AMA News Flying Site Assistance - 2010/03

March 2010 141
OOPS! In my last article I missed a typo.
Slap my hand and change the name of the
soil hardening product I mentioned to
SoilTac. Sorry for the many fruitless
searches.
—Wes
On a few occasions in the past 10 years,
I’ve had modelers call to tell me that out of
the clear blue sky came the message that
their local flying field was being taken
away. Poof! Gone!
Gonna become a flower garden, a
baseball field, something other than a model
flying site. While my main effort has always
been to stop the loss, I’ve always tried to
deduce what it was that caused the field to
be put “on the block,” and why it was a
surprise to the local modelers.
In most cases, the problem lies at the feet
of the modelers—modelers who thought that
the “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy
would shield them from ever having to
worry about a field loss.
In most cases, only one or two people in
the governing agency had any contact with
the modelers, and that was at the renewal
time for the use permit/contract/agreement.
Otherwise, unless (or until) there was a
noise complaint or other unusual
circumstance, the modelers operated
“incognito.”
Unless the modelers were on top of the
public notices in local newspapers, the
“notice to vacate” was a complete surprise.
The point, in short, is that once a field is
secured, we, as users, need to do something
to assure our continued use of that facility.
Head-in-the-sand lethargy is not an effective
strategy in building a long-term relationship
with a site owner.
Three excellent examples of clubs doing
things to cement their position in the local
community came across my desk this
month.
The following article appeared in the
Prescott, Arizona, Daily Courier on Sunday,
December 27, 2009. It is useful on many
levels.
The article credits the club as well as the
individual involved. It mentions the AMA,
and it talks about the involvement of
youngsters in our hobby. I’ve visited the
Chino Valley club. The members are always
“doing stuff”—community stuff—and that
keeps their “value added” proposition in
front of local administrators.
“Robert Shanks Jr. has had a love of
flying since his youth, but poor eyesight
prevented him from being a pilot in the U.S.
Air Force. ‘I ended up going into
intelligence work,’ Shanks, 68, said.
“Shanks spent 31 years with the Air
Force, including 20 years as a reserve
officer, before retiring at the rank of colonel
in 2001. His career highlights included
helping to coordinate the exodus of 6,000
Kurds from northern Iraq in 1995 and
teaching at the Air War College at Maxwell
Air Force Base, Alabama, from 1999 to
2001.
“‘I guess the most rewarding job was
being a professor at the Air War College,’
Shanks said. ‘We had 45 officers from 45
different countries.’
“Shanks said he and his wife, Cindi,
moved to Williamson Valley from Tucson in
2006 because he prefers the climate here. He
teaches part time at Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University in Prescott, and
revived an interest in a hobby that he
pursued as a child growing up in Nebraska:
model aviation.
“‘You build it yourself,’ Shanks said,
referring to model airplanes. ‘You put
electronics in. You’ve got to understand a
little about aeronautics.’
“He joined the Chino Valley Model
Aviators, served as its officer, vice president
and president, and edits its newsletter. The
club has more than 100 members who fly
remote-controlled model aircraft at an 800-
foot runway in Chino Valley.
“Shanks’ service to the club inspired
Randy Meathrell, its outgoing president, to
nominate him for the Carl Goldberg Vital
People Award from the Academy of Model
Aeronautics. The award is named for a
model aircraft designer, model-club founder,
educator and business owner who died in
1985.
“‘It is for the people who sit in the
background but do a lot for the club and the
community,’ Meathrell said. He described
Shanks as a ‘super guy.’
“Shanks and four others received the
award earlier this month from the Academy,
which is based in Muncie, Indiana. Erin
Dobbs, its programs coordinator, said a
committee of academy officers reviewed
paperwork from nine nominees.
“The award came with a $200 cash prize,
which Shanks indicated he will invest in
another model plane. He builds model
planes, mostly of World War I and World
War II aircraft, from kits and scratch.
“Shanks said he is trying to interest
children in the hobby. ‘It can improve their
study habits,’ he said. ‘They can set some
life goals.’”
The following article appeared in the
Albany (New York) Times Union on
Wednesday, December 30, 2009. What a
win for the club and for the community.
Notice the mention of an ongoing
relationship with the city recreation
department, as well as the strong connection
with kids, science, and math. A great
program, now squarely in the public eye.
Nifty!
“Watervliet—A group of youngsters
recently celebrated their graduation from an
aviation course sponsored by the city
recreation department and the Watervliet
Wind Warriors, a club for radio-controlled
aircraft enthusiasts.
“This marked the second time the city
and the club teamed up to offer the course,
called the Tom Brown Youth Aviation
Program. The program, for children in
grades 5 and 6, is named in memory of the
Flying Site Assistance Wes De Cou | [email protected]
Wes De Cou
Coordinator
Western Region
AMA Districts VIII - XI
AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA,
MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX,
UT, WA, WY
202 W. Desert Flower Ln.
Phoenix AZ 85045
Voice: (480) 460-9466;
Cell: (480) 296-9515
Fax: (480) 460-9434
E-mail: [email protected]
Joe Beshar
Coordinator
Eastern Region
AMA Districts I - VII
AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY,
MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC,
NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN,
VA, VT, WI, WV
198 Merritt Dr.
Oradell NJ 07649
Tel.: (201) 261-1281; E-mail:
[email protected]
Finding—Preserving—Maintaining
The World is Run by People Who Do Stuff …
AMA News
Announcements, news, and information from the
Academy of Model Aeronautics and the elected district representatives.
