Enjoy the annual Nats issue
Jay Smith
Each year the November issue traditionally brings readers coverage of the Nats competition. This year, the 89th National Aeromodeling Championships were held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Muncie, Indiana. The coverage has been split into two articles—one by Don DeLoach covering the Indoor Nats in Colorado Springs, and Rachelle Haughn’s story that tackles the Outdoor Nats in Muncie.
Beyond the 16 pages of content here in the magazine you can also read the daily NatsNews newsletters online at www.modelaircraft.org/events/nats/natsnews.aspx. Additional photos can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/modelaircraft.
Now is a perfect time for you to start making plans to attend and celebrate the 90th Nats. More information about the event can be found on the AMA website.
Museum of Flight
I often hear stories about those who started in aeromodeling at a young age and were inspired by aviation. They leveraged the skills that they learned to help them in their professional lives. I certainly fall into that category, having been involved in the hobby business through my father’s hobby shop.
I recently visited the Museum of Flight in Seattle, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary on September 14. The Museum of Flight houses in its collection more than 150 historic aircraft, spacecraft, and related artifacts in unique and inspiring exhibits.
Inside the museum, I also found model airplanes—RC aircraft, to be exact. A couple of models were located in the hands-on learning center used to teach the basics of flight. Another, the Maxford Nieuport 28 in Quentin Roosevelt’s colors, was displayed prominently next to a full-scale Nieuport 28 in the same livery. Quentin was the youngest son of President Theodore Roosevelt and was shot down and killed in France in 1918.
I hope, as visitors to the museum learn more about aircraft and flight, that the Flyzone Playmate, ParkZone S.E.5a, and Maxford Nieuport-28 on display might provide the interest and incentive to try aeromodeling. That small step can provide a lifetime of enjoyment and just might lead to a career in aviation!
