you are waiting to be asked,
consider it done! AMA needs the
support of its valued membership.
Life Membership shows your devotion
to the survival of your sport/hobby. It
is available for a tax-deductible
donation of $1,500.
Visit www.modelaircraft.org/
members.asp for more information
about Life Membership. MA
—Joyce Hager
Acting Executive Director
Last “Come Fly with Us”
Sweepstakes Monthly Winner
George E. Simms of Washington DC is
the prize-package winner for the month of
March. He received more than $200 worth
of AMA merchandise in a drawing he
entered by joining AMA or renewing his
membership by March 31, 2006.
George is the last monthly winner for
this membership renewal season. He is
eligible to win the Grand Prize: a Hangar 9
46% TOC biplane with a JR10X radio and
a DA-150 engine—a $6,000 value! MA
—Tom Schwyn
Marketing Director
INtheAIR
June 2006 11
March 29, 2006, AMA Programs Director Jay Mealy testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation regarding unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the National Airspace System (NAS). The
session was held in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington DC.
The Honorable John L. Mica said the following in his opening statements.
“From the early days of flight, to the development of jet engines, to the introduction of helicopters, and now unmanned aerial vehicles
and unmanned aerial systems [UASs], progress continues and the safe integration of new technologies in the National Airspace System must
be assured.”
Congressman Mica went on to say:
“While historically UASs have been used primarily by the Department of Defense in military settings outside of US borders, there is
growing demand for both government and commercial operations of unmanned aircraft in the integrated NAS.”
Complexities and challenges face numerous government agencies in their assigned task of accommodating the needs of all potential NAS
users and, most important, ensuring the safety of the system. Because of the similarities and much confusion surrounding the definition and
use of UAVs and model aircraft, the Academy felt strongly that our members and sport needed to be represented at this hearing.
Jay Mealy, a longtime full-scale pilot, has worked continuously with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and was invited to
testify at the hearing. Knowing the magnitude of the potential impact on model-aircraft activities that could stem from regulation of UAVs,
Jay defined our sport and members for the benefit of the committee and reported on the long-standing cooperation that has existed between
the FAA and the Academy.
Government agencies and private-sector representatives were provided the opportunity to speak on behalf of their individual interests,
and the hearing brought to light the major challenge facing the governing authorities in allocating uses of the NAS.
In a statement defining the Academy’s position, Jay said:
“Our request to this committee is that model airplanes be permitted to continue operating within the National Airspace System as we
have for more than 70 years, as we commit to tirelessly working with all pertinent government agencies—in particular the FAA—as we
always have, to guarantee the safe and sound operation of model aircraft in this country.
“We request that model aviation not be innocently sucked into a black hole of regulation, a place in which, based on its long and
successful history, it does not deserve to be.”
To read the entire transcript of the meeting, visit www.house.gov/transportation/ and click on the link “Hearing on Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles (UAVs) and the National Airspace System.” MA
—MA Staff
AMA Represents Members Before Subcommittee
Welcome, AMA Life Members!
The Academy recently welcomed new
Life Members Qazi Khusro (Bloomington
IL) and Ronald Lund (Corpus Christi TX).
For information about becoming a Life
Member, contact AMA Headquarters at
(800) 435-9262. MA
—Membership Department
More than a year ago Congressman
Robert Andrews (D-NJ) attempted to
attach an amendment banning the
licensing and collecting of royalties by
defense contractors for replicas of
military models. This amendment
passed the US House of
Representatives but was ultimately
defeated when the bill was sent to the
Senate for ratification.
As a result, several aircraft
companies have been demanding
royalties from model manufacturers.
This new burden has been hampering
model-aircraft manufacturers and
stifling the release of many new models
demanded by the hobby community.
Scale modeling has proven to be an
admirable and positive influence on
aviation. Through models, young and
old are inspired to look at all aircraft
with contentment, which often leads to
a passion that undoubtedly enhances the
future of aerospace technologies.
Congressman Andrews recently
introduced a stand-alone bill to
Congress which was similar to the
AMA Supports the Military Toy Replica Act
amendment that did not pass when
attached to the Defense Bill in 2005. Mr.
Andrews is not only in favor of our side
of the issue, but wants to continue this
quest on behalf of the hobby and toy
industry.
Offering a stand-alone bill formally
presents the issue to Congress and can
positively affect efforts to include the
provision in this year’s Defense Bill,
which has passed Congress every year
and been signed into law.
It was imperative that the hobby and
toy industries, including the end users,
garner political support for House Bill
4806: the “Military Toy Replica Act.”
Because the new bill was brought to
attention quickly, AMA directors and
representatives acted accordingly by
calling out, via the Web site and E-mail,
the urgency to contact members of
Congress—House and Senate.
At the Weak Signals Toledo Expo in
April, flyers were handed out to
everyone in attendance, including the
exhibitors, in a rally to action and show
of support.
As requested, supporters telephoned
their office representatives immediately and
asked to co-sponsor HR 4806 and support
Congressman Andrews’ efforts to insert this
provision into the House version of the
National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA). Requests were also made that
these Senators include the bill in the Senate
version of the NDAA and consider
introducing a Senate version of HR 4806.
The effects of this call to action will be
better known May 3, 2006. By then the
NDAA will have been considered by the
House Armed Services Committee. An
update on this matter will be featured in a
future issue of MA. MA
—MA Staff
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