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142 MODEL AVIATION
late Tom Brown, an engineer and inventor
whose hobby was aviation.
“The program is designed to introduce
participants to the aviation industry and the
basic concepts of flying using radio
controlled aircraft. During the six-week
program, participants had an opportunity to
work with area professionals and club
members to learn basic concepts of flight
and the connection of science and math to
aviation.
“Participants in the course, which was
offered for the first time earlier this year,
also have had the chance to interact with
commercial airline and helicopter pilots and
radio control-tower operators, including a
field trip to the Albany International Airport.
“Classes were held on Saturdays and
lasted two hours. The students flew remotecontrolled
model planes.
“Ten youngsters received certificates of
completion at the recent graduation
celebration at the Watervliet Recreational
Dome.
“For information about the aviation
program or about the Wind Warriors,
contact club president Howard Cummings
via e-mail at [email protected] or by calling
786-3622.”
This next one highlights the great work
being done by the Somerset County (New
Jersey) 4-H Club Broken Props. The leaders
of this club have been teaching model
aviation principles to youngsters for about
30 years. Indeed, it was my privilege to help
lead the club in the 1980s and 90s along
with Ken Pomplun, who is still an active
leader.
Each year, the club members display
their modeling and flying skills to thousands
of local 4-H fair attendees. The activity gets
model aviation and its value as a youth
activity in the limelight for the duration of
the fair.
As Ken’s letter attests, the AMA can be
proud of many of its local clubs, whose
members show up at the fair each year to
help youngsters develop their flying skills.
Hats off to Richie Blatt, Tom Murray, Al
Friedrichs, and Mike De Cou for many years
of unstinting volunteer service during the
fair.
“Dear Rich, Mike, Al, and Tom,
“On behalf of all the members, parents
and leaders of the 4-H Broken Props Model
Airplane Club, as well as the Somerset
County NJ 4-H organization, a million
thanks for your support and assistance
during the 4-H Fair.
“As you saw, our club has quite a few
young and inexperienced modelers and
despite some very adverse weather as well
as parking issues, we had a great time with
much success on the flying field. This would
not have been possible without your
contributions of time and knowledge.
“Having you all available as
instructors/advisors during our flying
sessions enabled our kids to make
significant strides in improving their model
airplane skills. Without your help this would
not have been possible. It will surely help in
promoting the hobby and insuring its future
success.
“Again, we thank you so much for your
efforts.
“With appreciation,
“4-H Broken Props MAC and Leaders:
Marsh Hayward, Gene Sellers and Ken
Pomplun.”
Do stuff. Make your club part of the basic
fabric of your community. How long do you
think you can fly with your head in the
sand?
Gilbert Rosenzwieg passed away on
December 26, 2009. He was my adopted
big brother whom I’ve known all my life
and worked with at Polk’s Hobby for nearly
50 years.
Gil was a model airplane hobbyist as a
teenager and found my father’s hobby shop
in Newark in the early 1930s. He would
stop in after school and on weekends to
help Nat out and to talk about model
airplanes.
Gil became a member of the famous Bamberger Aero Club run
by Irwin Polk and assisted by Nat. When Nat combined his Newark
model airplane shop with Irwin’s in New York City, Gil officially
started working with them in 1935.
Gil became the go-to guy for radio control for the thousands of
hobbyists in the New York area. Roughly 350 hobby shop owners
relied on Gil for the latest and greatest in model airplane
technology. He made the hobby happen and it became an industry
in the mid 20th century. Gil devoted his life to model airplanes.
Gil moved into our OEM division, selling engines and parts to
manufacturers. He and Irwin put Mabuchi Motors on the map in
the United States.
He was the force behind Polk’s Hobby moving into hobby
manufacturing. Gil’s perfectionism was instrumental in making
nothing but the finest of products for hobbyists.
Gil worked with us for more than 75 years and devoted his
entire life to the model hobby industry. He will be remembered by
thousands of hobbyists he has helped over the years and by his
coworkers who enjoyed his company in that time.
Our condolences to Gil’s wife, Shirley. Thank you for sharing
him with us.
With love and thanks for being part of our company and lives.
—Lewis Polk
Gilbert Rosenzwieg AMA/Charles H. Grant
Scholarships
Each year, the Academy of Model Aeronautics awards
Charles Hampson Grant Scholarships to deserving high-school
seniors who will be pursuing a continuing academic program at
an accredited college or university.
In 2009, roughly $34,000 was distributed to six individuals
in varying amounts based on AMA modeling activities,
scholastic achievement, and citizenship achievement.
To be eligible for a scholarship, the applicant must:
1) Have been an AMA member for the last full 36 consecutive
months prior to the April 30 application deadline
2) Graduate from high school in the year in which the award is
to be granted
3) Have been accepted by a college or university offering a
certificate or degree program
The Charles H. Grant Scholarship Program contains other
grants which involve specific factors for determining the award.
The Toledo Weak Signals Scholarship is awarded to the top
recipient of the AMA/Charles H. Grant Scholarship.
The Telford Scholarship is based on participation in
competition activity in the AMA and FAI classifications listed
in the application packet.
Scholarship information and applications or information
regarding donations to the programs can be obtained by calling
AMA Headquarters at (765) 287-1256, ext. 516, or by emailing
[email protected] or education@modelair
craft.org.
Applications are also available on the AMA Web site under
Education at www.modelaircraft.org/education.aspx.
Applications must be postmarked by April 30, 2010.
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