FLYING SITE ASSISTANCE
By Tony Stillman, Flying Site Coordinator
Sharing skills is a great experience
Because this will be my first winter in the north, I am hoping for a mild one! It is early November now, and the weather is not too bad. I wish it would stay like this.
In October, AMA Staff Director Joyce Hager and I traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to attend the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) convention and expo. I have represented AMA at these conventions in the past, contacting officials to connect them with clubs to create flying sites. Although we have enjoyed some success, we felt we needed to change our approach and improve the number of new sites created.
This year we brought a new approach to the convention based on a program I have put into motion. The program is aimed at two groups:
- Park and recreation departments
- Military Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) departments
I am using contacts gained at the convention to beta test this new program.
Park and recreation departments
The idea for park and recreation departments is to equip them to create park flier model sites. These sites should attract people who are not interested in organized sports but are technically minded, and they can be located on vacant or underutilized park land (for example, soccer fields that are unused during the week).
I will work to connect park and recreation departments with a local AMA club or AMA member to assist in setting up the site and to help oversee daily flight operations. The program will demonstrate the value of the site, the educational benefits of having a model flying area, and how this activity attracts a non-sports-minded group who needs space to enjoy their hobby.
By partnering with a club, additional opportunities are created:
- The club can monitor the site and help protect it from abuse.
- Members can organize educational events for schools, Civil Air Patrol, and other groups.
- Clubs can host flying events that attract outside participants, producing a positive economic impact for the local area.
- Many groups participate in charitable fly-ins that are celebrated by the local community and reflect positively on the area.
MWR departments (military bases)
The program also targets MWR departments on military bases. A couple of years ago, an MWR director contacted me about purchasing RC model aircraft for students on the base. Many young service members at technical training facilities have little to do after classes and spend late nights at the MWR playing video games. The MWR wanted a way to get them outside, and providing model aircraft activity seemed like a great solution.
I expanded on that idea so that if an MWR can create a flying site and connect with a local AMA club or member, they can provide flight training plus maintenance and repair skills to keep the models flying and the new pilots engaged.
Program rollout and how you can help
By the time you read this, I will have become involved with several groups to test and improve the program. In the fall of 2015, I hope to announce a nationwide launch at the 2015 NRPA convention.
AMA will be advertising this program to the park and recreation and MWR industries starting in the spring of 2014. It is my hope that the nationwide program will create many new flying sites across the country.
In order for this program to be successful, your help is needed. When the time comes, I hope you will answer the call to become involved with your local park and recreation department or MWR department. Your expertise will be invaluable in helping these groups create safe flying sites, teach good flying practices, and instruct others on flying and repairing models.
Sharing your skills and knowledge with a newcomer is a great experience. I hope you will make yourself available!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
