Education Through Aviation
by Bill Pritchett, Education Director
“In times of rapid change, experience could be your worst enemy.” —J. Paul Getty
Change is a mild description of what we’re experiencing in RC flight. Almost daily, we receive an email, news report, or question from a friend regarding drones or the FAA. Do I register? How much can it weigh? … It goes on and on.
It seems like only yesterday that we were discussing even using the word drone, but that ship is now far at sea. You are probably experiencing lots of this, and wondering what the future holds. The only thing I’m sure of is that it holds change.
Change is one of the most paradoxical things in our lives. We typically hate it, yet often benefit from it. Change for model aviation will be the same. Our problem today is an AMA demographic that’s over the age of 55. With all of that experience, change becomes extremely uncomfortable—or, as Getty describes it, your worst enemy.
Never lose sight of the reason you fly models and participate at whatever level you do with sUAS. It’s fun! I think at the end of the day, it’s really that simple. We share some of the best memories of our lives with model airplanes. Don’t lose sight of the opportunity to continue to create new memories and share that fun with new people.
I make it no secret that my approach is to surround myself with outstanding people. Jessy Symmes, our coordinator of educational activities, is certainly a great example. Jessy has become an integral part of not just the Education Department, not just the AMA, but of the experience for many in model aviation activities.
Her personality and hard work have made Camp AMA so popular that we have to turn students away and put them on a waiting list for the following year. We create a monthly internal document that all departments put together and send to the Executive Council. I thought you would enjoy what Jessy wrote for her portion of our latest report:
First I would like to say that we have some amazing clubs and club members in our organization. While that is something that we all know, it was definitely proven to our department again at Camp AMA West. The guys of the Las Vegas Radio Control Club closed down their field and opened their arms to the staff and members of Camp AMA West.
For the six days they hosted us, they provided us with equipment, directions, and even breakfast! A few members came out early and surprised us with a hot breakfast that they cooked right at the field. It was hospitality that you wouldn’t believe.
We are really looking forward to growing the program and spending the week there with those guys again next year. Aside from our great host, I think the attendees learned a lot from our instructors. Everyone loved the experience and is looking forward to returning.
After returning from Camp AMA West we had lots to do to prepare for the end of the year and the 2016 AMA Expo. We packed pallets and made final preparations with Flite Test. The preregistered make-and-take was nearly full before we left for the holidays. We can’t wait to see everything come together at Expo.
We ordered 50 kits for the UAS4STEM program and hoped to fill them all before the January 1, 2016, deadline. As it turned out, well before Christmas we filled them and applications were still pouring in for teams excited to participate. We have teams starting and completing their ground school and one who has already started to build its Quadzilla. Recently, we ordered more kits and, after the January deadline, will start mapping out our regional contest locations. The program is going better than we had ever anticipated.
We are receiving tons of calls and applications for our scholarships, Take off And Grow, Youth Leadership, and Camp AMA programs. The deadlines for everything except camp are in
February. Please help spread the word in your districts and encourage all members to apply.
We look forward to catching up with everyone in California. See you there!
The single most impressive part of this report is how positive it all is! When you work in a nonprofit that is membership centric, it’s so important to be positive, respectful, and listen to each and every member, and keep the big picture in mind.
As AMA Headquarters employees, we work with a volunteer board. Our Executive Council is composed of people who go way beyond normal volunteer activity. We always want to keep them, as well as you, informed and Jessy is so good at that. We’re very fortunate to have her with us!
I was honored to be invited to participate in the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association High School Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Initiative. Jessy and I attended the initial conference in Tampa, Florida, and really like the organization’s approach.
Our Memorandum of Understanding with the EAA has been rewritten and signed at Expo and, with the help of our staff and the great folks in Oshkosh, Wisconsin (EAA headquarters), we look forward to furthering our mutual approach to attracting youth to anything that flies. You should be aware that the leadership of the EAA is composed of great people, but more importantly, modelers! They get it and working with them is one of the biggest pleasures we have.
We recently began providing Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadets our sUAS Ground School. CAP continues to be a great partner!
The 2016 AMA Expo was a great show as always. It’s somehow reassuring every year to see the people thousands of miles away having the same fun you’re having. Flite Test did a nice job with our educational area, and lots of kids left with big smiles on their faces and a nice-flying glider in hand.
Change. It’s inevitable. Let the good times roll!
Fly and have fun!
