IN THE FIRST four months of this year,
I’ve seen a large number of clubs
across the country put their
“club faces” in the
news, and the
results
are all
positive.
There
are clubs
out there
whose
members
seem to have
the attitude that
“out of sight, out
of mind” is a good
way to ensure
longevity. My
experience is quite
the opposite.
When it comes time
to renew a lease or to
renegotiate space on
public land, the question
is often asked, “What has
this flying group done for
the community?”
“If their contributions are
nil, how about putting a soccer
field on the site?”
Those of us who regularly
attend city planning sessions
know that city officials are
“bottom-line” oriented. If they
approve a softball field or a flying
field, it is only after a discussion
about the costs to the municipality and
the benefit to its citizens. If we stand in
front of a parks and recreation commission,
hat in hand, and ask for a flying site, but
can’t enumerate the potential benefits to the
community, our struggle is all up hill.
Here’s some food for thought regarding
things your club might do to get in the
limelight in a very positive way.
Late last year I wrote about a club field
dedication in the small town of Florence,
Arizona. Early this year I received the
following note from AMA member Lyle
Bohn, president of the Florence Aero
Modelers and the key person in the effort to
get the facility built.
“Hello Wes,
“Finally getting around to sending this
to you. Richard Sanders, formerly a
Florence Town Councilman, found out in
December that the Town of Florence
received an award from the Arizona Parks
and Recreation Association at their annual
APRA Awards Banquet. The attached was
taken from the banquet program.
“There were 104
nominations in 22
separate categories
in which the Town
of Florence was in
the ‘populations
under 25,000’
category. I
guess the
Town
received a
nice plaque
for this.
“At
the end
of the
year
we
had
approximately
80 members in our
club. We had one Fun Fly in
December with another one planned
for March 7, 2009. We are still working at
trying to get our runway seal coated and are
presently putting up more of the rodeo
fence that was donated. Getting our shade
Ramada up is next.
“We have a Web site presently under
construction at www.florence-aeromodelers.
org. The Florence IT Manager is
providing this for us free of charge. We
have many pictures covering the building
of our field and the ribbon-cutting opening.
As you know, all of this happened in 3
months.”
There’s a “wow” factor here … a flying
site recognized as being worthy of a
commendation at the Arizona Parks and
Recreation Association. That’s a big win
for a small town.
And did you see the comment about
club membership? Lyle started with five
semi-interested modelers, but that number
shot up to 80 once a flying site was
available.
The AMA is participating in recreation
conventions at the national level through
the National Recreation and Park
Association. You can be sure that the City
of Florence commendation will be a
prominent part of the presentations.
In another good-for-model-aviation
activity, a public-relations coup was scored
by the Las Vegas RC Modelers (LVRC) in
Nevada. On April 25, I met with District X
Associate Vice President Greg Clemensen
and LVRC members Darrell Stubbs and
Brian Vyhnal at an event sponsored by the
Clark County Parks and Recreation
Department.
The event was staged to recognize the
contributions of the many volunteers who
support the department. As it turns out,
three of the LVRC members serve as
ambassadors in the Park Ambassador
program run by the county.
These members mentor individuals who
use other parks department venues, as well
as monitoring activity at the Bill Bennett
Field in Las Vegas where the Tournament
of Champions (TOC) is held.
According to Della Boyd, Principal
Management Analyst and Volunteer
Management Director for the County, the
LVRC members are an invaluable part of
the overall program. The program is
recognized by the National Recreation
and Park Association! Just the type of
public exposure we need.
Della Boyd, Principal Management Analyst
and Volunteer Management Director for
the County, paid a visit to the LVRC flying
site.
These examples are huge in their
potential impact when we petition
municipal governments for flying sites. But
there are other, equally important steps
your club can take to make it recognized as
an asset to the community.
Following are a few items I’ve Googled
relative to local clubs doing noteworthy
work.
In an item in www.upstatetoday.com,
serving the Mountain Lakes Region of
South Carolina, Alena Pelfry posted this
statement recognizing the contribution a
local flying club made to a home for
children who need nurturing not otherwise
available in their home environment. The
Oconee Eagles is the club involved.
“I had the distinct pleasure of meeting
Bob Wilkinson and Scott Swanson with the
Oconee Eagles Model Aviation Club this
week when they came by with checks
totaling $750. Most had been raised during
their recent fundraiser where they
auctioned off a Spitfire-YS-120-4C that
was built and donated by Bob.
