Model aviation is so much more
than model aircraft
Dave Mathewson, AMA Executive Director
davem@modelaircraft.org
I’ve always believed that model aviation is so much more than model aircraft. I’ve felt that way for years and have shared that thought several times in this column. As someone who has been flying models since long before I was a teenager, model aviation has, in some way, touched nearly every part of my life.
As much as I have always believed this, the point was never brought closer to home than it was recently. Good friends of my wife’s and mine celebrated a very special wedding anniversary in the Adirondack Mountains in New York. I won’t divulge names or the anniversary year to protect the innocent, but suffice to say that it’s a large number!
It was a nearly perfect day in the Adirondacks. Anyone who has had an opportunity to visit there knows what a spectacular place it is—especially when the weather cooperates.
The day began with a lunch cruise on one of the many lakes in the New York North Country. I only mention this because anyone who knows me knows that I am not a big fan of boats—especially when they’re in the water. I was managing the experience well until a couple, with whom we shared a table during lunch, reminded me that I was on a boat not an airplane, and that the chair I was sitting on could not be used as a flotation device!
Many of the other guests that were there either were, or had once been, model aviation enthusiasts, and all belonged to the club that I belonged to when I lived in New York. Some were old friends whom I hadn’t seen in nearly 25 years.
There were a lot of stories and much reminiscing taking place that day. I’m pretty certain time has clouded the memory of at least a couple of my old friends whose recollection of past events didn’t exactly reconcile with mine!
Model aircraft may be what brought us together, but it’s really the camaraderie, fellowship, and friendships that are sparked as a result of model aircraft that keep us together.
Later, on the drive back to the hotel, I thought about what a great day we had and, how the common denominator between all of us was model aviation. I’ll bet that many of us—maybe even most of us—who have been model aviation enthusiasts for any length of time can share similar stories.
Model aircraft may be what brought us together, but it’s really the camaraderie, fellowship, and friendships that are sparked as a result of model aircraft that keep us together. Friendships remain even when distance sometimes keeps us apart.
Model aviation is so much more than model aircraft.
The outdoor flying season is finally upon us and it started with a bang. The annual Joe Nall Week, held at Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina, May 9-16, attracted more than 1,700 registered pilots from around the world—a huge increase from 2014.
In June, the Extreme Flight Championship, known as XFC, was held at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. The 89th Indoor Free Flight Nats, which was held this year in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ran June 8-12. By the time this issue of Model Aviation magazine reaches you, we will be in the final weeks of the 2015 Outdoor Nats.
AMA sanctions more than 2,300 model aviation events each year. Events range from local fun-flys, to major competitions, to events such as Joe Nall Week and the annual International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association (IRCHA) Jamboree, both of which draw thousands of pilots and several times that number of spectators.
My point is that there’s virtually something for everyone, no matter what your model aviation interest is. For many of our members, much of the enjoyment they get from flying models is the opportunity to visit various events and clubs and to spend some time with others who share a common interest, whether that is a laid-back afternoon of fun-flying, or a hotly contested competitive event.
If you haven’t given it a try, why not take a look at the AMA Event Calendar (www.modelaircraft.org/events/calendar), find an event near you that sounds interesting, grab a friend, and attend. Chances are you’ll enjoy the flying, the event, and maybe make a new friend or two along the way.
Model aviation is so much more than model airplanes.
See you next time …
