View from HQ - 2004/10
Joyce Hager, Executive Director
BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ is the sound we've been hearing at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. I will cover a few highlights of what has been happening on-site; full coverage will appear elsewhere.
The first week of the Nats began June 25 and the Control Line World Championships (CLWC) started July 4. The opening ceremony of the CLWC began with a dedication of the new control-line facility to Willie McCool, pilot of Columbia and an AMA member. Willie's father, Barry McCool, was here for the unveiling of the monument.
After the dedication, the parade of teams was held. Team members from 28 countries walked in their uniforms and each country's national anthem was played. It was quite impressive.
Afterward it was on to good food, a local country-and-western band, and concluding with the best fireworks I have ever seen. Much hard work goes into organizing the Nats and to host one of the largest World Championships in the middle of the Nats.
A big thank you to all the AMA staff involved — especially the Competition and Maintenance departments — and to all the volunteers who made it work. I appreciate the hard work and long hours that go into making these events happen.
As I write this, we are well into our second week of the Nats, which will continue until August 6.
Attention Chartered Clubs
- In 2005, chartered clubs will be required to designate a club safety coordinator. This person should:
- Be familiar with the AMA Safety Code and the club's site-specific safety regulations.
- Look for potential safety hazards at the field.
- Watch for unsafe flying and address safety concerns.
- For guidance, see AMA document #537 on the AMA website (www.modelaircraft.org). It provides duties for a club safety officer and a club field marshal. I welcome suggestions or input about how your club views safety. Does your club have a safety officer, and what are his or her responsibilities?
- In 2005, clubs will also be required to submit the latitude and longitude of their flying sites when rechartering. AMA has tried to collect this data voluntarily but was unsuccessful. This requirement was discussed and passed at the April 2004 Executive Council meeting after a concern about a new site being proposed near an existing site. The location should be taken at the center flight station. If you have questions, contact your district vice president. Only AMA Headquarters will use this information.
Elections — Vote!
This is a national election year. All Open members can vote for the office of president. Open members in districts I, V, and IX can vote for their respective vice presidents.
- Read each candidate's campaign statement included in the renewal notice mailed in September.
- If you have questions for a candidate, contact that individual for a response.
- Any ballots not mailed directly to the auditor will not count.
- You need not renew your membership to vote.
Read, ask questions, and be an informed voter.
Membership Renewal
Membership renewal this year should be easier. The new online system will speed up processing, but there is one requirement:
- Members must have an e-mail address on file at AMA Headquarters and must sign up for a password.
If you haven't done that yet or if you have a problem, please contact the Membership Department.
Chaplain's Corner — Response and Explanation
Thank you for all comments, positive and negative, concerning the "Chaplain's Corner" I ran in the August issue of Model Aviation. The piece was not intended to offend anyone; apart from the title, nothing in the text indicated a religion.
How this came about: during the Nats an AMA member passed away. One member offered his services as chaplain on an as-needed basis and the Executive Council approved the unpaid position. The volunteer chaplain, Alan Goff, asked if he could occasionally publish some text, and I included his first submission in my August column.
Again, there was no intent to offend anyone.
Happy flying,
Joyce Hager Executive Director [email protected]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
