On the Fly
Late-breaking news from Headquarters
Walt A. Good: 1916-2002
Walter ("Walt") A. Good, past AMA president and considered by many the father of the modern Radio Control (RC) model aircraft, died July 20, 2002. He was 86.
A Life Member, a Hall of Fame member, and an AMA Fellow, Walt's considerable achievements spanned three principal areas: aeromodeling, AMA administration, and scientific research.
Born in Hillsdale, Michigan, Walt is best known for working with his brother Bill to design and build their first RC aircraft—Big Guff—and their own radio equipment in 1937.
Walt's success carried over into a distinguished career. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in 1941. His first job was at the Johns Hopkins Physics Laboratory near Washington, D.C., where his research included top-secret work to develop the VT proximity fuse during World War II. He received several awards for his work in this area.
Walt served as AMA's 11th president from 1958 to 1960. Honors he received include an AMA Fellowship Award (1953), which is AMA's highest accolade. He was inducted into the Model Aviation Hall of Fame in 1969.
Most recently Walt lived in Port Richey, Florida. Survivors include his wife, Joyce; two children, Terry Good and Ginnie (Good) Warner; and two grandchildren. In accordance with Walt's wishes, Mrs. Good has requested that any memorial donations be made to the church and/or to AMA.
Please see this month's "AMA News" section or the AMA Web site (www.modelaircraft.org) for Walt Good's complete obituary. —Publications Department
Status on Turbine Helicopter Regulations
At this time the Academy has no regulations on turbine helicopters, and individuals flying these vertical-lift aircraft have no liability insurance under the Academy's current through Royal Insurance Policy. However, there is an exception.
The AMA Safety Committee and Turbine Advisory Committee are working with three businesses involved in the manufacturing/marketing of turbine-powered helicopters to develop a set of regulations for consideration by AMA's Executive Council. This is anticipated to be voted on in October of this year or sooner.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
