in the Air
Membership news and updates
from AMA Headquarters
Commercial Drone Insurance
AMA is now offering a commercial drone insurance program exclusively for AMA members. The insurance, available for those who fly drones for business, can be purchased at a special low rate. Liability coverage is available in amounts of $500,000, $1 million, $2 million, and more than $2 million. Optional full coverage is also available for up to $10,000 per drone.
The liability insurance includes $250,000 in personal injury coverage for each incident and coverage for up to $1,000 in medical expenses for each person.
This insurance is not supported by AMA membership dues and is separate from AMA’s recreation flying insurance that members automatically receive. The commercial drone insurance is an affinity program and members can purchase it directly from a private insurance company.
To get a quote, visit amadroneinsurance.com.
Nats 2018
The dates for the 2018 Outdoor Nats, held at the International Aeromodeling Center, in Muncie, Indiana, have been approved by the AMA Executive Council.
The Outdoor Nats will be held on the following dates:
- RC Scale: June 22-24
- RC Scale Aerobatics: June 26-29
- Control Line Scale: July 6-8
- Control Line (Aerobatics, Carrier and Combat): July 8-14
- RC Pylon Racing: July 6-13
- RC Combat: July 9-12
- RC Aerobatics (Pattern): July 15-19
- RC Soaring: July 21-28
- Outdoor Free Flight (FF): July 23-27
- RC Helicopter: July 30-August 2
- Control Line (Speed and Racing): July 30-August 3
The dates and location for the Indoor FF Nats have not yet been determined.
AMA Thanks Its Lifetime Supporters!
The Academy of Model Aeronautics recently welcomed Life Members James J. Martin, Durham NC; Robert J. Kampmann, Poulsbo WA; Rayner V. Anderson, Edmond OK; Marcus-Ian J. Shimazu Takahashi, Bellingham WA; James D. Yon, Cypress CA; Thomas Vydanoff, Warren MI; Brian H. Blanchette, North Smithfield RI; Scott Suhr, Carson CA; William N. Harker, Caro MI; James P. Bebenroth, Tujunga CA; John J. Serio; Tempe AZ; Kevan Sizemore, Suffolk VA; William F. Curis, Cumming GA; Kevin J. Casey, Bremerton WA; Scott Espinoza, Yuma AZ; Kris Kafka, Norristown PA; David W. Burke, Westfield MA; Abbas Bari, Bowie MD; James Dow, Longview WA; Douglas P. Wilder, Ocala FL; Aaron S. Wallace, Carlsbad CA; J.J. Davies, San Ramon CA; David McGuire, Raynham MA; Chris S. Nelson, Walkertown NC; David Evans, Las Vegas NV; William R. Batchelor, Meridianville AL; Karl Thomas, Felton CA; Nathan Bivalacqua, Norco LA; Jason R. Bodell, Gaylord MI; and Gary Pai, Monroe MI.
For information about becoming a Life Member, contact AMA Headquarters at (800) 435-9262.
—AMA Membership Department
The Northrop Files
AMA Plans Service now houses all plans formerly sold through Model Builder magazine, Bill Northrop’s Plan Service, and the Scratch Builder’s Almanac. There are more than 1,000 plans in the collection.
The Curtiss B-2 Condor, from Bill Northrop’s Aeronautic Supply Company (NASCO) plans files, is a 68-inch World War I biplane with twin-engine nacelles. It is highly scaled and for experienced builders. Reductions and enlargements are available.
You can order the Curtiss B-2 Condor, plans number SV102, for $24 by calling AMA Plans Service at (800) 435-9262, extension 507.
Warrior Day
AMA again rallied the troops to support those wounded while defending our freedom.
Warrior Day 2017 was held October 7 at AMA Headquarters, in Muncie, Indiana. Wounded Warrior Project alumni and members of the Disabled American Veterans attended the second annual event. Although strong wind made flying difficult, it didn’t stop attendees from having fun.
After arriving at AMA Headquarters, visitors were treated to lunch and an air show provided by the Blacksheep R/C Modelers of Danville, Indiana. Foamies, a flying wing, a helicopter, and an aerobatic airplane with its smoke on delighted the crowd.
Following the air show, veterans and their families were invited to try flying a trainer aircraft via buddy box. Some of the former servicemen and women and their children had a chance to take a turn at the sticks.
At the National Model Aviation Museum, event attendees could tour the museum, try out flight simulators, build kites, and build and fly Sky Streaks. Behind the museum, Ready Made RC helped veterans and their families see what it was like to fly via FPV goggles.
“I’ve loved it,” Alex Ailor, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the U.S. Marines Corps, stated about Warrior Day. He and his daughter, Audrey, tried out the FPV goggles. They said that they enjoyed the air show, especially the helicopter flight demonstration.
“I like wearing the goggles,” Audrey added. “I’m having fun.”
The goal for Warrior Day is for veterans to have fun, relax, and be introduced to model aviation. Mandee Mikulski, AMA communications coordinator and director of development for the AMA Foundation, said, “Warrior Day is a special event because our team believes that we are introducing heroes to a hobby that they can enjoy with their family, no matter what type of injury or battle they have had to overcome.
