ey, Grandpa! Can you take me
and my dad out to the local
flying field to fly my airplane?”
For some of us, this would be the sweetest
music we could hear; a grandson is interested
in flying model airplanes and his dad is
willing to go with him. Unfortunately, I heard
from a few people that this was the start of a
nightmare brought about by the actions of the
local club.
How would your club react to an AMAmember
grandpa from some far- away city
arriving with his grandson and the boy’s
father at your flying field? Let’s assume that
the youngster and his dad have become AMA
members in preparation for this first outing
with their new model airplane, and have been
waiting for grandpa to arrive to take them
flying.
I had this scenario presented to me by
an extremely disappointed grandpa when he
experienced a complete rejection by a club
near where his grandson lived. To say he—
and I’m sure the kid—was heartbroken
the time” to “I raised my kids; I don’t want to
raise any more.” I’ve heard all about the
crowded flying site and the limited club
membership. In reality, I have seen very few
flying sites which were utilized to their
capacity, and very few clubs that had
overflow crowds at the meetings.
Obviously, greeting newcomers with
enthusiasm isn’t something I would expect
every club member to embrace. It wasn’t
when I was a kid and it will never be
something at which everyone excels. Some
people are not so good at this, so we need to
identify those who are willing and able to be
the club’s welcoming committee for potential
new modelers.
If a possible newcomer to the hobby
shows up at the field, those members who
have no interest in mentoring that person will
be able to refer them to someone else. We
cannot afford to turn away too many of those
first-time visitors. Without new blood, we
will run out of friends. MA
President’s Perspective
AMA President Dave Brown
“H
would be an understatement.
Most of us who have been involved in
aeromodeling for a lifetime got help starting
out from other aeromodelers. As kids, we
were transported to the field and club
meetings and encouraged through the rough
spots that all beginners experience.
For some of us, it was our lack of ability
to fly and crashing was just horrible. For
others, it was our lack of craftsmanship that
needed help. (I can remember needing help to
sharpen my ax when I first started building
models.) Regardless of our experience levels
or our ages, the other modelers were there to
help and support our efforts.
The longer we are involved in the sport,
the more we become attached to the people
involved in it. How many of us have spent a
day at the field without ever getting around to
flying our airplanes? Heck, I know a few guys
who plan to spend the day at the field and
they don’t even bring a model with them!
All of the friends you have in
aeromodeling got their start somehow and
their enthusiasm was cultivated by the
modelers they encountered on that first trip to
a flying site. How many of them would have
become your friends if they had been shunned
the first time they showed up at a club flying
site?
I have heard many excuses for why some
people don’t want to welcome those
newcomers. They range from “I don’t have
Dave Brown
AMA president
[email protected]
Without new blood, we will run out of friends
June 2006 5
M i s s i o n S t a t e m e n t
The Academy of Model Aeronautics is a world-class association of modelers organized for the purpose of promotion,
development, education, and advancement of modeling activities.
The Academy provides leadership, organization, competition, communication, protection, representation, recognition,
education, and scientific/technical development to its members.
Vi s i o n S t a t e m e n t
We, the members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, are the pathway to the future of aeromodeling and are
committed to making modeling the foremost sport/hobby in the world.
This vision is accomplished through
• Partnerships with its valued associates, the modeling industry, and governments;
• A process of continuous improvement;
• A commitment to leadership, quality, education, and scientific/technical development; and
• A safe, enjoyable modeling environment.
06sig1.QXD 4/25/06 1:49 PM Page 5
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/06
Page Numbers: 5
