Executive Vice President - 2012/02

158 MODEL AVIATION
IT IS THANKSGIVING and I have a few
minutes after a great day with family, food,
football, parades, and simulator time. I
know it is corny, but this is the principal
day when we think about what we are
thankful for. The obvious is our family and
friends, our employers, our country, and our
military—they are our life and protectors of
our culture. I am thankful for my wife,
Diane, and my children, who always stand
by me. Serving on the Executive Council is
a commitment of much time and travel, and
this wouldn’t be possible without their
support.
I am thankful that Bob Brown, having
many years on the national stage and
Executive Council experience, stepped up
to become our 24th AMA president. I know
the love that he has for our hobby/sport and
the Academy. He will leave no stone
unturned in our quest to minimize
government regulations and protect future
generations of modelers.
I want to express our thanks to outgoing
Executive Vice President Mark Smith for
the work he has done on behalf of the
Academy. Mark stepped up and assumed
the duties of the president after Dave
Mathewson resigned to become our
executive director. He helped guide us
through our 75th Anniversary Celebration,
two Executive Council meetings, and
national media coverage of an uncovered
plot in which a man allegedly planned to
use model aircraft to attack our nation’s
capital. Mark, thank you for your time,
knowledge, and effort in leading the
Academy!
I also want to recognize Vice Presidents
Bruce Nelson and Bill Oberdieck, who
leave the council after many years of
honorable service. When you see these
gentlemen, thank them for their dedication
and many thousands of hours of volunteer
service. I also would like to welcome new
Vice Presidents Eric Williams, Mark
Radcliff, Tim Jesky, and Mike Mosbrooker.
We look forward to your intellect,
dedication, and commitment.
I am also thankful for all of my friends
and supporters who have allowed me to
become your new EVP. The function of this
office is to support and work with our new
president and Executive Council in
furthering our goals and causes. I represent
and serve all AMA members.
The purpose of this column is to discuss
with you items of importance, timely
events, club milestones, etc. If there is news
that you consider significant, I would like to
hear from you.
AMA Chartered Clubs are not only the
foundation, but the backbone of the
Academy. Many of our clubs understand
what AMA is all about: serving them. We
have 55 outstanding employees in Muncie,
Indiana, who stand ready to assist our clubs
and members. You could spend an entire
evening researching all of the programs the
Academy has developed to benefit our
clubs—both from educational and financial
standpoints. Dave Mathewson recently
wrote about some of these programs.
Most members view us primarily as a
supplier of insurance, and yes, we do that.
Perhaps it is because our primary liability
insurance for Chartered Clubs is a key
element in securing flying fields. Also,
clubs require members to belong to AMA
for the insurance.
The truth is we are much more. Take a
look at just one example: the impressive,
forthcoming changes to our flagship
publication, MA. It is already one of the
finest magazines in the industry and getting
better. Our Publications Department has
done a tremendous job providing first-class
print and digital publications to our
members.
Unless you are a new member, you have
read about our meetings with the FAA and
our efforts to mitigate onerous regulation. I
believe this is the most serious threat model
aviation has faced. The FAA is expected to
release its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(NPRM) in January or February. The FAA
has called this the “default” path. While this
may not represent what our members will
have to live by, it is vital that we all respond
by using the talking points that AMA will
provide, and writing the FAA and your
senators and congressmen/congresswomen.
We only have 60-90 days from the date
the NPRM is released to provide this
written commentary. Hand-written letters
are worth more than form emails, but any
type of written correspondence is far better
than no response. The FAA has a legal
obligation to read all written responses, and
your comments can have a positive
influence on the outcome of the default
path. This is a do-or-die situation and you
don’t have to be an AMA member to
respond in writing to this threat. Engage the
help of your family, friends, and coworkers.
I ask that all club presidents and club
safety officers download and review with
your club members the 2012 AMA
Membership Manual from AMA’s website
(www.modelaircraft.org). It can be found
under the drop-down icon of AMA
Documents.
This manual provides a wealth of
information, and it has AMA’s Safety Code
in it. You may not realize it, but when you
join the Academy or renew your
membership, you agree to abide by the
Safety Code. Why do I mention this? I have
seen serious violations of our safety code.
What do you think about starting and flying
aircraft and helicopters from vehicles
parked behind the pit and spectator areas?
How about clubs or even CDs not
maintaining a safety line for flight time?
Our Safety Code is the core document in
our negotiations with the FAA. Negative
press from bodily injuries or property
damage, due to unsafe operation of our
models, can impact our futures. It would be
great if each club annually reviewed our
Membership Manual/Safety Code with its
members. Collectively, it makes us a better
organization.
If you are still reading this epistle,
thanks for letting me expound a little! I look
forward to hearing from you.
Until next time … Help secure our
future and take a youngster flying!
Executive Vice President
Gary Fitch ; [email protected]
Gary Fitch
Executive Vice
President
1298 Slab City Rd.,
Franklinville NY 14737,
Tel.: (716) 341-2813
Check out what’s happening
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