View from HQ-2007/04

Writing this monthly column and
the topics I cover are a matter of
timing. If I had written this two
days earlier it would have been
on a different topic.
As I write, AMA Headquarters has
been closed for the past two days because
of the blizzard that hit Indiana along with
most of the Midwest and Eastern United
States. The local paper reported that this
was the third largest snowfall since World
War II. (This is supposed to make me feel
better?)
When I started working here in
December 2006, the staff had questioned—
sometimes in an unspoken manner—why a
Florida boy would want to move to
Muncie, Indiana, and its non-Florida-type
winters. One must question a person’s
sanity in moving north in time for winter!
As you would expect, in Florida we
would fly year-round. Building season was
when you got a new airplane or tore up
everything flyable and had to stop to fix
something to fly. It generally wasn’t
dictated by the weather.
Having done 90% of my RC flying on
the south side of the Mason-Dixon Line,
there was a blurry line between the
“building season” and the “flying season.”
I now truly understand the aspect of
weather-driven “building season” and the
pent-up energy looking forward to spring
and the flying season.
With 14 inches of snow and the 5-
foot-high drifts, I have begun to question
my own sanity. By the time you read this,
the snow should be gone and spring
flying will have returned—along with the
feeling in my nose and feet!
Even with the snow covering the National
Flying Site in Muncie, Indiana, the staff has
been looking forward to the summer season
with the 2007 F3D Pylon World
Championships June 23-28 and the National
Aeromodeling Championships (Nats) June
29-August 5.
Pulling off such a coordinated feat will
be no small job. As in the past the AMA
staff is supportive in staging the Nats
events, but the real organization comes from
the different Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
that are planning the events. Volunteers who
make things happen here at AMA are the
lifeblood of any of these events.
While the Nats is a customary annual
event at AMA Headquarters, new for 2007
is the XFC: the Extreme Flight
Championships, which is slated for June 15-
17. I always wanted to attend the
Tournament of Champions (TOC) in
Nevada but was never able to make the trip.
Although the TOC is history, the XFC
offers an expanded venue featuring the
world’s best fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft
pilots.
I encourage you to plan a family trip to
Indiana this summer. Visit your AMA
Headquarters and enjoy the different
competitions that are scheduled.
If your travel plans cannot include a
Muncie stop, I would encourage you to
become more involved in your local club.
We all know the 80/20 rule; 80% of the
work gets done by 20% of the club.
Imagine what else could be done if we
could slide the participation up to 50% or
better of all club members’ involvement.
What new facilities could the field have?
What new or additional programming could
your club offer?
The new AMA Take off And Grow
(TAG) program is a great way to get others
involved in the sport. You can learn about it
at www.modelaircraft.org/tag.
Remember, someone took time to teach
you how to fly. Most projects or efforts go
wanting because of lack of volunteers and
leadership. Those already involved in the
activity would welcome the help, and you
may just make a few new flying friends!
I wish to thank those members who Emailed
me about my first Executive
Director’s column. My first encounter with
glow .049 engines struck a lot of memories
within the membership. It was gratifying to
learn of others who have similar beginnings
in modeling.
The most important thing we “seasoned
pilots” can do is pass it on. MA
In the spirit of flight.
Jim Cherry
Executive Director
[email protected]