WE APPRECIATE
OUR MEMBERS
By Ilona Maine, Clubs Director | ilonam@modelaircraft.org
“Aviation records don’t fall until someone is willing to mortgage the present for the future.”
—Amelia Earhart
We appreciate you, our members! Thank you for your assistance as we navigated club charter renewal with the new online feature and thank you for your patience as we continue to work our way through your FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) submissions. Trying to do both processes at the same time might have caused some delays in responding to emails and phone calls, yet your understanding and grace was wonderful. We truly have the best members!
Did you just realize that you forgot to submit your club charter renewal? Take advantage of our new online charter renewal feature at www.modelaircraft.org/charter-renewal. You can now also update your club officers online!
What is the update on FRIA submissions? We are continuing to work through the responses you have provided to us. We are making progress slowly but surely, and by the time you read this, we are hopeful that we will be able to reach out to clubs that have more than one flying site.
The AMA Foundation recently shared a story about the Indianapolis RC Modelers Club. Founded in 1953, it is one of the oldest clubs in Indiana. Although having steady membership numbers, the club struggled with finding new members, as do many other clubs. In an effort to improve the club’s flying site and attract new members, it reached out to AMA and applied for various grants that are available to AMA chartered clubs.
Read about the club’s efforts in the article that Jeff Thomas, club president, shared with the AMA Foundation at https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amafoundation/category/clubs-in-the-news/. You will also find other articles that might be of interest to you. To learn more about the various AMA grants that are available to clubs, visit https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amafoundation/grants/.
Join the AMA Foundation in celebrating model aviation for the 11th annual National Model Aviation Day on August 12, 2023. National Model Aviation Day was created to encourage clubs to celebrate the hobby and share it with the public. Our chartered clubs have also been asked to conduct a fundraiser to benefit a worthy cause.
All of us are devoted to inspiring the young and young-at-heart to pursue a hobby that will inspire creativity and advanced learning through the use of hands-on applications. Find more information and register your club’s participation at https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/modelaviationday/.
As the weather becomes more conducive to flying in some parts of the country (we know there is year-round flying everywhere), this might be a good time to walk around your flying site and look for safety concerns. Are spectator/member areas clearly marked? Did you inspect any seating (e.g.: picnic tables, bleachers, etc., if applicable) to assure stability and safety? Do you have sand and/or fire extinguishers available? A few minutes of due diligence in looking for problem areas and fixing them might save you a lot of headaches and heartaches down the road.
Before I return my focus to FRIA submissions, I want to reassure you that the AMA staff is working hard on your behalf. The world around our hobby has changed throughout the last decade, and I understand that it can be frustrating or discouraging at times. Just remember the fun and camaraderie you enjoy when you are flying your model or talking shop with your fellow aviators. Those are the moments that matter the most!
Have a great summer, and have fun flying safely!