“I was also very impressed with the
model airplane Bob and Scott showed me,
and I enjoyed learning more about their
club. You can visit their Web site at
www.oconeeeagles.org.”
In East Wenatchee, Washington, the
following, written by staff writer Travis
Hay and posted on May 9, 2009, ran on the
Web site http://wenatcheeworld.com.
“As parade enthusiasts gathered in
Wenatchee Saturday, pilots watched their
planes soar—and at times nose dive—in an
Eastside field at the Apple Blossom Radio
Control Airplane Fly-in.
“More than 100 radio-controlled model
planes, ranging from turbine-powered to
gliders to stunt planes, filled the
Wenatchee Red Apple Flyers Field for the
event. Along with the pilots there were
hundreds of spectators watching the planes
take to the sky. The fun fly, or noncompetitive
show, attracted radiocontrolled
plane enthusiasts from
throughout the state, as well as Oregon,
Idaho and Canada.
“‘Really it’s just a bunch of big kids
with big toys,’ said Jeff Bellinger,
president of the Wenatchee Red Apple
Flyers.
“‘Radio-controlled planes are real
popular elsewhere. But here in Washington
it is sort of an underground thing. Most
people in the valley don’t even know we
exist,’ Bellinger said about the
organization.
“Patrick Winters of Spokane agreed
with Bellinger’s comment about kids and
toys. ‘I started doing this 12 years ago with
my son when he was 9 years old,’ said
Winters, who owns eight radio-controlled
planes. ‘He’s since gone on to other things
and now I’ve become the kid.’
“David Jensen of Bellevue got hooked
on building and flying the planes 21 years
ago. ‘It really has become a passion. But it
does have its ups and downs. If you don’t
crash, then you’re not trying hard enough.
Everybody crashes,’ Jensen said. ‘Don’t
ask me how I know that.’
“Turns out he was right. On the other
side of the airfield a few minutes after
Jensen jested about crashes, the landing
gear on Scott McAdee’s twin-engine plane
didn’t operate properly, creating a not-sosmooth
landing. The failed landing was
one of several crashes during the two-day
event.
“‘You pray it all works. This time it
didn’t,’ McAdee said while he was
replacing the landing gear after the crash.
The plane also sustained some damage to a
propeller.
“‘I don’t fly them often, they’re too
expensive for me to mess with,’ McAdee
said. ‘I like to build and repair them.’
“McAdee estimated the plane, which
was built in 1991, cost about $5,000. He
said he has been considering retiring it
from flying because it has taken a lot of
body damage over the years.
“The flyers taking part in the fun-fly
weren’t all from out of the area, there were
also a few local radio-controlled plane
pilots participating too. Rick Stucky of
East Wenatchee had a plane with
Wenatchee Wild logos on its wings. He
said he likes to fly on the days the team
plays home games.
“‘I’ve always had a love of flight in
general and I have pretty much been
fascinated with airplanes my entire life,’
said Stucky, who aspires to get his pilot’s
license one day. ‘Right now this is feeding
my passion for flying.’”
This publicity gets us in the spotlight,
and helps promote the image of model
aviation as a recreational and educational
family activity.
In an item in the Rockwall (Texas)
County Herald-Banner, the following
event was publicized:
“(May 9) Group demonstrates radio
control aircraft
“The Rockwall RC Sport Flyers will be
holding an open house and Fun Fly at
9 a.m. May 9, at the club field on Dowell
Road, south of State Highway 276.
Spectators are welcome to view radio
control fun fly contests and demonstrations
of radio control aircraft. The club will cook
hot dogs and hamburgers.”
Don’t hide! Get the hobby you love
“out there” where people can see what you
do! Be a positive influence on kids, midlifers,
and seniors in your community.
Get pro-model aviation publicity, and
expect better results when you ask for
some, more, or better flying facilities.
July 2009 143
Wes De Cou
Coordinator
Western Region
AMA Districts VIII - XI
AK, AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA,
MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX,
UT, WA, WY
202 W. Desert Flower Ln.
Phoenix AZ 85045
Voice: (480) 460-9466;
Cell: (480) 296-9515
Fax: (480) 460-9434
E-mail: [email protected]
Joe Beshar
Coordinator
Eastern Region
AMA Districts I - VII
AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY,
MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC,
NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN,
VA, VT, WI, WV
198 Merritt Dr.
Oradell NJ 07649
Tel.: (201) 261-1281; E-mail:
[email protected]
Finding—Preserving—Maintaining
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 142,143
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 142,143
IN THE FIRST four months of this year,
I’ve seen a large number of clubs
across the country put their
“club faces” in the
news, and the
results
are all
positive.
