From the Copilot’s seat - 2012/06

After many years
of service to AMA,
our longtime
chief financial
officer (CFO),
Doug Holland,
has decided
to step down.
Doug oversaw
the Academy’s financial position,
advised our accounting staff and the
Executive Council (EC), and directed
our investment advisors.
Doug is the architect of AMA’s
current solid financial position. Doug
became a respected friend and I will
miss his intellect, broad smile, and
friendly ways. We are a much better
organization today because of his
service. Thank you, Mr. Holland!
Many people have told me that the
March issue of MA is outstanding.
They love the redesigned
publication’s easy-to-read print,
articles and information, and
color everywhere. Our director of
publications, Rob Kurek, and his
staff have done a great job making
AMA’s flagship publication the best
magazine in the industry.
By June 1, as a member you will
be able visit the AMA website and
search every issue, every article, and
every page of MA since 1975. This
will be a great resource. This new
service will allow you to search by
title or even keyword.
Between the new MA and the new
archives capability, your membership
just became an even greater value,
and the membership fee hasn’t
increased in more than eight years.
Many of our members don’t realize
how AMA is structured. To acquaint
you with how we are organized,
I offer the following according
to AMA’s Bylaws found in the
Membership Manual.
Voluntary unpaid positions, which
are elected by our members, and
listed according to rank are: president,
executive vice president, and all 11
district vice presidents. None of these
positions requires living in Muncie,
Indiana, and all serve on the EC. The
National Aeronautic Administration
(NAA) president also voluntarily
serves on the EC, because of AMA’s
affiliation with the NAA and FAI.
Each party has one vote on
Council. Several of these people are
taking on a second, full-time job to
represent you. That is the dedication
they have to making model aviation a
better hobby/sport for all!
The Executive Council confirms
the appointment of the CFO,
generally at the recommendation of
the president. This advisory position
is voluntary, does not have a vote
on the EC, and also does not require
living in Muncie.
The Executive Director (ED)
is hired by the EC. This is a fulltime,
paid position, and requires
relocation to Muncie. The ED
manages all aspects of our operations
at Headquarters, including developing
the annual Program of Work,
overseeing the department heads,
staff, and the work they do, the
National Model Aviation Museum,
and the entire flying site.
The ED reports to and follows the
direction of the EC. I have heard
it said that our Executive Director
works for all 143,000-plus members,
and this is true for him, his staff of
roughly 58 employees, and all of your
elected officials.
Congratulations to our Education
Department and education director,
Bill Pritchett, for the development
of the AMA Flight School, which
provides age-appropriate lessons on
aeronautics—teaching such principles
as lift, drag, thrust, and weight with
colorful cartoon characters.
The interactive program is narrated
by AMA’s ambassador, Robert
“Hoot” Gibson—a retired astronaut
and former pilot and space shuttle
commander. The online flight school
is still in its formative stage, and
will progress upward from the early
elementary school age to a more
sophisticated interactive instruction
for older youth. This is being
developed to reach out to all of our
Youth members who don’t typically
receive our other publications.
Basement Design + Motion
won two Addy Awards from the
Indianapolis chapter of the American
Advertising Federation for work on
AMA Flight School. The company
received a gold award for Advertising
for the Arts—Interactive, and a silver
award for Elements of Advertising—
Illustration, Campaign.
AMA’s National Model Aviation
Museum is hosting its first interactive
traveling exhibit, Take Flight, which
opened April 21 and runs through
July. Children between the ages of
six and 12 will learn as they explore
the interactive exhibit and tour
the world’s largest model aviation
museum.
Participants create and launch
airplanes, helicopters, and rockets
to discover the principles and forces
that make flight possible. Several
innovative devices, including
propelling tools, are part of the
exhibit.
“We are very excited to bring in
this new exhibit to our museum,”
said National Model Aviation
Director Michael Smith. “It’s fun and
educational, which is something that
we are thrilled to offer to museum
visitors.”
Museum guests can also tour the
7,500-square-foot museum, featuring
many historically significant model
airplanes from around the world and
more than 200 years of aeromodeling
history.
Several flying events will be open
to spectators at the International
Aeromodeling Center throughout the
spring and summer while the exhibit
is in the museum.
Until next month, help secure our
future and take a youngster flying!