“It’s only one day out of a year, but our hope is that the one day we say thank you can lead to a lifelong passion for aviation and model flying.”
Henry Haffke
1927-2017
A modeler and author, known for the countless contest-winning Scale Gee Bees that he designed, built, and flew has passed away. Henry A. “Mr. Gee Bee” Haffke died October 12, 2017, at age 90 in Saratoga Springs, New York. The 2010 AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame inductee published his book, Gee Bee, the Real Story of the Granville Brothers and Their Marvelous Airplanes, in 1989, and was widely known for it. In his final years, he was honored for his life’s work by the National Aeronautic Association.
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Henry grew up watching airplanes take off from the Springfield airport. He began building model airplanes as a teenager and obtained his full-scale pilot’s license at age 16. He loved to design, build, and fly competitive scale models, especially the “Golden Era” Gee Bees.
His model airplane designs were published in national and international model aviation magazines, including Model Aviation, Flying Models, RC Modeler, Model Builder, Model Airplane News, Scale Radio Control Modeler, and Radio Control Sportsman.
Henry enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1945. After graduating from boot camp, he taught students how to use ordnance equipment for all naval aircraft utilized during World War II. He also taught them how to operate bomb and ordnance-handling vehicles and related equipment. In 2015, he took a Patriot Flight to Washington, D.C., to honor him for his sacrifices. AMA provided copies of some of his articles published in Model Aviation to read during the flight.
In 1978, Henry met the Granville brothers, who built the full-scale Gee Bees, and their family members. He worked with the Granville family to write his book and to obtain scale documentation for his Gee Bee models. Henry enjoyed flying his scale Gee Bees in competitions. One earned the top static score at the 1985 Nats.
He is survived by two sons, a daughter, and a sister. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lorraine, a son, and three brothers.
The front of a donated 1940 membership card (personal information has been removed).
We Asked ...
As we end 2017, we want to look back at what we requested in our column this year and share with you what we received, as well as what the National Model Aviation Museum would still like to have for its collections.
Throughout this past year, we’ve asked for quite a few items in this column, and boy did we get responses! We received:
- One book, Model Aeroplanes and Airships, by F.J. Camm (February 2017).
- AMA membership cards from 1940-1941, 1947, 1949, a scan of a 1954 card, 1963, 1968, and 1971-1972 cards (April 2017).
- A version of the 1999 Draganflyer (April 2017).
- 1920s-era ball bearing propeller shafts (May 2017).
- Grand National Champion trophies from 1960, 1962, and 1966 (August 2017).
- A panoramic photograph of a modeling contest from approximately the late 1920s/early 1930s (October 2017).
Here’s what we still need from our 2017 requests (as of November 1, 2017):
Books:
- Modern Models; including full instructions for making and using model aeroplanes, dirigibles, hydro-aeroplanes, mono-rail models, wireless telegraphy, X-ray apparatus, etc., V.E. Johnson, 1919.
- The Design of Model Aeroplanes (Aeronautics Series), F.J. Camm, 1919.
- Model Aeroplanes: The Building of Model Monoplanes, Biplanes, etc., Together with a Chapter on Building a Model Airship, F.J. Camm, 1929.
- How to Build and Fly a Model Aeroplane, Fred O. Armstrong, 1927.
- The Model Aeroplane Manual: A Practical Handbook on the Building and Flying of Model Aeroplanes—Marshalls Practical Manuals No. 12, R. Langley, 1929.
- The Boy Mechanic: Book 1—700 things for boys to do. How to construct model aeroplanes, boats, amusement novelties, homemade toys, winter and summer sport devices, camp equipment, edited by H.H. Windsor, 1929.
The front (L) and back of one of the donated 1941 membership cards (personal information has been removed).
- AMA membership cards for 1936-1939 (they would have the NAA logo on the cards), 1948, 1952, 1953, and a 1954 card on paper (April 2017).
- The RC Flying Saucer (April 2017).
- The Draganflyer III (April 2017).
- Grand National trophies from the 1940s and 1950s (August 2017).
- Papers and photographs from the early years of modeling. We are especially lacking in material from 1910 through the 1930s in the archives (October 2017).
We want to thank all of our donors and contributors who have helped us expand the museum’s collections with both donations of items that we knew we wanted, and items we didn’t even know existed!
Our current main wish list can be found on our website at www.modelaircraft.org/museum/wishlist.aspx. It includes aircraft, kits, engines, books, magazines, and much more. We regularly update it because we receive multiple donations monthly, so keep checking back as we take off items received and add “new” items we that need.
We also have a wish list of books on Amazon that can be found at http://amzn.to/2zPixqi.
If you have anything you that would like to donate, please contact either National Model Aviation Museum Collections Manager Maria VanVreede (mariav@modelaircraft.org; [800] 435-9262, ext. 508) or archivist and historian Jackie Shalberg (jackies@modelaircraft.org, ext. 511).
More about our donation process, including answers to frequently asked questions, can be found on our website at www.modelaircraft.org/museum/donations.aspx.
If you think there might be something missing from our wish lists, please give us a call!
—National Model Aviation Museum staff
Bob Sifleet next to the trophies that he donated to the museum, including the 1960, 1962, and 1966 Grand National Champion trophies.
