My first month at AMA Headquarters has been busy! I am trying to absorb the tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise that people in each department have to offer. Everyone works hard to provide the AMA members and clubs with the best support and membership benefits possible. I could not ask to work with a better group!
I have been reviewing and updating AMA’s Flying Site Assistance support items and working with Erin Dobbs to see how we can improve. This ongoing effort will result in better service and support to all clubs and members.
I am also working with the AMA Contest Boards as they go through the biennial process of rules proposals and ratification of rules changes. Work on the Competition Regulations and rulemaking process is in full swing. Each AMA Contest Board is reviewing rules proposals and cross-proposals. With my competition background, I enjoy working with these boards and assisting in any way I can.
I received word about a flying site success story. I hope you enjoy reading about it. Remember, we are here to help you succeed!
Three years ago, the Okeechobee Model Airplane Club (OMAC) in Florida, decided to make an all-out effort to secure a county flying site. As we began looking for a county-owned site, we realized that this would require a more than a simple lease with a landowner. We needed to get public support.
The club agreed to pursue a full-blown RC, handicapped-accessible sports park with a car track, future boat pond, and pit and spectator areas for all venues. The concept plan included an auto racing and aviation-themed child’s playground.
The timeline included a long-term public awareness campaign. OMAC looked to combine efforts with local RC car enthusiasts who were not organized into a club. OMAC members helped them form the Okeechobee RC Racing Club, which was founded for cars, trucks, boats, and airboats. Within four months, it was a solid organization and was included in the conceptual planning and presentation phase of the RC sports park.
The proposed park had to be a win/win for all involved, especially where facility and operation costs were involved. Okeechobee County is budget strapped, so to offset the financial burden, the clubs proposed to handle the construction and set-up costs for their respective areas and share in the expense of any common facilities between the different venues. No one had the knowledge, resources, or experience to properly design or develop their specific facilities better than the club members themselves.
We would present a package that would include proposed layout plans, facilities, insurance samples, suggested operational agreements and equipment, and signage. By submitting a complete package, we hoped to speed up the process and eliminate the need for an engineering firm.
As the clubs began to establish their specific designs, it became evident that they could also incorporate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education as a community benefit. The STEM opportunities were expanded and included in the presentation prepared for the county commissioners. (A copy of the presentation is available through the AMA Flying Site Assistance.)
The clubs continued to rally support as they developed the concept. The most useful venue in which to do so was the county fair. The first year at the fair started as a display with OMAC and the Civil Air Patrol presenting RC to the public. By the second year, a joint booth displayed RC airplanes, boats, and cars using simulators and small demo cars.
By the third year, the RC booth had gained enough attention that the clubs were invited to put on midway flying demonstrations and car races. The RC sports park’s conceptual design was prominently displayed.
The two clubs decided that the county fairground, known as the Agri-Civic Center, was the ideal facility for their needs. Originally constructed as a rodeo facility and to host the county fair, the facility has a large undeveloped area far enough away from the stables and the fairgrounds to not bother the facility’s other users. The area was already cleared and leveled with a low-cut grass cover similar to a soccer field, and bordered on two sides with an asphalt access roadway.
We could use two of the asphalt parking lanes as runways. The car track was proposed adjacent to the flight box inside a concrete barrier system originally installed for a demolition derby. A nearby retention pond that holds water all year will make a great future boat pond.
The clubs worked diligently to educate the commissioners and general public leading up to the presentation. The commissioners were invited to attend fly-ins and three had buddy-box flights, which proved invaluable during the first public commissioners’ meeting.
In December 2013, the 20-minute presentation was made, followed by questions and answers. The Board of Commissioners recommended that the clubs meet with staff to work out the details and any potential use conflicts with the location.
The staff recommended a six-month period to gain an understanding of our operations, facility needs, and see if any conflicts existed with other activities at the Agri-Civic Center. On May 22, the commissioners unanimously approved the plan.
The OMAC and the Okeechobee RC Racing Club would like to thank and recognize the Okeechobee County Commissioners and staff for their foresight and support in taking the first major step in establishing a permanent RC Sports Park in Okeechobee County Florida. OMAC would also like to thank the AMA and specifically Tony Stillman for his support and assistance through this process.[dingbat]
—Joe Papasso
