72 M ODEL AVIATION
n conjunction with Daimler-Chrysler’s sixth Camp Jeep™ event,
nearly 50 AMA members gathered at Oak Ridge Estates—the
largest private property in the state of Virginia (30 miles south of
Charlottesville)—to form one of the largest flying schools to date.
The estate in Nelson County is five times the size of AMA’s
International Aeromodeling Center.
Nearly 10,000 people attended the event, held August 10-12, and they
represented 44 states and five countries. Attendees arrived in nearly 3,000
Jeeps; the event is mainly for the vehicle owners and their families.
There were activities for participants of all ages, including Jeep
101 Village (with Jeep 101 Courses, a Jeep Performance Arena,
Jeep Agility Challenge, and other Jeep-related demonstrations),
Adventure Village, Virginia Village, Workshops, and generalinterest
areas featuring various outdoor activities.
Festivities lasted from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day.
Camp Jeep™ 2000 was certainly a giant step for AMA and for
model aviation.
During the three days, approximately 1,020 people were
introduced to Radio Control (RC) flying via the “buddy box”
system—the quickest and most economical way to learn RC.
The newcomer has a control box like the instructor’s, and he/she
can control the airplane when the instructor flips a switch on his/her
AMA and
More demo team members, with their models (L-R): Jerry Neel, Don Koonce, Daniel Honzu, Tim Bell, and Ken Rudd.
Part of the demo team: Brian Shipp, John Loy with P-47D.
I
January 2001 73
transmitter. If the novice gets into trouble, the instructor can release
the button and retrieve control of the airplane.
Before the new pilots went to the flightlines, they visited a
display in a 40 x 60-foot tent, which showed various stages of a
model airplane’s assembly. Each student had his or her picture taken
with an airplane similar to what he or she was going to fly.
The pupils were introduced to the Academy of Model
Aeronautics, then Carl Maroney, AMA Special Services Director,
explained phases of modeling.
The students were given a short course in aeronautics; they were
shown how the control sticks worked on the buddy box, and which
surfaces they moved and how the airplane reacted.
After the five- to seven-minute flight-instruction period, each
student sat at one of the dozen flight simulators, to gain some skill.
Attendees were given a small wing pin that read “Camp Jeep™
Flight School,” and were placed in a holding group, where the air
boss assigned them to a flightline.
There were four flightlines, and several aircraft in each. Three
AMA members tended each line and provided flight training.
Darrell Watts had the flightlines set up so that four aircraft were
in the air at all times, for maximum flight time. Before each aircraft
landed, the next up was fueled and waiting for takeoff. Students
didn’t typically get a full tank of fuel to fly with, but they did get
n Bliss Teague
Students listen intently to the short aeronautics class—part of the preparation to fly a model using a buddy box.
A young man flies a model with the aid of a buddy box and an
instructor. The four flightlines had continuous activity.
Camp Jeep 2000