View From HQ - 2008/08
Next time that opportunity comes, take time to share.
One of the most rewarding aspects of being the Executive Director of AMA is the opportunity to meet and mix it up with fellow modelers. This past Memorial Day it was my pleasure and honor to attend the 2008 International Miniature Aircraft Association (IMAA) West Coast Festival at the Chowchilla Municipal Airport. Before you start dragging out the maps or MapQuesting, the airport is roughly 35 miles from Fresno, California.
Some time back I was extended an invitation by District X Vice President Rich Hanson to attend some of the events in his district. The festival, hosted by the Central California Model Flyers (IMAA Chapter 679), fit the bill to get together with a large number of members on the West Coast.
Jim Giffin, IMAA president, and event directors Scott Malta and Ken Shapiro were more than gracious hosts during the event. Mike Brown helped coordinate my visit and made my stay a pleasure.
While attending the festival it was my privilege to participate in the recognition of two longtime modelers who have given so much to the AMA. George Steiner has served as the Frequency Coordinator for District X for 38 years. Ellis Hall has served as the Sanctions Coordinator for 31 years. Between the two that is 69 years of service!
In talking with George, I learned he has also served on the AMA Frequency Committee (now called the Technology Committee) and participated in testing the sound-level programs of the past at AMA HQ in Muncie, Indiana. George and Ellis received the AMA Superior Service Awards for their dedication to the Academy.
Scott Malta is president of the Central California Model Flyers and, in “real life,” is the director of the Castle Airport Aviation and Development Center. He told me of a nearby air museum.
Castle Airport is one of the many Air Force bases that were closed as a part of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. As with many communities that have lost military bases, Atwater, California, was given the Castle Air Force Base property to develop in an effort to recoup the lost employment base. A part of the base was the Castle Air Museum (www.elite.net/castleair/index.html), which has more than 50 airplanes on display.
A break in the flying because of rain prompted a quick trip to Atwater and a museum tour. Joe Pruzzo, the Castle Air Museum executive director, gave us a personal tour of the facility that is nothing short of spectacular. You would be remiss if you ever traveled in the Fresno/Chowchilla/Atwater area and did not take time to visit the museum.
Scott also had one of the best crews I have ever seen running the flightline. Ken Shapiro was akin to a football coach calling the plays as he coordinated the takeoffs and landings during the event. I noticed that the radio impound was not staffed by members of the club as you would expect, but by three young ladies. When I commented on this to Scott he informed me that the impound was being run by his daughter, Brittany, age 18, and some of her friends. I later met Scott's wife, Barbara, who was selling raffle tickets at the pilot registration desk, and his son, Joseph, age 14, who was helping dad with all the last-minute needs of staging the event. Truly an aviation family and a great example of the whole-family involvement we see across the nation. I want to thank everyone who helped make my visit most enjoyable.
Here at AMA HQ the staff is in full swing, getting ready for the Nats and a summer full of activities. Other items of interest are:
- Rich Hanson, former District X Vice President, is representing AMA in Washington, DC with the FAA Aviation Rule Making Committee (ARC) on Unmanned Aerial Systems.
- Elections for the Executive Vice President, Vice Presidents in Districts III, VII, and XI, and the Vice President from District II (Special Election) are in the preparation stages. The Nominating Committee will be meeting on July 26.
- Preparations for the July 27 Executive Council meeting are underway.
- Preparations for the International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association (IRCHA) Jamboree, to be held August 14–18, are underway. You may recall that last year 712 pilots were registered from around the world.
- Various AMA committees (Technical, Insurance, and Safety) are working on proposals that will be presented to the Executive Council at the July meeting.
The summer is screaming past by this time and I can only hope that you are getting all the flying in that you can.
I have been doing some instructing with a student pilot this summer and have relived the joys, thrills, and sometimes frights of instructing. Why does it come so easy to some and so hard to others?
I have mentioned in the past a “psychological paycheck” (the witnessing of or having a part in a rewarding experience) and the great feeling one gets when that psychological paycheck gets cashed. You usually don't know when one is coming and sometimes they are spontaneous. If you're not sharing the thrill and joys of model aviation with others, then you're missing out on a great aspect of the sport/hobby.
Next time that opportunity comes, take time to share. You could be banking some goodwill and cashing some of those psychological paychecks in the future.
In the spirit of flight.
Jim Cherry Executive Director [email protected]
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
