AMA membership at a record high
Great news! As I write this in October, the Academy of Model Aeronautics has 175,865 members, surpassing the 2002 number of 173,420. We owe everyone involved a great deal of gratitude. We are a super team!
FAA interpretative rule and member comments
The AMA is waiting for the FAA to review and categorize the large number of comments that were generated by members of the Academy toward the interpretative rule. I hope the FAA’s response will not take an excessive amount of time.
As you can imagine, this effort has and will continue to consume a lot of money. If you haven’t included a donation with your 2015 renewal, please consider doing so. The funds generated will certainly allow us to extend our efforts.
You might also consider donating to the AMA Foundation:
- Website: www.modelaircraft.org/supportAMA
- Contact: Mandee Mikulski, Foundation Director
- Phone: (800) 435-9262, ext. 277
- Email: [email protected]
September events — Maine, Colorado, Texas
The month of September allowed me to see a large portion of the U.S. because events in Maine, Colorado, and Texas were on my schedule.
Maine — Maine Jet Rally and Model Expo
District I Associate Vice President Raymond LaBonte and crew in Sanford, Maine, organized the Maine Jet Rally and Model Expo. District I Vice President Andy Argenio, AMA Executive Director Dave Mathewson, Flying Site Coordinator Tony Stillman, and several others represented AMA.
Matt Chapman was featured in the full-scale air show. Spectators enjoyed control line, RC helicopters, micro flight, car racing, jet models, and the AMA Education trailer.
Colorado — Warbirds Over the Rockies
Next on the schedule was enthusiastic attendance at Warbirds Over the Rockies in Arvada, Colorado. Mother Nature served snow on Friday morning and a beautiful 84° day on Saturday — what a change!
District IX Vice President Jim Tiller, Mandee Mikulski, and I were happy to meet those enjoying the event and the noontime air show. The event CDs, Brian O’Meara and Jim Manley, provided the impetus for the Arvada Associated Modelers to host this super event.
Saturday evening’s banquet was held at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver. The venue provided a great backdrop for dinner and an auction that raised thousands of dollars for Mental Health America of Colorado. If you are into warbirds, this is a must for your schedule next year.
Texas — District VIII Celebration of Flight Memorial
AMA Vice President Mark Johnston hosted the District VIII Celebration of Flight Memorial, produced by the Tri City Flyers near Seguin, Texas, at the Old Kingsbury Aerodrome. The AMA membership meeting was highlighted by a discussion with Ilona Maine (Safety and Member Benefits Director), Rich Hanson (Director of Public Relations & Government Affairs), and Dave Mathewson.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ritch’s Raiders BBQ Team served an enjoyable Texas barbecue. The festivities were highlighted by the induction of Jim Rice into the Academy of Model Aeronautics Hall of Fame. Jim was a humble and very deserving recipient.
AMA Expo
The AMA Expo will again be held at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California. The three-day event will be January 9–11, 2015. Additional information is available on the Expo website: http://amaexpo.com. I hope to see you there!
Closing
I wish you enjoyment during the upcoming holiday season. May the gifts you receive be focused toward the fun of model aviation!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
