January 2011 5
n a recent issue of AMA Today, AMA
Education Director Bill Pritchett wrote
briefly about AMA’s new Model
Aviation School Club program. The
response to that article was exceptional.
There are numerous members who are
already involved in such a program and
many more are interested in bringing the
idea to their local school systems.
What is AMA’s Model Aviation School
Club program? Most schools incorporate
some form of extracurricular programming
into their calendars. It seemed logical to
design a program for students interested in
model aviation that would fit into this
extracurricular environment.
We wanted a program that would
remove most of the requirements involved
in chartering a more traditional club and,
at the same time, wanted to provide some
incentive and recognition for these school
groups.
To be eligible for the program, the
Model Aviation School Club must have
the endorsement of a school administrator.
The only other requirement is that the
group has a faculty advisor similar to what
most other after-school groups require.
We felt it was important that the kids be
able to manage their own clubs, so
selecting officers, as well as all other
details of running the group, would be left
entirely up to the student members.
AMA will provide the school a club
banner and a subscription to Model Aviation
magazine and Park Pilot magazine for the
President’s Perspective
AMA President Dave Mathewson
I
school’s library. The faculty advisor will
receive his or her AMA membership and a
subscription to both magazines.
An AMA member can approach a school
about partnering in the club or each faculty
advisor will receive a list of AMA chartered
clubs in his or her area that are willing to help
the Model Aviation School Club be
successful.
There will also be a special area in the
Education section of AMA’s Web site
designed specifically for these clubs. It will be
a place where kids from different clubs across
the country can communicate virtually with
each other. As the program grows, virtual
competitions will be organized between
schools.
Model aviation has always played an
important role in education. AMA’s AeroLab
program has been used successfully by
thousands of teachers in the classroom to
teach courses in science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM). Model
Aviation School Clubs will be both an
educational and recreational activity in which
kids can participate with their peers.
The program will be launched in early
2011. More information will be available in
club charter kits, which will be mailed shortly
after the first of the year, or you can contact
AMA Education Director Bill Pritchett at
(765) 287-1256, extension 515, or at
[email protected].
The 2011 AMA Expo is right around the
corner. Held at the Ontario Convention Center
in Ontario, California, the 2011 edition runs
from January 7-9.
This year’s guest speakers include Dr.
Gary Fogel, aviation historian, who will speak
on the history of the famous Torrey Pines
Gliderport. Brad Lang will be giving a
presentation on the CAF Red Tail Project,
which is dedicated to telling the story of the
Tuskegee Airmen, the World War II fighter
group composed of African-American pilots
and support personnel.
Joe Bock, founder of the Aero
Telemetry Corporation, will talk about his
company’s work with airborne
communication systems for both military
and commercial aerospace applications.
As I write this, we anticipate that
representatives from the FAA’s
Unmanned Aircraft Program Office
(UAPO) will be on hand to conduct an
informational seminar and answer
questions surrounding the UAPO’s effort
to create regulations that will allow the
operation of small unmanned aircraft
systems (sUAS) in the national airspace.
AMA will hold its winter board meeting
on Sunday at the Ontario Convention Center
during the Expo. All members and
convention guests are welcome to attend. If
you plan to go to the Expo, stop by the
AMA Village in the middle of the
convention center floor and say hello.
More information and a list of other
activities at this year’s event can be found
at www.amaexpo.com.
A number of members have taken the time
to write this year to let us know about their
clubs’ efforts to support local charities by
hosting model aviation events. It’s nice to
see so many of us doing this. Not only is
this an excellent way to give something
back to our communities, but this type of
local support is rarely forgotten.
Clubs that participate in these types of
events build credibility and gain the respect
of others in their communities. This can pay
dividends at some point in the future if your
club finds itself in a position where it needs
the support of its neighbors in return.
There are countless stories of how
model aviation fields have been saved as a
result of a club being a contributing
member of its community.
We have clubs that host events that raise
tens of thousands of dollars for charity and
we have clubs that raise a few hundred
dollars. The amount of money isn’t
important. It’s the act of kindness that will
be remembered. MA
Dave Mathewson
AMA president
[email protected]
Mission Statement
The Academy of Model Aeronautics is a world-class association of modelers organized for the purpose of
promotion, development, education, advancement, and safeguarding of modeling activities.
The Academy provides leadership, organization, competition, communication, protection, representation,
recognition, education and scientific/technical development to modelers.
It’s the act of kindness that will be remembered.
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Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/01
Page Numbers: 5