There
are clubs
out there
whose
members
seem to have
the attitude that
“out of sight, out
of mind” is a good
way to ensure
longevity. My
experience is quite
the opposite.
When it comes time
to renew a lease or to
renegotiate space on
public land, the question
is often asked, “What has
this flying group done for
the community?”
“If their contributions are
nil, how about putting a soccer
field on the site?”
Those of us who regularly
attend city planning sessions
know that city officials are
“bottom-line” oriented. If they
approve a softball field or a flying
field, it is only after a discussion
about the costs to the municipality and
the benefit to its citizens. If we stand in
front of a parks and recreation commission,
hat in hand, and ask for a flying site, but
can’t enumerate the potential benefits to the
community, our struggle is all up hill.
Here’s some food for thought regarding
things your club might do to get in the
limelight in a very positive way.
Late last year I wrote about a club field
dedication in the small town of Florence,
Arizona. Early this year I received the
following note from AMA member Lyle
Bohn, president of the Florence Aero
Modelers and the key person in the effort to
get the facility built.
“Hello Wes,
“Finally getting around to sending this
to you. Richard Sanders, formerly a
Florence Town Councilman, found out in
December that the Town of Florence
received an award from the Arizona Parks
and Recreation Association at their annual
APRA Awards Banquet. The attached was
taken from the banquet program.
“There were 104
nominations in 22
separate categories
in which the Town
of Florence was in
the ‘populations
under 25,000’
category. I
guess the
Town
received a
nice plaque
for this.
“At
the end
of the
year
we
had
approximately
80 members in our
club. We had one Fun Fly in
December with another one planned
for March 7, 2009. We are still working at
trying to get our runway seal coated and are
presently putting up more of the rodeo
fence that was donated. Getting our shade
Ramada up is next.
“We have a Web site presently under
construction at www.florence-aeromodelers.
org. The Florence IT Manager is
providing this for us free of charge. We
have many pictures covering the building
of our field and the ribbon-cutting opening.
As you know, all of this happened in 3
months.”
There’s a “wow” factor here … a flying
site recognized as being worthy of a
commendation at the Arizona Parks and
Recreation Association. That’s a big win
for a small town.
And did you see the comment about
club membership? Lyle started with five
semi-interested modelers, but that number
shot up to 80 once a flying site was
available.
The AMA is participating in recreation
conventions at the national level through
the National Recreation and Park
Association. You can be sure that the City
of Florence commendation will be a
prominent part of the presentations.
In another good-for-model-aviation
activity, a public-relations coup was scored
by the Las Vegas RC Modelers (LVRC) in
Nevada. On April 25, I met with District X
Associate Vice President Greg Clemensen
and LVRC members Darrell Stubbs and
Brian Vyhnal at an event sponsored by the
Clark County Parks and Recreation
Department.
The event was staged to recognize the
contributions of the many volunteers who
support the department. As it turns out,
three of the LVRC members serve as
ambassadors in the Park Ambassador
program run by the county.
These members mentor individuals who
use other parks department venues, as well
as monitoring activity at the Bill Bennett
Field in Las Vegas where the Tournament
of Champions (TOC) is held.
According to Della Boyd, Principal
Management Analyst and Volunteer
Management Director for the County, the
LVRC members are an invaluable part of
the overall program. The program is
recognized by the National Recreation
and Park Association! Just the type of
public exposure we need.
Della Boyd, Principal Management Analyst
and Volunteer Management Director for
the County, paid a visit to the LVRC flying
site.
These examples are huge in their
potential impact when we petition
municipal governments for flying sites. But
there are other, equally important steps
your club can take to make it recognized as
an asset to the community.
Following are a few items I’ve Googled
relative to local clubs doing noteworthy
work.
In an item in www.upstatetoday.com,
serving the Mountain Lakes Region of
South Carolina, Alena Pelfry posted this
statement recognizing the contribution a
local flying club made to a home for
children who need nurturing not otherwise
available in their home environment. The
Oconee Eagles is the club involved.
“I had the distinct pleasure of meeting
Bob Wilkinson and Scott Swanson with the
Oconee Eagles Model Aviation Club this
week when they came by with checks
totaling $750. Most had been raised during
their recent fundraiser where they
auctioned off a Spitfire-YS-120-4C that
was built and donated by Bob.
