District V
Contact
Jose Soto, District V Vice President; [email protected]
Gathering of the Giants
I had the pleasure of attending the 17th annual Gathering of the Giants at the Cape Coral R/Sea Hawks' field in south Florida. This is an absolute must-attend event and this year’s edition was outstanding. The aircraft represented the cream of aeromodeling and the organization was superb. Cape Coral’s mayor, a past Nats champion, was in attendance, as were our own Dave Mathewson and Travis McGinnis. The AMA was well represented and Dave spoke at the banquet Saturday evening.
Ed Gamils and his crew were superb hosts; the field was in flawless shape and the winds and weather were perfect. Pablo Fernandez, a new District V associate vice president (AVP), coordinated the event and it ran smoothly all day long. More than 70 pilots attended and the crowd numbered in the thousands. It was a great show and represented the AMA organization well. I will definitely be back next year!
Hernando County Radio Control Club
Humberto Pomales, a Florida AVP, traveled to the Hernando County Radio Control Club in Hernando County, Florida. Cliff Manspeaker received the coveted ACE award, and it was well deserved. Cliff became an AMA Leader Member in 1966 and has been an AMA team player even longer.
The club is located in a pasture leased from a private owner, and the relationship with the landlord is strong. The members of this club represent the hobby very well and span ages from about 10 to 70. A very strong club indeed.
Club politics and safety
I have received a large amount of correspondence regarding club politics. The politics of running a club are just that: club issues. I do not get involved in how a club is run unless it affects the safety of the membership, the general public, or the image of the AMA—again, in regards to safety.
How you manage the issues in your particular club is something I cannot possibly address because I am not a member of that club. Read the AMA guidelines for clubs; they will give you a base from which to proceed and guide your club. The AMA guidelines have served us well for many decades. Remember, this is what we do for fun. Don't fuel issues that can make it difficult for you or anyone else to enjoy this hobby.
I would like to point you to AMA documents 535-A and 535-B. Use these guidelines to create an environment that is safe, to make sure that all safety issues are addressed, and to provide a way for your club to meet the adopted standards.
Resources
- AMA documents 535-A and 535-B
- Visit the AMA website for the latest information on AMA Government Relations and campaign updates
The campaign is drawing to a close and our voices have been heard, but we are not out of the woods yet. Get the latest scoop from the website.
Tailwinds. Jose Soto, Vice President
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
