The deadline for the 2016 AMA election nears
Bob Brown
bobb@modelaircraft.org
The election for several members of the AMA Executive Council (EC) is now taking place. If you have not voted, please do so because little time is left. Your vote must be mailed to AMA Headquarters and postmarked no later than November 8, 2016.
I find it encouraging that several of the candidates are now utilizing various channels of social media. This certainly allows members to become familiar with the platforms of each candidate. If you have not already done so, why not look up what the candidates for office are offering?
In early November, AMA Headquarters will host the fall EC meeting. This gathering will be special because FAI President Antonis Papadopoulos will attend and convey the latest ideas from the organization. Also in attendance will be Daniel Darnay, the delegate from the Confederación Argentina de Entidades Aerodeportivas, and Roger Williams, president of the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada.
I hope that the ensuing discussions will promote a better understanding of model aviation needs. Preliminary discussions have illustrated that the FAI realizes the need for a global effort outside of the world of competition concerning issues such as airspace, air sports notoriety, etc.
The need for an understanding of international finances when hosting events such as a world championship and/or a world cup competition is also a focus. Increased global participation can only lead to a more positive global scenario.
There are a few groups interested in hosting a world championship. I hope that this meeting will help establish a better understanding of the finances necessary to hold such a competition.
The Mid-Hudson Radio Control Society has hosted its World War I-themed Rhinebeck Jamboree for 50 years. The venue, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Rhinebeck, New York, could not be any better. It allows you to see the models’ full-scale counterparts during the daily air show. I don’t know how many trips I have made to the Rhinebeck Jamboree, but it seems that each one gets better.
The AMA Nats includes activities in various classes. The outdoor portion is held at the AMA facilities in Muncie, Indiana. This year’s contest started in June and ran through early September. Thanks go to various AMA Headquarters personnel, including the great maintenance crew, whose efforts allow the Nats to happen. Thank you also to the Special Interest Groups (SIGs), whose volunteers saw to the needs of each discipline.
A new SIG evolved for this year’s Nats. Although this was MultiGP’s inaugural year, the organization produced an effort second to none. Numerous qualification contests were held throughout the US for a chance to fly in this drone racing national championship at the Nats. Approximately 150 qualifiers came to Muncie to see who would be named the best in the country.
The ultimate victor was Shaun Taylor. The event was shown worldwide via live streaming. If you do a search for MultiGP Nats on YouTube, several videos are available. I would not be surprised to learn that within a few years, you will be able to view most of the Nats contests live on the internet.
Congratulations to MultiGP for a great Nats and a step into the future.
Club representatives often want to know what benefits the AMA offers for clubs that promote modeling to their local communities. One such program is called Take off And Grow, or TAG. TAG is designed to provide a club with monetary assistance to develop progressive, energetic programs for the community.
If your club is interested, you should consider applying at www.amaflightschool.org/programs/take-off-and-grow. Applications are due by February 1, 2017.
For modelers on the East Coast, the AMA EC has unanimously decided to bring some great new activities to the New York City area. AMA’s years of experience with the AMA Expo in Ontario, California, will allow us to transform the 2017 Westchester Radio Aero Modelers (WRAM) Show into a new, vibrant show named AMA Expo East.
February 24-26, 2017, you can expect new exhibitors, new seminars, and new enthusiasm at the venue in Secaucus, New Jersey. Plan now to attend. It’s not far away!
