PREPARING YOUR
FLYING SITE FOR THE
UPCOMING SEASON
Safety/Technical Director’s Corner
By Tony Stillman, Safety/Technical Director | tonys@modelaircraft.org
As I write this column, I am working from home and looking outside. I see approximately 3 inches of snow. Not a very inviting scenario for model flying outside!
It’s February here in the Midwest and we are well into the building season. I hope you are close to completing your new models for this flying season. I’ve been working on a Super Kaos 60 kit build and have completed the final sanding before I MonoKote the wings and fiberglass and paint the fuselage.
Completing a kit build is a great way to stay engaged in the hobby. Creating a model from a box of wood and plans and putting your own custom finish on it is rewarding. If you have never built a model from a kit, I challenge you to try it. There are excellent models with great instructions and pictures to help you. Sig Manufacturing (www.sig mfg.com) offers a good selection and the Kadet series of models is especially good for first-time builders.
There is much hope that modeling events will be held despite COVID-19 restrictions. Clubs have sent in quite a few event sanctions. Although indoor events and swap meets might be few, I hope that most outdoor events at club flying sites can be safely managed. I suggest that you check out the online event calendar on the AMA website and see what is going on in your area and make plans to attend.
AMA staff members are planning to attend EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this summer. We have been doing this for the last few years, and it is great to see so many members come out with their electric airplanes and join us in after-hours fun! We typically fly from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. all week. We plan to post a schedule of AMA events at Oshkosh on the website, so stay tuned. We hope to see you there!
We are also planning to hold a full AMA Nats (National Aeromodeling Championships) schedule this summer! Last year, we held a few events, but we hope to have full list of outdoor events to be held at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. Check out the registration page on the AMA website for the schedule and plan to join your flying buddies for a great time of fellowship and model flying.
As winter loses its grip on the country, many will head out to the club flying field. Your flying site needs to be prepared for the season. That means checking out all of the facilities and doing some spring cleaning. Club safety officers should inspect the site and identify anything that needs to be addressed.
This is a good time to go over the starting stands and pit tables. Are the structures all in good shape? Go through equipment to find items that might need attention.
It is also a good time to schedule a club workday to cut the grass and tidy the parking and pit areas for the season. This is a great way to get everyone in the club involved and garner excitement for upcoming events.
A successful club has a good social environment that promotes camaraderie and a sense of belonging. It’s also easier to do a big job such as field maintenance when you have a good group of willing modelers who work together!
Encourage everyone to bring some models and enjoy a little flying after the hard work is done. Maybe you could break out a hot dog grill and enjoy a meal together! Spending a day at the flying field will help everyone experience a return to normal as we start to move past the pandemic.
A couple of swap meets are planned in my area in April. The first will be held at the SeaGate Convention Centre in Toledo, Ohio, on April 9-10, roughly the same time as the longtime Toledo Show: R/C Model Expo.
The Dayton Modelrama, presented by the Dayton Wingmasters club, will be held in Dayton, Ohio, on April 23-24.
Both events observe social distancing. With so many canceled swap meets throughout the past year, it is great to have these shows scheduled! Thank you to those clubs and members who put in the effort to host events for modelers to enjoy!
I hope to see you there!
