Education Through Aviation - 2011/06

AMA News
Announcements, news, and information from the
Academy of Model Aeronautics and the elected district representatives.
WOULDN’T YOU AGREE that many of
the ingenious, innovative, and creative
people you know are your modeling
buddies? It has always struck me that so
many who are involved in this great activity
are the never-give-up type, and fit
Emerson’s marching orders well: they go
anyway and leave a trail.
Having just returned from Toledo, seeing
the mecca of model aviation, I’m reminded
of how many innovators we’re proud to
associate with. So many creative people and
their beautiful models, products,
innovations, and plans … you name it.
So how does this happen? What attracts
this type of person to model aviation? I have
a theory: it ain’t easy! To be truly successful
in any aspect of modeling, an individual
must enjoy a challenge that’s placed directly
in front of him.
This accomplishment may not always be
the same. It could be in the form of
designing, building, or flying, and during the
course of addressing these challenges, great
modelers always find out, figure out, and
make right the wrongs along the path to the
end result. Emerson must have known some
modelers …
Maybe he knew Bob Hunt! I’ve
mentioned before the approach that Bob,
Editor Emeritus of this magazine and CL
Stunt legend, has to say about
sharing our great hobby.
His approach of “Each
one, teach one” is the subject
of his latest editorial in Stunt
News. I highly recommend
reading it. You can find the
editorial on the AMA Web
site. For more information
about Bob and the SIG
Precision Aerobatics Model
Pilots Association (PAMPA),
visit its website. See the
“Sources” listing for the
address.
I recently completed an
aircraft review that will
appear in next month’s MA.
During the course of this
project, I identified two
important elements for me in
a modeling project. Okay, I’ll
admit that some of this might
be part of the aging process,
but we’re all aging at the same rate so I’ll
share these and you can decide if they
resonate with you.
The Fun Factor: The fun factor has to be
there in some form all the time. Let’s face it.
There are parts of a project that we enjoy
more than others. The challenge is to figure
out how to make them all enjoyable.
The Walk Away: I learned this from a dear
friend who shares back and forth with me,
almost daily, his ups and downs on various
crafting projects. I’m guilty of keeping after
something long after the fun factor is gone,
determined to “get ’er done.”
That’s when you simply walk away. It
amazes me how much more effective I can
be 10 minutes or a day later. Try keeping
these two things in mind during your next
project. Are you having fun? If not, walk
away.
Leave when the fun factor ends! When
you come back to it, suddenly that task will
not be frustrating, but actually fun!
Learning, through any means or medium,
is something we all put under this giant
umbrella called education.
In the final analysis, education is the
good fortune we have in taking the shortcut
around the difficulties someone else figured
out and shared.
Share what you know. Each one, teach
one, and make the path you create fun along
the way.
Fly and have fun!
Sources:
Bob Hunt’s editorial:
www.modelaircraft.org/education/bhuntedit
orial.aspx
PAMPA
www.control-line.org
Education Through Aviation Bill Pritchett | [email protected]
Do not go where the path may lead,
go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
5161 E. Memorial Dr.
Muncie IN 47302
(765) 287-1256, ext. 515
[email protected]
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Stay informed and help AMA defend your right to fly by going to
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AMA Government Relations
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