The 2017 Nats—more than just competition
View From HQ by Dave Mathewson, AMA Executive Director
As this issue of Model Aviation reaches your doorstep, the 2017 edition of the AMA Nats will be well underway. As much as it is a competition, it’s also a time when old acquaintances are renewed and new friendships begin. At the Nats, you’ll find competitors who have participated for decades right alongside many who are attending for the first time. It’s an experience that many will tell you is an important part of their summer.
For those who attend, the Nats is as much a fun event as it is a competition. Although it’s certainly a national competition, it’s also a place where modelers help each other and camaraderie is the order of the day. It’s not unusual to see competitors helping one another by critiquing each other’s flights, or by lending a part or two to someone in need.
The Nats are conducted throughout a five-week period, divided by modeling discipline. Depending upon the number of entries, some contests last for a few days, and others for a week. Some form of aeromodeling takes place nearly every day during the five weeks.
The organization of the Nats and the running of the competitions are unique. Although AMA and the Nats Management Committee manage the logistics, registration, site preparation, coordination, etc., it’s typically the relevant AMA Special Interest Group (SIG) that runs the actual competition. Both are integral in producing a successful Nats.
Nearly all of the SIGs rely heavily on volunteer support to help fulfill their responsibilities in running their portion of the Nats. In fact, just like the competitors, you’ll find countless volunteers who make the annual pilgrimage to Muncie, Indiana, to volunteer. Without these people, the Nats wouldn’t be nearly as successful as it is.
At the Nats, you’ll find competitors who have participated for decades right alongside many who are attending for the first time. It’s an experience that many will tell you is an important part of their summer.
In addition to the Outdoor Nats held in Muncie, the annual Indoor Free Flight Nats is held at various venues large enough to accommodate the competition across the country. This summer, the Indoor Nats will take place in Rantoul, Illinois.
Something new this year is that the RC Precision Aerobatics portion of the Nats will be held at a venue outside of Muncie for the first time since the mid-1990s. The contest will be held in Blytheville, Arkansas.
This intent is to see if moving a Nats event to other venues across the country results in increased participation. The other goal is to introduce new people to the competition part of model aviation. After this portion of the Nats is completed, we will evaluate the success of the concept.
If you can’t make it to the Nats, you can subscribe to NatsNews, an electronic newsletter published daily during the Nats. To subscribe, visit the AMA website, and give some thought to participating in a future Nats. If you’re new to competition, I guarantee that someone will be there to help you out. It really is a lot of fun.
While on-site, make it a point to visit the National Model Aviation Museum. The museum is the largest of its kind in the world. You’ll also want to take a moment and stop in at the AMA Administration Building. We’d be happy to show you around and introduce you to members of AMA staff who work so hard to make sure your model aviation experience is as good as it can be.
Aside from the Nats, many of us will attend one or more of the nearly 2,400 events that AMA sanctions each year. Although many of the events are competition-oriented, there are just as many fun-flys, fly-ins, or just casual get-togethers.
The common denominator in each of these events is that someone has stepped up to volunteer his or her time to be the event’s Contest Director (CD) or Event Manager (ED). The CD or EM is generally supported by a number of volunteers who give freely of their time to make sure the event you’re attending is enjoyable.
Many of these gatherings take place at a club field where the members have generously agreed to give up a weekend of flying so the event can be held. In many cases, the only thing these CDs, EDs, volunteers, and clubs get in return is your thanks and appreciation.
At the end of an event, before you leave the site, stop by and say thank-you. It’s the least we can do for those who have given so much of their time so that we can have a weekend of fun.
See you next time …
