During the last few years, I have
had the opportunity to interview
several people behind many of
the companies that support our hobby,
as part of the “About Us” feature. I
interviewed Fai Chan from Airborne
Models for this issue and a comment he
made, as have others who design model
aircraft, stuck with
me. That comment
is that although
we are lucky to
be working in a
hobby we love, it
also comes with a
degree of pressure
to be successful.
In the case of
a model aircraft
designer, that
means creating a
model that can be
mass produced,
will y well, and
most importantly,
sell well. In my
position, I have
that same level
of pressure when
putting together
an issue of Model
Aviation. It is my
goal each month
to have Model
Aviation satisfy the
needs and interest
of the majority of the membership.
We have received much positive
feedback from our readers on the
redesign, the addition of the “I Am the
AMA” feature, and on our oat- ythemed
May issue.
This month I am bringing you
another issue with focused content, that
of Free Flight. I pondered this idea for a
little while, because the largest interest
of our readership is RC. Would the
readers appreciate an issue dedicated to
our roots and beginnings in ight?
I found my answer this year at the
AMA Expo at the Ontario Convention
Center in Ontario, California, in a
ballroom dedicated to Free Flight.
Model Aviation’s “Safety Comes
First” columnist, Dave Gee, and
several others spent the weekend
demonstrating their models and
helping kids of all ages learn to trim
and y their own
aircraft. AMA’s
Ambassador, Hoot
Gibson, even got
in on the action,
ying a rubber
band-powered
Space Shuttle.
The ballroom
was a urry of
activity during the
weekend, with
people wanting to
get in on all the
fun of building
and ying their
own creations.
They found the
balance that Free
Flight modeling
provides: that of
aerodynamics,
science, and in
some cases art, for
those who chose to
color their models.
Even if you
don’t participate
in Free Flight, there’s something to be
learned from those who do. The skills
to build and trim a model airplane that
can y free of any control from the
ground, can bene t other aspects of
aeromodeling.
If you enjoy issues of Model Aviation
based around a common theme, such as
World War I, helicopters, or oatplanes,
as we have done in the past, let me
know what interests you would like us
to cover.
That’s all for this month. I hope you have
a great summer lled with flying!
Edition: Model Aviation - 2012/07
Page Numbers: 8
