Education through Aviation - 2010/09

AS THE NEW Education Director for the Academy, I
would first like to thank the Executive Council,
Education Committee,
President Dave Mathewson,
Executive Vice President
Mark Smith, and the
entire AMA staff for this
opportunity and the warm
welcome I have received. I
also have to thank my
family, especially my
beautiful wife, Lisa, for her
amazing support of my major
career change and the time I’ve
spent with model aircraft!
As for most of
you, my interest
in model
aviation
started with
fascination of all
things that fly.
My earliest
memory of
watching airplanes was
with my dad chasing the old
Stearman that would come
around to crop dust. We would
jump in the car and do our best to keep up
with it for as many fields as possible.
Roughly the time I turned 8, dad introduced me
to Control Line flying. I spent many fun-filled
hours with my buddies flying the Cox PT-19.
We actually figured out how to strap the
model and flight box on our banana seats and spend the day
flying.
In the meantime, Dad would take me to the annual open house
at what is now Grissom Air Force Base. I’ll never forget the first
time I heard a B-52 taking off!
In 1968, dad bought me a Citizenship Radio that I still have.
We built a de Bolt Champ, put a Veco .19 in it, and since that first
successful flight I have been totally hooked on model aviation.
The vast majority of my participation in the last 15-20 years has
been in Precision Aerobatics, often called Pattern, but don’t hold
that against me! The heart and soul of our organization belongs to
all of you who simply have fun enjoying model aviation.
When I think about who my closest friends are, it’s amazing
how many of them are modelers. I don’t think that’s a
coincidence. I think it’s because we all share the same passion for
things that fly, enjoy the fun times we spend together, and totally
respect each other as friends, competitors, and sources of
information about model aviation!
I’ve spent 32 years as a high school band director, so pressure
and daunting situations should by now be second nature. In fact,
they’re not! I feel so strongly about the word “Academy.”
In ancient Greece, the academy or college of philosophy in the
northwestern outskirts of Athens was where Plato acquired
property in approximately 387 BC and used to teach. At the site
there had been an olive grove, park, and gymnasium sacred to the
legendary Attic hero Academus (or Hecademus), from the Greek
Akademus—the very gymnasium from which Plato himself taught!
So, the education director of an Academy must bear the
responsibility of living up to the name—that’s daunting! Bottom
line? I feel strongly about our responsibility to deliver educational
resources to all of our members, associates, and potential clients.
So, now you know about the word Academy and a little bit
about me. What’s your story? How do you, your club, or anyone
you may know share information through model aviation?
One mission I’m on is to do all we can for clubs. We want to
provide clubs all the assistance possible to provide outreach to
local schools, mall shows, flying demonstrations, etc., pretty
much anywhere a modeler is sharing information about model
aviation. Additionally, we are pursuing collaborations with all of
the national youth groups.
Dave Mathewson recently signed a Memo of Understanding
with the EAA and its Young Eagles program. We are pursuing
similar relationships with other youth groups and hope to soon
report our success. Don’t ever forget the importance of sharing
our great hobby; someone shared it with you.
When you do any kind of outreach, you are establishing
yourself as a contributing member of that community! Does that
help keep or acquire a flying site? You bet it does!!
Finally, thanks to all of you for your many contributions and
dedication. Send me your story—pictures, video, all you have. I’ll
make sure that how you share gets shared!
Fly and Have Fun!