January was a busy and productive month for the AMA.
We inducted the newest member into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame. Drum roll please … congratulations to Rich Hanson, AMA’s director of public relations and government affairs. He was inducted into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame during the 2014 AMA Expo in Ontario, California.
Rich has worked tirelessly with the FAA for some time now. After countless hours and hundreds of question-and-answer sessions, AMA President Bob Brown and James Williams, manager of the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office, signed a memorandum of understanding stating that the FAA will recognize the Academy of Model Aeronautics as a focal point for aeromodeling.
Much hard work has gone into what came about that day, but it is definitely not the end of the road—more work is ahead. Thank you, Rich, for your efforts.
Associate Vice President (AVP) Andy Griffith sent the following:
The Daytona Fall Aerotow event took place on the weekend of November 1-3 at the Daytona Beach RC Club in Daytona Beach, Florida. Difficult weather limited attendance, but people came from Melbourne, Orlando, and Jacksonville, Florida. Jeremy and Janet Hartmann even made the trip from Birmingham, Alabama.
Those who waited out the rain on Saturday were rewarded with several hours of great flying until it started to get dark. Sunday’s attendance was smaller, but gliders were in the air most of the morning until the wind put a halt to the show at lunchtime.
This is a great event and I’m already looking forward to next year. The Daytona Beach RC Club made the glider and tow pilots feel welcome and Daytona Beach club Vice President Terry Gulczynsai won the E-flite KA-8 provided by Horizon Hobby complete with tow release so he will have a glider to fly at the next event.
As District V begins to come alive with various fly-ins and contests, I want to reach out to my Leader Members in each state. If you attend events and would like to represent the district when you go, consider becoming a District V AVP. Please email me for more information.
