Flying Site Assistance
I have three interesting events to discuss this month. Each represents a template for success in dealing with the public as you try to secure or save your flying site. Each event has enormous potential to influence the opinions of people who might not be inclined to support any form of model aviation in their locale.
Torrey Pines Gliderport: AMA Landmark Site
The Torrey Pines Gliderport in California has been recognized as the first Academy of Model Aeronautics' Landmark Site. AMA Executive Director Joyce Hager was on hand August 30 to unveil the AMA Landmark Site plaque recognizing the historic significance of the Torrey Pines Gliderport in the evolution of both model and full-scale aviation. After Joyce unveiled the plaque, she was presented with a declaration of appreciation by Sherri Lightner, chairperson of the La Jolla Town Council.
An event such as this enhances public perception and understanding of model aviation through radio, television, and print media. Having influential political figures in attendance is always a plus—particularly because we may have face-to-face meetings with those same people when making our cases for new flying sites. The Academy is considering other historically significant locations for Landmark Site status.
Electric Flight Demonstration: Lithium-Polymer Batteries
While visiting San Diego for the Torrey Pines presentation, I stopped by Dymond Modelsports, a local hobby shop, to see if anything was happening at the local flying fields. As luck would have it, Helmut Goestl, the owner, was on his way to the local electric flying site to demonstrate an electric system using cutting-edge lithium-polymer (Li-Poly) batteries.
Using these new batteries, which are significantly lighter than equivalent Ni-Cd, NiMH, or lithium-ion batteries, Helmut is getting flight times between charges of as much as 90 minutes—comparable to flying all day and charging when you get home. With flying-site loss as the most serious problem facing our membership and noise as the top reason for those losses, significant advances in nearly noiseless electric power represent a boon to sport fliers. These new batteries seem to answer the two most frequently mentioned problems with electric flight: weight and duration.
During the demonstration (which drew many passers-by), Helmut and some fellow pilots attached a LastDown XL to a harness on top of a Rearwin Speedster. The Rearwin, powered by an Actro 40-5, was flown to roughly 300 feet in altitude and then the XL was released. Both airplanes were then flown to normal landings, and the process was repeated. It appeared the flights could have been repeated many more times before recharging would have been necessary.
If you have a noise complaint at your field, consider electric—weight and duration are quickly disappearing as arguments against such a change.
KidVenture 2003 and Ionut "Nootz" Kuhls
KidVenture 2003 is another great example of outreach. In a previous column I mentioned the KidVenture control-line (CL) activity conducted each year in conjunction with the AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This event is a grand opportunity for AMA members to showcase one facet of our hobby in front of many thousands of people.
This year the volunteer crew got 2,496 kids (and some parents) into the sky above Oshkosh. Smiles were everywhere. The action was continuous from 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. every day of the show. Eighty-nine volunteers helped visitors from 48 states, 13 foreign countries, and the U.S. Virgin Islands experience CL flight. The public-relations payoff from such an event is enormous. (Okay, okay—Maine and Rhode Island forgot to send pilots!)
Regular readers will remember that last year a youngster named Ionut "Nootz" Kuhls visited the KidVenture venue. He was enthralled with aviation in general and model aviation in particular. I predicted Nootz would probably be flying his own CL aircraft by this year. Not quite. However, a great friend of model aviation in Brookings, Oregon, sent Nootz a .60-size almost-ready-to-fly trainer, complete with radio, servos, adhesives—everything. In addition, the volunteer staff at the CL venue presented Nootz with a ready-to-fly CL model during his visit this year.
My current quest is to find a modeler from the Fond du Lac Aeromodelers Association, hook him up with Nootz and his family, and get this youngster into the air.
To know Nootz is to understand that the sky is no limit.
- Key takeaways:
- Honor historic sites to build public and political support.
- Embrace electric flight advances to address noise and site-loss concerns.
- Continue hands-on outreach (like KidVenture) to inspire the next generation.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
