District II Vice President Testifies Before Congressional Subcommittee
GALEVILLE AIRPORT in Wallkill, New York, was once a training facility for the West Point Military Academy and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Once one of the premier FF flying sites in the United States, it was where FF modelers in the Northeast came to hone their skills. It was where some of the best FF modelers in the world came to compete.
In 1995, West Point decided that it no longer needed the facility and relinquished control of the property to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Several entities, including the Eastern US Free Flight Conference (EUSFFC) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) expressed an interest in acquiring the site.
Eventually the GSA awarded the property to the FWS which changed the name of the airport to Shawangunk National Wildlife Refuge. On December 7, 1997, the FWS banned modelers from continuing to use the site for FF activities.
Members of the EUSFFC decided this long-time flying site was worth fighting for. After all, they had flown there for more than 26 years with the approval of biologists at West Point.
In fact, it was the modelers who worked with those biologists to create a savannah-like habitat for migratory birds. It was the modelers who contributed much of the labor involved in mowing and cleaning up the property and a considerable amount of the funding necessary to complete the project.
During this period the Army conducted two separate studies that concluded that there was no negative impact to the site as a result of model-flying activities.
In spite of this history, the studies, and the modelers' continued commitment to sensitivity to environmental concerns, they were simply told to get out.
During the last decade, efforts to regain access to the Galeville site have included the commission of separate studies contracted by the EUSFFC in the mid-1990s and AMA in 2001. In 2002, an AMA letter-writing campaign resulted in more than 2,100 objections to the FWS Compatibility Determination that concluded aeromodeling activities had a negative impact on the habitat. There have been dozens of meetings with various levels of management within the FWS, including the Northeast Regional Director and her staff.
Several congressmen have supported these efforts, including Congressman Ben Gilman of New York. Congressman Jim Hansen, former Chairman of the Congressional Committee on Resources, and a sponsor of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, wrote in support of the modelers.
On several occasions, the FWS used this legislation as the basis for restricting modeling activities at Shawangunk. Congressman Hansen's letter to the FWS Director Steven Williams indicated that the service was clearly misinterpreting this legislation in banning aeromodeling from the facility. Congressman Don Young of Alaska, when he chaired the Committee on Resources, also spoke in support of the modelers. All of these efforts fell on deaf ears of the decision makers within the FWS.
The latest chapter in this story began in late April 2005 when the Congressional Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation Wildlife and Oceans scheduled hearings on public access to land within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Bob Langelius, EUSFFC president, and Dave Mathewson, representing AMA, were invited to testify before the committee.
The committee indicated that it was looking for answers to several specific questions. These questions included what activities actually took place at Galeville during the modelers' presence there and what steps have been taken since 1997—along with the response of FWS—to return aeromodeling to the site. The hearing was held in Washington D.C. on May 26, 2005.
Bob and Dave each presented a five-minute oral statement before the committee. The presentations were designed to complement each other. Bob focused on the activities of the EUSFFC at Galeville during the 26-year period prior to modelers being restricted from the site and Dave detailed the AMA/EUSFFC efforts to return aeromodeling to the site since the restriction.
Members of the committee followed the oral statements with several pointed and well-thought-out questions. The consensus was that members of the committee did listen and were sincerely interested in the comments they were hearing.
In his closing comments, Dave emphasized AMA's position by quoting Congressman Hansen's remarks from 2001: "...[I]t's clear we have lost the proper balance between protecting the environment and allowing the American people to enjoy their own public lands. A prompt and sharp course correction is called for."
This hearing was one of several that the Congressional Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation Wildlife and Oceans intends to conduct. At this point it's not exactly clear where this effort will lead but the conclusion was that it was an extremely worthwhile venture. It may or may not have an impact on Galeville, but it is an endeavor that will certainly pay off in our efforts to raise the awareness of our elected representatives to the hobby and sport of model aviation and our critical need for good flying facilities.
Note: You can read Dave's statement to the committee at www.modelaircraft.org/PDF-files/davemtestimony.pdf.
AMA News
Build and Fly.com
AMA's Education Web site, www.buildandfly.com, is the work of the Education Committee. Our mission is to promote model aviation as an educational tool, in formal classroom and non-formal, after-school settings.
We seek to assist classroom teachers to integrate aerospace education concepts into math, science, social studies, language arts, and technology education programs.
Curriculum support and materials for science classroom programs may be found in the Inventing Flight Schools curriculum, written to celebrate the centennial of flight of the Wright brothers.
Support for non-formal after-school programs such as Science Olympiad or Technology Student Association competitions may be found in program search.
If you are seeking mentor assistance with any of these initiatives, you may find the details about how to locate one in your area in the modeling educator listing.
Flying Site Development/Improvement Grant Program
IS YOUR CLUB in need of a new shelter, runway fixes, fencing, a frequency board, etc.? If so, it may be a good idea to ask AMA for help. This year alone AMA gave away more than $33,000 to make such improvements to various club fields.
So how did the clubs get this money? The Flying Site Development/Improvement Grant Program began in 2003 to assist clubs that were in need of such things as a new shelter or a runway.
Applying is so easy! You can log on to www.modelaircraft.org/04fsdigpindex.asp or call the Programs Department at AMA Headquarters for the information (ext. 270 or 272).
Although grants have already been awarded for 2005, you can apply for 2006. Following is the information and instructions to apply.
- An AMA Flying Site Development/Improvement grant, if approved, will provide up to 10% of the total cost of the project.
- The maximum grant amount is $5,000. Grants awarded will be announced on or near May 1 for each calendar year.
