AMA News District I - 2012/10

It has been a few years since I reported
on the Propsnappers R/C Club of
Portland, Maine, and its participation
in Aviation Career Exploration (ACE)
Camp programs. Frank Maguire sent
event photos and information about this
summer’s ACE Camp.
This is the third year the club has
hosted an ACE Academy program.
ACE programs are cosponsored each
summer by the FAA, along with other
organizations. Depending on the
cosponsors, the ACE programs vary
in terms of tuition cost, duration, age
groups, field trips, and educational
focus. The camp is a hands-on,
interactive aviation experience that
allows students to have fun while
exploring a variety of aviation careers.
The Portland ACE Academy was a
weeklong junior day camp for up to 20
students whose ages ranged from 12 to
16. It was sponsored by the Portland
International Jetport and the Boy Scouts
of America’s Pine Tree Council. Tuition
was $250.
During ACE Camp week, the
students were given lessons on aviation
history, theory of flight, and basic
aerodynamics. They toured the airport,
met and talked with airport managers,
aviation pilots, air traffic controllers, and
technicians. Each student used a flight
simulator and flew in various full-scale
aircraft.
Eighteen students were taken on a
field trip to Propsnappers R/C Club
field in Scarborough, Maine. AMA
club members Larry Ventura, Peter
Flanagan, and Bill Lairsey provided the
students with an overview of the sport
of aeromodeling, including the AMA
District I—Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
[email protected]
3 Sheila Ln., Smithfield RI 02917
Tel.: (401) 231-6901; www.amadistrict-i.org
Associate Vice Presidents: Steve Brehm, Jamestown RI; [email protected]; Andrew Figlar, Shelton CT; [email protected]; James Gilliatt, Concord, MA; (978) 369-9796;
[email protected]; Robert Kilmon, Nashua NH; [email protected]; Ray LaBonte, Maine; [email protected]; Rusty Scott, Lancaster NH; (603) 684-1070 ; Rustys@dscottre.
com; Carl A Vogel, Plymouth MA; (508) 783-7055; [email protected]. Safety Coordinator: John Cartisser, Medfield MA; (508) 359-4080; [email protected]; Contest Coordinator:
David Surwell, 24 Norwich Rd.; Nashua NH 03062; (603) 888-2020; [email protected]; Frequency Coordinator: Joel Chappell, Milford NH; (603) 673-6240; joel.b.chappell@
myfairpoint.net. Webmaster: David Beach, Amherst NH; [email protected].
ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news ama news
www.ModelAviation.com OctOber 2012 Model Aviation 143
It has been a few years since I reported
on the Propsnappers R/C Club of
Portland, Maine, and its participation
in Aviation Career Exploration (ACE)
Camp programs. Frank Maguire sent
event photos and information about this
summer’s ACE Camp.
This is the third year the club has
hosted an ACE Academy program.
ACE programs are cosponsored each
summer by the FAA, along with other
organizations. Depending on the
cosponsors, the ACE programs vary
in terms of tuition cost, duration, age
groups, field trips, and educational
focus. The camp is a hands-on,
interactive aviation experience that
allows students to have fun while
exploring a variety of aviation careers.
The Portland ACE Academy was a
weeklong junior day camp for up to 20
students whose ages ranged from 12 to
16. It was sponsored by the Portland
International Jetport and the Boy Scouts
of America’s Pine Tree Council. Tuition
was $250.
During ACE Camp week, the
students were given lessons on aviation
history, theory of flight, and basic
aerodynamics. They toured the airport,
met and talked with airport managers,
aviation pilots, air traffic controllers, and
technicians. Each student used a flight
simulator and flew in various full-scale
aircraft.
Eighteen students were taken on a
field trip to Propsnappers R/C Club
field in Scarborough, Maine. AMA
club members Larry Ventura, Peter
Flanagan, and Bill Lairsey provided the
students with an overview of the sport
of aeromodeling, including the AMA
and its role in our hobby, clubs, and the
AMA safety code. They explained and
demonstrated the basic components and
operation of RC aircraft.
This was followed by hands-on
RC trainer flying for each student on
a buddy box. Many of the students
expressed that this was one of the
highlights of the ACE camp program.
Go on the following FAA website
at www.faa.gov/education/student_
resources/ace_camps and click on Find
an ACE Academy. There are more
than 30 ACE programs held each year
throughout the country that represent
an opportunity for nearby AMA clubs to
participate.
We applaud the Propsnapper R/C
Club members for participating in this
collaborative effort to promote aviation
and aeromodeling to the younger
generation.