Fun Teams: Model Aviation at Work
The Intel Corporation in DuPont, Washington, has an initiative called "Great Place to Work" (GPTW). Part of this initiative is to develop "Fun Teams." The idea is to create a great workplace environment and stimulate workers by including activities directed specifically at employees' interests. Several teams have already formed, including kayaking/rafting, golf, soccer, basketball, photography, and dancing.
James Holland, Senior Validation Technician at Intel, has been taking his RC airplane to work and flying in the parking lot during his lunch hour. After a while, several co-workers started to join him and soon they had a group of about 15 pilots. Here is his story.
"Just for fun, we started flying small electric planes in the Intel back parking lot during our lunch hour, with a small group of guys that would fly every day, even during the cold of winter. The parking lot was fun, but not entirely safe due to the fact that cars were coming and going, and sometimes people were nearby.
"At times, there were guys flying in the rear parking lot as well as the front parking lot at the same time. It became clear that we needed to establish some sort of control to be safer, and so we could continue to keep our site friendly to the presence of our aircraft.
"Intel's GPTW program's goal is to entice interest in Intel as truly a Great Place to Work by investing in the people who work there. Part of this initiative was to create Fun Teams of various sorts. The list grew very quickly and many different teams developed.
"The small group of dedicated fun fliers saw this as a unique opportunity to create an RC Fun Team. After negotiations with the Fun Team and site managers, the Intel RC DuPont Group was formed.
"A vacant, unfinished parking lot on the Intel property was graciously approved by our site manager for our use. We spent a few weekends removing rocks from that area for a makeshift runway. It was not as smooth as flying from the parking lot, but it was much safer since all fliers were at the same place on the property, and we no longer had to worry about cars or people. The trees surrounding the lot always seem to catch any plane trying to get away.
"The site managers moved some picnic tables out there so we have places to work on planes in our pit area. One by one, more people noticed us regularly flying during lunchtime and interested people began to join us. Most could not believe at first that this was an Intel-sponsored team!
"The Fun Team purchased two networked RealFlight simulators with all add-ons and 50-inch plasma screen monitors. The simulators were set up in our common game room, where all Intel DuPont employees now have access to learn to fly RC! When the weather is bad outside, the networked simulators provide an excellent alternative for some fun flying or to brush up on our skills.
"Still in our infancy, we are now looking forward to more members, more employee exposure, and possible site improvements like runway surfacing, safety fencing, signage, etc. We are interested in growing this Fun Team to a whole new level of fun. We have ideas such as fun-fly events, or maybe introductory flight days with instructor pilots and trainer systems at the ready for first-time pilots.
"We regularly have new aircraft showing up at the field, and several new pilots have already learned to fly right here at their place of work!
"The RC Fun Team is a unique kind of team probably not seen yet at many companies. There are many benefits to having employer-sponsored Fun Teams. It is an excellent way to bring people together, and helps develop relationships which can then benefit the company.
"Teamwork through diversity is what truly makes Intel successful, and the Fun Teams are an excellent way to bridge the gaps between people of different interests and backgrounds. The Fun Teams enhance communication skills, and help people open up, relax, and truly smile as they have real fun!"
Intel Manager Gerardo Martinez offered the following comments:
"I think the value of the company having a Great Place to Work is one of the ways that we retain people and have them come back to work happy every day. It's really important to foster an environment where employees can relax and decompress, then come back to be productive with a refreshed mindset.
"Creativity is not obtained by putting pressure into the environment but the other way around. The different fun activities offered by the Great Place to Work program create a relaxed environment where people interact in different informal situations (not work-related). Those bonds improve teamwork and ease communication in the different organizations.
"In the end, the company implements these groups to improve morale, reduce stress, and have fun." —MA
History Preserved:
The Navy Nats 1948-1972
For 25 years, the National Model Airplane Meet (National A.M.A. Model Airplane Meet or National Model Airplane Championships—now known simply as the Nats) were held in conjunction with the U.S. Navy, utilizing its staff, financial backing, and Naval Air Stations (NAS) across the nation for modeling events. The Navy was rewarded with good advertising, goodwill, and influence on a new generation of model (and full-scale) aviation enthusiasts.
Station locations rotated every few years and included the following:
- Olathe NAS, Kansas: 1948–1949, 1968
- Dallas NAS, Texas: 1950–1951, 1956, 1960, 1964
- Los Alamitos NAS, California: 1952, 1955, 1959, 1963, 1967
- Willow Grove NAS, Pennsylvania: 1953, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1969
- Glenview NAS, Illinois: 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970–1972
The AMA was fortunate to have had the Navy’s backing for so long. As the 1970s loomed, the Navy’s budget for these types of activities dwindled. In fact, the 1972 Nats was in jeopardy.
According to an AMA announcement dated March 30, 1972, "Navy hosting of the Nats has hung by a slim thread for many years. Several times since about 1964 the Navy came close to dropping out of the Nats program. Each time there was a reprieve—usually at the last minute. AMA officers waited out very critical and trying delays in 1970 and 1971 as the Navy sought various ways to somehow retain the program despite severe shortages of funds, facilities, and manpower."
A letter from the Department of the Navy, dated March 27, 1972, stated, "We do not have the men or resources to continue to support your program or others like it … We regret the necessity to terminate Navy sponsorship of the National Championships this year …."
But with the AMA providing more financial and staff assistance than ever before, and still with the possibility that the whole thing would be canceled at the last minute, the Navy and AMA were able to squeeze out one more year for a 25-year run.
The 1972 Nats were held July 24–30 at the Glenview NAS, near Chicago. Despite heavy rain the first day, the event went well and more than 2,000 registered participants attended.
The Navy had professional photographers on hand at the events. Because of this, the National Model Aviation Museum’s archives include many boxes of excellent photographs from various Navy Nats. The staff photographers documented their photos with lengthy descriptions of the subjects. Few photos from previous or post-Navy Nats are as well documented. Some gems from the 1972 Nats have been reprinted here.
—Jackie Shalberg Museum Archivist
AMA EXPO HOSTS
X-TREME PILOT SKIP STEWART
It's official! Skip Stewart, AMA member and X-Treme Pilot, will be a special guest and presenter at AMA Expo 2012. Skip is a champion X-Treme Pilot and has been a modeler since he was 10 years old. His passion for flight began with model airplanes and a grandfather who was a cropduster.
That fervor for flight has grown. Skip is an air show performer, airline transport pilot, and a certified flight instructor, among many other significant accomplishments within the aviation world. To learn more about Skip Stewart Air Shows, please visit www.skipstewartairshows.com.
Details regarding special guests and speaking times will be posted soon at www.amaexpo.com. The AMA Expo will be January 6–8, 2012, and you don't want to miss the special events and guest speakers we have lined up!
AMA looks forward to seeing you there!
—AMA Staff
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
