President's Perspective: Expo a Success

Presidents PERSPECTIVE FV7/ Expo Success AMA held its first Modeling Expo Muncie June 7-8 conjunction three-day Homecoming 1997 Focusing youth model hobbies big success despite weather far less cooperative focus forms model hobbies airplanes rockets boats cars trains along kites scheduled hot-air balloons weather washed out Some will ask what AMA doing promoting anything other model airplanes theory get youngster form modeling much likely eventually try aeromodeling comments heard overwhelmingly positive approach Teachers Resource center provided materials teachers valiant enough brave weather Make Take /2A CL booth steady line kids waiting spite rainy weather Midday Sunday plea went out over PA help Delta Dart booththe lines getting longer really poor weather may have blessing disguisewith good weather might very well have overwhelmed never did make down boat pond judging number cars parking lot must have pretty active response heard indication will annual event cant say know sudden surge interest have gotten quite few letters lately subject getting youngsters involved aeromodeling Most lament lack future aeromodeling unable get kids involved Some very critical AMA focusing lot effort direction some express thought AMAs entire focus should toward education growth aeromodeling thing letters have common fact lament good old days Baby ROG king airplanes held some mystical spell kid land got infected enthusiasm aeromodeling era fellow school chums similarly infected came small town New England population about 3000 can still name dozen kids age heavily involved aeromodeling can also think least twice that cant remember namesI guess Im getting old tend look problems through 50- 60- 70-year-old eyes suggest what worked us would work kids today wont As hard might try much way want cant turn clock back days gone forever turn lack kids around must recognize quit wasting time trying must acknowledge majority members now modelers old traditional sense rather pilots miniature airplanes seems nearly everyone has definitive program such solution doesnt exist No program will serve situations situation will require least some tailoring dedicated program Bob Underwood recently attended Indoor Nats Tennessee banquet asked few questions FF Indoor modelers typically considered modelers likely get kids involved although CL guys might have argument asked clubs youth program place about 10% answered yes asked ever taken youngster contest about 30% answered yes telling question youth JrISr contestants related adult competitor presentnone Identifying problem easy doing something about another story have written some have written about what AMA should about main problem almost always what AMA can about rather what can about have suggestion Go bathroom look mirror Ask yourself What can get kids involved aeromodeling come up something dont go next club meeting propose club start youth program Volunteer chair committee set up program simply cant come up ideas Ill give some Run club contest simple models must bring youngster order enter Throw adults names hat let kids draw partner out form team avoid ringers results depend team score Count scores toward club championship have Place ad supermarket billboard recruiting kids build fly model airplanes Sponsor scholarship local high school might get some kids exposed aeromodeling club lot good eyes local people doesnt have great big scholarship$250 $500 enough make difference some kid clubs could afford knows might someday save flying field Put demonstration program local grade schools Provide transportation kid flying field week things lacking elementyou Till next month DOJLL% Dave Brown AMA President September 1997 7