VIEW FROM HQ - 2012/06
District events and fly-ins
During the flying season, this column provides information and features advertisements for a variety of upcoming AMA district-sponsored specialty and fun-fly events.
Last month's column introduced two specialty events. The New England Aerotow event is over, but there is still time to consider attending the 2012 International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) event hosted by the Connecticut Model Airplane Club on June 2 and 3. Details were included in last month's column. The ads with this column describe a specialty "Electric Only" event and a "General Open Fun-Fly" event.
The popular annual Electric Fun-Fly & Air Show, hosted by the Wintonbury Flying Club in Bloomfield, Connecticut, is back after being canceled last year. The club leaders have undertaken promotional initiatives including community outreach programs and flying events that welcome AMA members, pilots, and spectators to attend free of charge.
The club's runway, with takeoff and landing choices of manicured grass or pavement, has recently been enlarged and flight lines were revised for multiple landing approaches and better visibility.
This event attracts pilots who have a wide range of flying styles, as well as electric-powered aircraft of every type and size. Many attend to buy tickets for the raffle items worth thousands of dollars. This year's event will be held June 23 and 24.
During the second weekend in June, the Green Mountain Renegade Flyers will be hosting its third annual RC event. Its fantastic facility includes unlimited parking, indoor restrooms and dining area, camping, vendors, and a long, east-facing runway that allows glare-free flying until sunset.
Designed for pilots, the event offers nonstop, free-form flying. All types of aircraft from aerobatic to warbirds, and everything in between, are welcome. Saturday evening is the time to enjoy the sit-down steak dinner, open to pilots and their guests. The pilot raffle is plenty of fun, and everyone loves when someone's rudder dunks in the pond. Feel free to exaggerate at the nighttime campfire.
District I continues to be all about friendship, flying, and having fun. Why not join us at some of these great events?
VIEW FROM HQ - 2012/06
Operations at the International Aeromodeling Center
It’s a busy time of year at the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) in Muncie, Indiana. Our Membership Department is working overtime processing new and renewal membership applications. The AMA Competitions Department is busy processing sanction applications and contest director (CD) applications, and getting ready for the first round of voting by the AMA Contest Boards that will determine changes to the AMA competition rules for the 2013–2014 rules cycle.
Safety and insurance
Safety and Member Benefits has just completed the annual club charter renewal process and finished all of our insurance policy renewals for the coming year. We were able to bring all of our policy premiums in under budget—not by much, but still under budget—despite the less-than-stellar claims year we had in 2011.
Marketing and shows
AMA’s Marketing Department doesn’t have a slow period, although the department’s focus changes during the year. Recent indoor shows included:
- Toledo Weak Signals’ R/C Expo in Toledo, Ohio
- Radio Control Expo (RCX) in Long Beach, California
- National Retail Hobby Stores Association (NRHSA) show in Las Vegas
We were pleased with the success of all the shows in which we participated this season. Now the Marketing Department’s efforts will shift to outdoor events, including those held at the IAC such as the Extreme Flight Championships (XFC), the National Electric Fly-In, the International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association (IRCHA) Jamboree, Warbirds Over Indiana, and the five-week-long 86th Nats.
Education and outreach
AMA’s Education Department participated in a successful launch of the CSI: Flight Adventures exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. CSI: Flight Adventures is a collaborative effort between the museum, NASA, and the AMA. Opening-day attendance exceeded 8,000 visitors.
Additionally, AMA again participated in the National Science Teachers Convention, where model aviation was introduced as a tool to teach science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the classroom to thousands of teachers from across the United States. April wrapped up with members of the Education Department attending the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C. Between these major events, we launched our new youth e-newsletter that is sent monthly to thousands of young aviation enthusiasts across the country.
Museum and exhibits
The National Model Aviation Museum played host to the Muncie Symphony Orchestra. The evening brought members of the Muncie community, many of whom had never before visited, to the IAC where they were introduced to model aviation and had the opportunity to view the museum’s extensive collection of model aviation artifacts.
Some minor remodeling in the museum allowed us to create an additional 1,100 square feet of exhibit space that, from now through the end of July, will house Take Flight, an educational, hands-on exhibit for children that our museum has on loan from Oregon’s ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum.
Publications
With the March issue, the AMA Publications Department launched the redesigned Model Aviation magazine. We were overwhelmed by the positive responses we received from our members about the new look and feel of AMA’s flagship publication. With that project complete, the department turned its focus to completing the Model Aviation archives update, which should be available on our website by June 1. Much work has gone into this resource, which will make every issue of Model Aviation magazine since it was first launched in the 1970s available to our members. Along with the archives, the Publications Department staff is continuing work on a digital version of Model Aviation and a tablet version of the magazine, which should be available by midsummer 2012.
I’ve touched on some of the high points, which amount to only a fraction of the effort that our staff puts into supporting the AMA membership. There are countless other things that take place virtually every day behind the scenes that probably don't get the attention they deserve, but they are critical to AMA’s success.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
