Model Aviation—A New Look Needs New Content
View from HQ By Dave Mathewson, AMA Executive Director
After months of surveying our members, meeting with consultants, and many long weeks of hard work by our Publications staff, the newly redesigned Model Aviation magazine launches with this issue. Many of the changes and new features you will find in this issue, as well as those to come, are a direct result of your suggestions. The slightly larger font size, the use of more pictures and additional graphics, and the change to an all-color publication are because of your input. We are pleased with the result and think you will be as well.
As with any change, I suspect there will be a few who prefer the magazine’s former style. That’s understandable, but I believe that once those who fall within that category have a chance to review the changes, most will agree that the magazine has taken a step forward.
Magazine Content
While I’m on the subject of the magazine, I want to briefly discuss content and where AMA gets articles to print in its publications. Nearly everything you read in Model Aviation—including feature articles, construction projects, and product reviews—is submitted by our membership. Like AMA, many other publishers rely on their readers for good content.
Model aviation is a diverse activity with dozens of different modeling disciplines. Some have more participants than others. It’s common for AMA to receive several submissions focusing on one discipline, while receiving fewer submissions from those with fewer participants. This has always been a challenge for AMA’s editors, but they do their best to accommodate all of our members.
AMA is always looking for good content to publish. As you would expect, there are standards that must be met for an article to be published, but it doesn’t take an English literature major to meet them. Articles with good, relevant subject matter make the best submissions and, if needed, AMA’s editors can help with grammar, style, and format. If you have an idea that you think would make a good article in any of AMA’s publications, contact MA Editor Jay Smith at [email protected] and discuss it with him. Who knows? The next article you read might have your byline attached to it.
FAA Notice
As you probably know by now, the release of the small unmanned aircraft systems Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) has again been delayed. This proposed release date has become a moving target. The best guess we now have from the FAA is it will probably be sometime in late April or May.
In the meantime, AMA’s Standards Workgroup, led by AMA’s Government and Regulatory Affairs Representative Rich Hanson, continues to build the AMA standards that we will eventually submit for adoption by the FAA. These guidelines should provide modelers some latitude from the restrictions we believe will be in the FAA’s rule.
At AMA Expo in Ontario, California, this past January, representatives from the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Program Office (UAPO), Rich Hanson, and AMA President Bob Brown participated in an open forum. Little new information was provided during the forum. Although UAPO representatives still could not speak directly about what will be in the impending NPRM, those attending got a better grasp of how the regulatory process works. They also were able to ask FAA representatives questions.
AMA Expo
AMA Expo went well this year. Although the final numbers aren’t in yet, it looks as though the show had another year of record attendance. The only complaint I heard was about the length of the lines to get in the doors on Friday and Saturday. We’ll be working with the Ontario Convention Center staff to make improvements for 2013.
I want to thank all of our West Coast members who took the time to stop by the AMA Village to let us know that you appreciate our efforts, especially in dealing with the FAA, and that you value your membership. It’s always nice to get a pat on the back and I’ve passed your comments along to our staff.
Council Meeting
The AMA Executive Council held its January meeting during Expo. This meeting was led by our new president, Bob Brown, and included four new EC members representing Districts II, III, VII, and XI. The Council has some new energy onboard that I think will move the organization in a positive direction in the coming year. Those of you in districts with new vice presidents should know that your interests are well represented.
See you next time.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
