From the Copilot's Seat - 2012/12

Happy holidays
everyone! I hope
that you receive
that special
modeling gift that
will help make
2013 a fun year.
I look forward to
testing and flying a
couple of new aircraft next spring.
For those in the South, your outdoor
flying season is kicking into high gear.
Envy won’t help me much. Flying
indoors and that occasional flight from
snow-covered ground helps a little.
The friendships that come from
active participation in this hobby keep
us coming back. One of those same
friendships is making it possible for me
to fly a new aircraft next spring.
I’m indebted to Jim Goodemote for
taking a year out of his life to build
my big Stearman, while I focus on
the needs of AMA. I want to add that
Goody is not only a master builder but
also an AMA volunteer, handling all of
the RC sanctioning for District II as the
RC Contest Coordinator.
Jim Goodemote building my Stearman.
I was invited to attend a one-of-akind
event that was held the second
weekend of September. Horizon Hobby
sponsored the three-day event at the
Sanford, Maine, airport. Sanford is a
small community near Kennebunk and
the Atlantic Ocean.
With the help of CD and hobby shop
owner Ray Labonte and several local
clubs, Horizon put on Horizon Hobby
Air Meet 2012. This event stretched
over a large area of the airport. The
CL area featured great aerobatic
demonstrations. Nearby, an RC car
track offered myriad turns, hills, and
jumps.
Many world-class pilots put on flying
demonstrations. The show’s central
event was the Jet Rally held at the main
runway. The clubs cordoned off the
taxiway and had hundreds of chairs in
the viewing area for spectators. The
public was invited to experience a
broad-spectrum hobby event, exposing
them to various modeling disciplines
designed to kindle a spark of interest
and amazement.
The Friday crowd at show center.
School buses brought in more than
800 middle and high school youth on
Friday. Horizon also brought in Matt
Chapman and his full-scale Eagle 580,
who put on outstanding air shows all
three days. Matt is a model aviation
supporter and accomplished RC pilot.
Several thousand people attended,
and I’m sure Horizon met its spectator
goal and proved that the company did
its homework on site location.
Matt Chapman in a low knife-edge.
The AMA membership renewal notices
were mailed in mid-September. If
you are an Open member and live in
Districts II, III, IV, VI, VIII, or X, you
also received ballots to vote for your
district vice president. I hope you took
advantage of your right to do so.
Also included in the information
packet was a flyer announcing that MA
is available as digital online component
of the print magazine. Benefits of
the digital version include all of the
information that the print version
provides as well as additional content,
reviews, and videos. What a great way
to check out that new ARF or building
project you were thinking about by
watching how the aircraft builds and
flies!
The digital version is available for
iPads and Android tablets. The cost
is $1.99 per month or $18.99 per
year. Some members feel this should
be included as part of the cost of
membership, but currently only 20%
to 25% of our members have iPads or
Android tablets. Members who can’t
use this service shouldn’t have to pay
for those who can.
Considering it costs less than one
large specialty coffee each month, it is
a great value. There hasn’t been a dues
increase in 10 years, and we’ve had a
great increase in membership services
during that same period.
If you are going to be in Southern
California in January, please set aside
a day and join us at the AMA Expo in
Ontario. The dates are January 11-13
at the Ontario Convention Center.
AMA members receive a discount on
admission and, when you buy tickets in
advance, you’ll get an additional 25%
discount. Tickets can be ordered online
and picked up at the will-call booth
the day of the show. Stop by the AMA
booth in the center of the floor to say
hello!
Marketing and Membership Committee
member Neil Roth sent a note that a
longtime friend and avid modeler, Rick
Vaughn of Marietta, Georgia, passed
away.
Neil wrote, “Rick was a great Glider
competitor and Nats player. He was the
consummate gentleman and devoted to
our sport. Few people had his manners
and soft touch when working with a
rookie pilot. To know that man was to
respect his kindly way. I flew with him a
lot, and we often compared horsepower
in our respective Impalas, back in the
day. Rick Vaughn ran SEFF [Southeast
Electric Flight Festival] safely for years
and he will be really missed.”
Until next month, make the most of
the holidays with family and friends and
if you get the chance, help secure our
future and take a youngster flying.