Creating places to fly
by Tony Stillman, Flying Site Coordinator
Hello again! It is starting to warm up, and lots of great flying events are going on with many more to come as the summer months approach. Make plans to attend one or several events this year!
New Flying Site Opportunities
Last fall and winter, I attended several trade shows that were focused on city government and local parks departments. These shows allow AMA to connect with officials and make them aware of our programs to create flying sites, and how these sites can benefit them.
As we are all aware, today’s buzzword for model aircraft is “drones.” Although the word is divisive among model fliers, it is a word that government officials are familiar with and have concerns about. State and local governments have to deal with many concerns regarding drones, and they are writing new ordinances to control how and where these aircraft are flown.
Although you might think of drones as multirotors, the officials who are writing these new laws don’t always understand that they will also affect airplane and helicopter model fliers. AMA’s Government Relations department has been hard at work identifying cities and towns that are considering such legislation and is working to make sure the prospective laws don’t have a negative impact on AMA clubs and members.
At these shows, we meet with officials and educate them about FAA regulations and explain that AMA is recognized by the FAA as a community-based organization. We explain how our members operate safely, guided by the AMA Safety Code and other documents such as See and Avoid, First-Person-View Operations, and FPV Club Sport Racing Recommendations. All of these documents can be found on the AMA website under the “AMA Documents” tab, subsection “Advanced Flight Systems Operations.”
Using these documents, as well as others, I am able to present officials with information to show that most of their concerns regarding drones can be resolved by creating a city-approved flying site. This then becomes the location that the city can point to for all model flying to occur. The key to making this work well is to have an AMA chartered club partner with the city to choose a location for the site, oversee its safe operation, and educate the new fliers.
This system works. I even have a city that has approached me wanting to create a drone flying site. The funds to build the site are available and the city of Avon, Indiana, west of Indianapolis, is looking for AMA members in the area to create a model club and partner with them. I am currently working to identify some drone racers in the area to connect with the city’s representatives.
This can be a real game changer for a club that is struggling with low membership or wants to increase its numbers. The fact is that AMA is growing! New adult members join every day. Youth membership is up as well. These new fliers need a place to fly. Joining a local club is the logical next step. Do you and your club welcome new members? I sure hope so! If people drive up to your flying site and show interest, are you the first one to welcome them and show them what it’s all about? All too often we receive reports from new or potential new AMA members about a negative experience they had at an AMA club field. This should not be. Everyone should think back to when he or she started and how someone helped him or her.
I hope you will discuss this at your next club meeting. If our hobby is to grow and expand, clubs are the logical place for growth.
Is your club growing? If it is, great! If not, ask yourself why. Talk about how your club can make the changes needed to welcome new modelers. The opportunity is there, but nothing happens without club members’ efforts.
Maybe you don’t have a club in your area. One of the most rewarding parts of enjoying our hobby is sharing it with other modelers. It is easy to start a new club. You can find the information you need on the AMA website. Click on the AMA Documents tab and under the headings locate and click on “Club Information.” This will bring you to an area with club-related documents. Document #905 is the Club Chartering Guide, which contains a wealth of information and guidance to form a club and have it chartered with the AMA. Included is a form to purchase site owner insurance that provides the site owner liability protection, which will go a long way toward helping you procure the site.
If you need assistance with creating a Drone Zone site in your city, please feel free to contact me at (765) 287-1256, extension 230. I will be glad to assist you!
See you at the field!
