President’s Perspective 2010/08
Several years ago—probably back in the early ’90s—I remember walking through the ultralight area at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA’s) annual AirVenture convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. A number of manufacturers had vendor tents and were selling kits. On display were plans, parts, and some aircraft in the bare-bones stage. One thing that occurred to me was that many of these ultralights were just big model airplanes.
If you can build a model airplane, you could easily build an ultralight. Taking this idea one step further, if you can build a model airplane, chances are good that you could build an experimental aircraft.
EAA and AMA Partnership
Fast-forward to 2010. There is a tremendous amount of common ground between the EAA, AMA, and our respective members. Many full-scale pilots got their first exposure to aviation with a model aircraft, while many full-scale aviators have expanded their flying experience by becoming involved in model aviation.
The leadership of both organizations recognizes this, and for the better part of the last year has been discussing ways our organizations can work together to not only further our respective goals but to introduce more people—adults and children—to aviation. Those talks recently culminated in EAA and AMA signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). In this MOU we pledged to work together and to collaborate on programs that will nurture and support the growth of aviation. We will focus heavily on creating new concepts that promote aviation, both full-scale and modeling, as a perfect family recreational and educational activity.
Combining the resources of two of the premier aviation associations in the country will provide a tremendous opportunity to help accomplish these goals. AMA is excited about the potential this partnership presents. You’ll be hearing about many great initiatives coming out of this partnership soon.
EAA AirVenture 2010
One opportunity you may want to take advantage of right away is EAA AirVenture, running this year from July 26 through August 1. It will feature nearly 2,500 show aircraft, including home-builts, antiques, classics, and warbirds. Add to these more than 500 forums, nearly 800 exhibitors, thousands more general-aviation aircraft, and hundreds of thousands of attendees, and it’s easy to see why AirVenture is the world’s most popular aviation event.
AirVenture highlights include:
- Nearly 2,500 show aircraft (home-builts, antiques, classics, warbirds)
- More than 500 forums
- Nearly 800 exhibitors
- Thousands of general-aviation aircraft and hundreds of thousands of attendees
For younger visitors, KidVenture offers fun, aviation-based activities. Kids get to:
- Build their own gliders and rockets
- Fly simulators
- Meet aviation legends
- Ride in a tethered hot air balloon
- Participate in other hands-on activities
To kick off our new partnership, EAA is offering AMA members EAA member rates for entry to AirVenture. Additionally, AMA members will receive free entry into EAA’s AirVenture Museum for the rest of 2010. The museum houses a spectacular collection of aviation-related artifacts. If you have an opportunity to go, be sure to visit the “Little Wings … Big Dreams: Sport Aviation in Miniature” model aviation exhibit. During AirVenture, AMA will have a large area adjacent to the exhibit—stop by the AMA booth and say hello.
Indianapolis Children’s Museum / NASA Grant
For more than a year, AMA has been working with the Indianapolis Children’s Museum in applying for a Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums grant from NASA. This work paid off recently when NASA recognized the effort by awarding us one of only nine grants in the country going to informal education providers.
Several new projects and programs will be created as a result of this grant. Projects will be managed by the museum and created in consultation with AMA and the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. In a press release announcing the grant, Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, said, “The Children’s Museum’s partnerships with the Academy of Model Aeronautics and the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center represent an extraordinary collaboration among these leading organizations in their respective fields.”
This is another collaborative partnership that offers a tremendous opportunity for AMA to reach out to younger members of our communities and introduce them to model aviation.
FCC NPRM: Part 95 and 72 MHz
In early June, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes to “simplify, streamline, consolidate and update” Part 95 of its rules by replacing it entirely with a new Part 95. Frequencies set aside in the 72 MHz band for model aviation would be regulated under Subpart D of the new Part 95.
Our FCC attorney and our Electronic Technology Committee have reviewed this NPRM and see no obvious threats at this time. However, as is sometimes the case in these situations, there is always the possibility that unforeseen consequences may crop up.
Typically, comments in response to an NPRM are due 30 days after the NPRM is published in the Federal Register. As I write this, the NPRM has not been published yet and our best guess is that comments would be due at roughly the beginning of August.
AMA will continue to monitor this and will submit our position in response to the NPRM as needed. As always, our position is that we will work to maintain the use of frequencies set aside for modeling in the 72 MHz band for the foreseeable future.
Closing
See you next time.
Dave Mathewson AMA president [email protected]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
