AMA spent much of last year researching and planning to replace its current association management and content management systems. AMA’s current system, built in the early 1990s, is antiquated and obsolete and is unable to provide the features and functions that an association such as AMA currently needs.
The new system will allow us to provide better support to its members, improve communication with our members and clubs, and help to better connect with those who may be considering membership. As you might expect, this is a large, time-consuming project that requires much staff resources. Plans are to implement the new system in 2014.
During the FAI general conference in Antalya, Turkey, AMA’s National Model Aviation Museum was accepted into the FAI Recommended Museums Program. The FAI program recognizes “worthy and notable museum collections that document the history of air sports, aeronautics, and astronautics.”
A plaque recognizing this accomplishment was presented by FAI President John Grubbström and the president of the FAI Aviation and Space Education Commission, Michiel Kasteleijn, to Art Greenfield, head of the US delegation. Jonathan Gaffney, president of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), presented the plaque to AMA President Bob Brown at the 2013 AMA Expo.
The AMA National Model Aviation Museum is one of only three US museums holding this honor.
AMA’s education outreach efforts took huge strides forward in 2013 and the program was recognized for that work.
“Wings Over Indiana,” a special one-hour edition of the science series, “Indiana Expeditions,” was received two Emmy Awards by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The television special, created in collaboration between AMA, WFYI Productions, and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, was made possible by a NASA grant.
The show profiles astronauts and both model and full-scale aviators of all ages, and outlines the value model aviation brings to the world of aviation and aerospace engineering.
AMA’s collaborative efforts with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) have helped introduce more than 200 CAP squadrons across the country to model aviation in 2013. Many of the youth members in these squadrons will go on to become both modelers and aviators.
In the second year of a three-year Alcoa Foundation grant, AMA continues to develop AeroLab II, a course of study that uses model aviation to teach science, technology, engineering, and math. AeroLab II has been so well received by Alcoa that it is being translated into eight languages for worldwide distribution.
AMA Flight School, AMA’s online educational resource, has grown exponentially in 2013. In early 2014, Flight School’s interactive learning management system will be launched, creating a virtual classroom for visitors.
AMA has been recognized a number of times for its education outreach efforts, including receiving the Brewer Award (considered to be the foremost award for education outreach in aviation) from the NAA in 2011.
This past October, AMA was again recognized for its education outreach. This time recognition came from friends in the Muncie, Indiana, community when AMA received the Outstanding Contribution to Education Award from the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce.
This is the first time that the award, sponsored by Ball State University, has been presented to an organization and we’re extremely proud of this accomplishment.
The FAA will soon act on the AMA’s request to be recognized as a community-based organization as defined in Public Law 112-95 enacted by Congress in 2012. AMA submitted its request earlier in the year and expects to soon receive a letter from the FAA recognizing us as such.
After this step is completed (which we believe is merely a formality), the next step will be to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FAA and AMA outlining the relationship between both organizations and how we will work together.
The MOU has been finalized. AMA and the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office (UASIO) have agreed on the language in the document, and it’s now working its way through the FAA hierarchy for final approval. When that happens, the MOU will be signed by Jim Williams, UASIO manager and Bob Brown, likely in late 2013 or early in 2014.
It was a positive and productive year for AMA in 2013. We accomplished much, however there is more to do, and we intend to move into 2014 full-speed ahead.
To each of our members, thank you for making 2013 a fantastic year and thank you for belonging to the world’s greatest model aviation organization.
See you next time …
