President’s Perspective
Dave Brown, AMA president
Everything seems to have worked out great.
Dateline
ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA — AMA Convention 2004, the former International Modelers Show, was a roaring success. Exhibitors, members, and other attendees praised the new location and attendance set records.
Ontario was a big success, and any concerns about the convention's move from Pasadena after 26 years were erased. A decision was made last year that the Pasadena site had become a restraint to the growth of the show: exhibit space was maxed out and parking had become a problem. AMA staff—principally Jay Mealy—researched the area and determined that Ontario, California, would work well, so the decision was made to change venues.
I was impressed with the facilities at Ontario, although I must admit that I was hesitant to move the show which had been so successful in Pasadena. My concerns centered on modelers' attendance because we would be moving farther from the large population center of Los Angeles. Among the group engineering the move I was known as the "naysayer." I had the most concern over the move although I agreed that we needed to be able to expand the show, and it was obvious that we had outgrown the Pasadena facility.
Any concerns I had were obliterated on Friday, January 9, 2004, when the gates were opened and the crowd began flowing in. It was a good move and the event now has nearly limitless potential for growth. The Ontario facility is large, attractive, and convenient for the majority of attendees. As it turns out, it's easier to get to for most Orange County and San Diego residents, and it doesn't take much longer for most Los Angeles inhabitants to reach. The only people with a longer commute are those from the San Fernando Valley and Ventura area, although the improved ease of parking seems to make up for that difficulty.
AMA staff and education
A number of people asked why there were so many AMA staff members and officers attending the show. I'll admit that quite a few were there, but this is the AMA Convention, and as a non-profit corporation dedicated to an educational purpose, it's important that we emphasize this aspect of the association at our convention. In addition to the seminars on myriad subjects, we had several committee meetings while in Ontario, including an Education Committee meeting on the Monday following the convention. The educational aspects of AMA are central to our non-profit status, and we must continue and expand those efforts if we are to maintain that status. If we were to lose it, it would cost AMA much more to operate.
I thought it was funny that people questioned staff attendance, as in the past we have been accused of ignoring the West Coast. You can't win.
Youth activities and electric models
During the show, make-and-take projects for young people were ongoing, and the Black Sheep Squadron, led by Tony Naccarato, presented a nearly continual air show flying lightweight electric Radio Control and Control Line models. To say that the performance of electric models has improved in recent years would be a huge understatement. I spoke with one member who had a fairly small aerobatic model that was capable of any maneuver you could name—including sufficient power to hover. He noted that it would fly for 20 minutes!
The newest technology in motors—and particularly in batteries—has enabled electric models to become a large segment of our activity. But as with any advancement in technology, this comes with a price, not only in dollars but in safety considerations.
Proper use of lithium cells—ion or polymer—is much more critical, particularly in terms of charging. This technology is safe and simple but only if you use the correct charging equipment and exercise a great deal of care. Lithium is flammable—almost explosive—and it can erupt in flames if charged improperly. There are special chargers designed to charge these cells. You need to use only this type of charger or you run the risk of a fire.
The two most common mistakes I've heard about are:
- Trying to charge lithium batteries with a standard Ni-Cd charger (don't do it!).
- Incorrectly setting a proper charger in terms of the number of cells in the pack.
Either mistake commonly results in a fire; some have had dire consequences. I've heard of workshops and cars being destroyed by these accidents, so be careful.
Based on input from many people, I believe these batteries are perfectly safe—as safe as any type of battery is so long as they are handled properly—but they are very intolerant of misuse. It has been pointed out that if the batteries were unsafe we would not be allowed to carry computers or PDAs equipped with them onto an airliner. All consumer devices have dedicated chargers, making them quite safe. It's our use of individual cells to make up "homemade" packs which requires the extra care.
Condolences
On a sad note, I was informed that District XI Vice President Bruce Nelson's wife, Marci, suffered a stroke and died in Spokane, Washington, shortly after the end of the AMA Convention. Marci was well known to many Northwest modelers, and I'm sure I can express the condolences of the entire AMA membership to Bruce and the rest of her family.
Dave Brown AMA president [email protected]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
