Flying Site Assistance
Tony Stillman | www.modelaircraft.org/membership/clubs/fsap.aspx
Hi again! I'm writing this in early March after returning from my annual visit to the Southeastern Modelers Show in Perry, Georgia.
The weather is finally thinking about warming up. Hopefully things are starting to get better in your area as well and you will soon be able to go flying!
Many club members must be thinking the same thing, because I am getting busy with club flying site issues. I will be happy to assist in any way that I can, so don't be shy. Give me a call or e-mail and let's see what we can do.
I was recently made aware of an updated EPA video about AMA's relationship with the EPA and how the EPA sees model airplanes as a good use for Superfund sites that have been remediated. The new video can be viewed at: www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/recycle/info/amapartners.html.
By the time you read this, a link will be on the AMA Flying Site Assistance web page that will take you directly to the video: www.modelaircraft.org/membership/clubs/fsap.aspx.
This clip can help you convince local officials that model airplane flying sites are a positive use of land, even if it is not a Superfund site. Local county or city governments can benefit by partnering with a club to use greenspace that might otherwise go unused.
Sometimes showing local officials that a division of the federal government sees our activity as positive and actually recommends lands to be designated for our use can really work in your favor.
Clubs can serve as a security force to ensure the site is secure and undamaged. Any issues can be noted and local officials informed.
Site usage can also result in a positive economic impact to the local economy because of the influx of modelers heading to the field for an event. These visitors purchase gasoline and hotel rooms and keep local restaurants busy. This is music to the ears of any local official or politician. Bringing dollars to a local economy in need of a boost is on their minds all the time.
I have heard from many of you who received a letter or e-mail from me regarding contact from a local official who would like to speak to club members about providing a flying site. If you remember from previous columns, these contacts were obtained during our efforts at the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) Expo and the National League of Cities Expo in 2010.
This is exciting and I am hopeful that many new sites will be created as a result. Having a site available can help clubs grow and even be the spark for starting a new club!
I will be following up with these clubs over the next month or so to find out the results of these contacts.
This coming winter I will be attending:
- National League of Cities show in Phoenix, Arizona
- NRPA event in Atlanta, Georgia
I will continue working to find new sites for our clubs. Based on the results of our current push, we will modify our efforts to improve our chances of gaining new sites.
See you at the field!
Tony Stillman Flying Site Assistance Coordinator
Contact
102 Cherrywood Ct., Brunswick, GA 31525 (912) 242-2407 [email protected]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