- Grant applications are due to your district vice president on or before March 1, 2006.
- The district vice president will review and approve the application and forward it to AMA Headquarters for arrival on or before March 15, 2006.
- Applications received at AMA Headquarters after March 15 will not be processed.
- One original and four copies of the Grant Application signed by the club president and approved by the district vice president will be submitted to:
Flying Site Grant Application Academy of Model Aeronautics 5161 E. Memorial Dr. Muncie IN 47302 Attention: Programs Department
- Status reports will be submitted to AMA Headquarters every six months with the final report describing the completion of the project.
- Any AMA funds exceeding 10% of the final total cost of the project must be returned to AMA.
- An application will be returned if it contains more than five pages, if the amount of the requested grant is greater than 10% of the total cost of the project, or if the amount of the requested grant is greater than $5,000.
2005 Award Recipients
Corning Tri Rivers RC Modelers $1,910 Mile Hi R/C Flying Club $563 Richmond Area Radio Control, Inc. $800 Desert Hawks RC Club $500 River District RC Eagles, Inc. $185 114th RC Aero Squadron, Inc. $1,955 Racine Radio Control Club, Inc. $154 Washington RC Flyers, Inc. $1,000 Vidalia Sky Vikings RC Club $435 Northwest Florida Modelers, Inc. $626
Fox Valley Aero Club $5,000 Ground Control Aircraft Club $1,050 Chisholm Trail Radio Control Club $5,000 The Jefco Aeromod'lers Club $5,000 Upper Valley Fun Fliers $1,200 Sumter Model Airplane Club $400 S.P.A.R.K.S. $2,510 Four Mound Flyers $610 Rogue Valley Flyers $1,528 Tri Valley RC Modelers $2,600
Your club could be on this list in 2006!
Congratulations to all of the clubs that received grant money. For those that did not, we extend our best wishes for a successful 2005 flying season and hope you apply again next year.
Executive VP's Report
Doug Holland AMA Executive VP
3517 Fernwood Dr. Raleigh NC 27612 (Home) (919) 787-5163 (Office) (919) 787-7454
THE STATEMENTS of Activities printed below represent a revenue and expense statement showing basic categories that generated income and expenses for the year. The first section under Unrestricted Net Assets is Revenue. You will note that revenue increased by $156,438. Expenses also increased by $525,540.
Other Revenue (Expenses)—Net had a decrease of $180,412. This is where our investments—interest earned, rental income, stock market transactions, convention revenue, and any kind of world championships that we might hold—have their income and expenses netted out and for the particular year in question, there was $485,912 in Other Revenue. You will note that it is down from the prior year and this is because of the fluctuation in the stock market.
For the year 2003, we had an unrealized gain on investments of $449,078 but for the year of 2004, we only had $20,084. Those numbers represent what would have been our net results if we had sold the complete portfolio and left the investment business.
You will note that at the end of the year, our net asset value had increased from $9,301,709 to $9,698,259 for an increase of $396,550.
In future months you will receive Statements of Operating Expenses and Statements of Other Revenue/Expenses—Net. You can compare those reports with these statements and see the details of the transactions. I encourage you to save these presentations so you will eventually have a complete set.
Should you desire to have the audit report immediately, you may call Vicki Bardkull at AMA Headquarters. For a small fee she will mail you a copy. It is available for your personal examination at AMA Headquarters in Muncie, Indiana, during regular business hours. Please call me if you have any questions regarding these statements.
For the 2005 year, it looks as though our membership is holding its own and the decline may have ceased. We hope this is true as this is far too great a hobby/sport for people not to participate in.
Progress is our ability to complicate simplicity. A-B-C Always Be Courteous.
Until later ...✈
THE ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICS, INC.
STATEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2004 AND 2003
2004 Amount Percent UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS REVENUE Membership $ 7,804,137 83.4 Club charter fees 252,163 2.7 Event sanctions and insurance 51,437 0.6 Supply, souvenir and merchandising sales 191,787 2.1 Model Aviation advertising 914,857 9.8 Model Aviation subscriptions 51,062 0.5
9,265,443 99.1 Net Assets Released from Restrictions 83,818 0.9
9,349,261 100.0
EXPENSES Operating expenses 6,663,074 71.3 Model Aviation magazine direct costs 2,026,479 21.7 Supply and souvenir costs 122,280 1.3 Depreciation and amortization 577,392 6.2 Officer services including magazines 170,228 1.8 Committees 62,768 0.7
9,622,221 103.0
EXCESS (DEFICIENCY) OF REVENUE OVER EXPENSES FROM OPERATIONS (272,960) (3.0)
OTHER REVENUE (EXPENSES) - NET 485,912 5.1
212,952 2.1
TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED NET ASSETS Contributions and grants 264,141 2.8 Interest income 3,275 Net assets released from restrictions (83,818) (0.9)
183,598 1.9
INCREASE IN NET ASSETS 396,550 4.0
NET ASSETS Beginning of year 9,301,709
End of year $ 9,698,259
2003 Amount Percent $ 7,735,083 84.3 250,810 2.7 44,989 0.5 191,367 2.1 851,032 9.3 79,134 0.9
9,152,415 99.8 40,408 0.2
9,192,823 100.0
6,300,326 68.4 1,900,641 20.6 81,948 0.9 587,994 6.4 170,134 1.9 55,638 0.6
9,096,681 98.8
96,142 1.2
667,324 7.3
763,466 8.5
122,599 1.3 184 (40,408) (0.4)
82,375 0.9
845,841 9.4
NET ASSETS Beginning of year 8,455,868
End of year $ 9,301,709
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