“I was also very impressed with the
model airplane Bob and Scott showed me,
and I enjoyed learning more about their
club. You can visit their Web site at
www.oconeeeagles.org.”
In East Wenatchee, Washington, the
following, written by staff writer Travis
Hay and posted on May 9, 2009, ran on the
Web site http://wenatcheeworld.com.
“As parade enthusiasts gathered in
Wenatchee Saturday, pilots watched their
planes soar—and at times nose dive—in an
Eastside field at the Apple Blossom Radio
Control Airplane Fly-in.
“More than 100 radio-controlled model
planes, ranging from turbine-powered to
gliders to stunt planes, filled the
Wenatchee Red Apple Flyers Field for the
event. Along with the pilots there were
hundreds of spectators watching the planes
take to the sky. The fun fly, or noncompetitive
show, attracted radiocontrolled
plane enthusiasts from
throughout the state, as well as Oregon,
Idaho and Canada.
“‘Really it’s just a bunch of big kids
with big toys,’ said Jeff Bellinger,
president of the Wenatchee Red Apple
Flyers.
“‘Radio-controlled planes are real
popular elsewhere. But here in Washington
it is sort of an underground thing. Most
people in the valley don’t even know we
exist,’ Bellinger said about the
organization.
“Patrick Winters of Spokane agreed
with Bellinger’s comment about kids and
toys. ‘I started doing this 12 years ago with
my son when he was 9 years old,’ said
Winters, who owns eight radio-controlled
planes. ‘He’s since gone on to other things
and now I’ve become the kid.’
“David Jensen of Bellevue got hooked
on building and flying the planes 21 years
ago. ‘It really has become a passion. But it
does have its ups and downs. If you don’t
crash, then you’re not trying hard enough.
Everybody crashes,’ Jensen said. ‘Don’t
ask me how I know that.’
“Turns out he was right. On the other
side of the airfield a few minutes after
Jensen jested about crashes, the landing
gear on Scott McAdee’s twin-engine plane
didn’t operate properly, creating a not-sosmooth
landing. The failed landing was
one of several crashes during the two-day
event.
“‘You pray it all works. This time it
didn’t,’ McAdee said while he was
replacing the landing gear after the crash.
The plane also sustained some damage to a
propeller.
“‘I don’t fly them often, they’re too
expensive for me to mess with,’ McAdee
said. ‘I like to build and repair them.’
“McAdee estimated the plane, which
was built in 1991, cost about $5,000. He
said he has been considering retiring it
from flying because it has taken a lot of
body damage over the years.
“The flyers taking part in the fun-fly
weren’t all from out of the area, there were
also a few local radio-controlled plane
pilots participating too. Rick Stucky of
East Wenatchee had a plane with
Wenatchee Wild logos on its wings. He
said he likes to fly on the days the team
plays home games.
“‘I’ve always had a love of flight in
general and I have pretty much been
fascinated with airplanes my entire life,’
said Stucky, who aspires to get his pilot’s
license one day. ‘Right now this is feeding
my passion for flying.’”
This publicity gets us in the spotlight,
and helps promote the image of model
aviation as a recreational and educational
family activity.
In an item in the Rockwall (Texas)
County Herald-Banner, the following
event was publicized:
“(May 9) Group demonstrates radio
control aircraft
“The Rockwall RC Sport Flyers will be
holding an open house and Fun Fly at
9 a.m. May 9, at the club field on Dowell
Road, south of State Highway 276.
Spectators are welcome to view radio
control fun fly contests and demonstrations
of radio control aircraft. The club will cook
hot dogs and hamburgers.”
Don’t hide! Get the hobby you love
“out there” where people can see what you
do! Be a positive influence on kids, midlifers,
and seniors in your community.
Get pro-model aviation publicity, and
expect better results when you ask for
some, more, or better flying facilities.
July 2009 143
Wes De Cou
Coordinator
Western Region
AMA Districts VIII - XI
AK, AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, KS, LA,
MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX,
UT, WA, WY
202 W. Desert Flower Ln.
Phoenix AZ 85045
Voice: (480) 460-9466;
Cell: (480) 296-9515
Fax: (480) 460-9434
E-mail: [email protected]
Joe Beshar
Coordinator
Eastern Region
AMA Districts I - VII
AL, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY,
MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC,
NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, TN,
VA, VT, WI, WV
198 Merritt Dr.
Oradell NJ 07649
Tel.: (201) 261-1281; E-mail:
[email protected]
Finding—Preserving—Maintaining