View from HQ - 2004/04

208 MODEL AVIATION
When they are all
in, the numbers will
tell the story.
Joyce Hager Executive Director
View from HQ
Happy flying,
Joyce Hager
ANOTHER MONTH has passed. With the
holidays and flu season, I don’t know
where the time has gone.
I am writing this column while returning
from the AMA Convention in Ontario,
California. As of Saturday afternoon, ticket
sales were up 20%, which is an indication
that moving the show from Pasadena,
California, to Ontario was a good decision.
The facility was great, with room to
grow. I had a complaint that some of the
vendors did not sell at the show. Let me
assure you that this is not a show policy; it
is up to the individual vendor whether or
not to sell products.
There were a few complaints about
parking and that signage could be better.
We will work on all those areas and any
other feedback that we received from our
visitors. Otherwise, I think it was an
excellent event. When they are all in, the
numbers will tell the story.
I want to thank all the volunteers who
worked the various booths and
acknowledge all the hard work that
Programs Director Jay Mealy and Erin
Dobbs did to make this show a success.
This year’s Grand Event will be held in
Evansville, Indiana, June 18-20. AMA
Homecoming will be in Muncie, Indiana,
June 4-6. I will try to explain the difference
between the two.
The Grand Event is primarily an
educational experience for the public. Its
main purpose is to expose modelers and
nonmodelers to as many Radio Control
venues as possible. There are hands-on
exhibits and make-and-take demonstrations.
AMA Homecoming is generally for
our members. It is comparable to a big
fun-fly. The event is open to the public,
but for observation rather than a handson
experience. There is an appreciation
dinner scheduled for Saturday night,
and we usually hold an informal
membership meeting.
AMA members are invited to attend both
shows, but the likelihood of flying your own
aircraft at the Grand Event is small unless
you are doing a demonstration flight.
I would like to see as many members as
possible attend both events. Kids of all ages
enjoy watching boats, airplanes, cars, and
kites. I hope to see you sometime this
summer.
Some members have complained about the
time that elapses between mailing in their
payments and receiving their license cards.
As I write this in mid-January, it is taking
approximately 21⁄2 weeks from the time we
process incoming mail until your license
card is sent to you. There is a place on our
Web site where you can go to see if your
membership has been updated. All that is
needed is your last name and AMA number.
This month I have chosen to print our
membership status sheet. You can see how
many memberships have been processed and
mailed since the middle of September.
Hurry up, spring! For those who live where
the weather is warm, go out and fly. MA
RENEWED % RENEW RENEW NEW TOTAL RENEW NEW TOTAL YR END TOTAL
Affiliate 43% 105 30 135 100 25 125 247
Life* 107% 693 5 698 628 2 630 647
Open 64% 67961 6215 74176 68776 6104 74880 106513
Senior Citizen 90% 32698 689 33387 32492 716 33208 36460
Extra Family 66% 2445 264 2709 2325 246 2571 3684
Youth W/Magazine 40% 2159 585 2744 2396 743 3139 5334
Youth No Magazine 51% 7694 1493 9187 7959 1510 9469 15190
TOTAL 113755 9281 123036 114676 9346 124022 168075
Year to date total for 2004 is 99% of the 2003 year
*Membership with an expiration date “LIFE” i.e.; paid life, honorary, etc.
2 0 0 4 2 0 0 3
Membership Count as of January 16, 2004