WE APPRECIATE
OUR MEMBERS
By Tony Stillman, Safety/Technical Director | tonys@modelaircraft.org
Hello again! As I write this, it is early May, and the weather is warming up here at the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) in Muncie, Indiana. We have a lot going on right now as we start preparing for the flying season, which includes the Nats. With this being the 100th anniversary of the first US National Model Airplane Championships, we are making some improvements and upgrades to the flying site, as well as improving our entrance to the site with some much-needed landscaping and all-around sprucing up of our entrance area to the AMA Headquarters and flying sites.
We have already installed new flag poles along the entrance road to feature the 11 AMA districts, as well as added 20 new flag poles as you drive out to the flying site itself. These will be used to display the country flags when we host international events such as an FAI World Championship. These can also be used to display Special Interest Group (SIG) flags, Nats/special event flags, and more. They really enhance the drive out the site and show our support for these groups.
Another improvement on site is back at Site 4, our grass runway site. This site is used for many Nats events, including RC Scale, RC Aerobatics, RC Soaring, RC Combat, and more. In addition to Nats events, several Giant Scale events are held at this location, along with AMA SIG MultiGP’s International open, the International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association Jamboree, the new Warbirds and Classics Alliance Giant Scale event, and Air Power Over the IAC. We have added a new metal building on the site to serve as a central location for the Contest Director or Event Manager to operate their events.
Additionally, we have added two large 24 x 104-foot pavilions. These pavilions include electricity and lighting, as well as having the ability to be closed in by attaching tent siding to them in the case of inclement weather. These will provide quality space out of the weather for the event management to use, as well as great pit areas for pilots to use.
Providing shelter at Site 4 is important. Before this improvement, the only shelter we had for pilots at the IAC was at Site 1. Everything else uses portable tents for this purpose, but because Site 4 is the southernmost site at the IAC, building structures in this area pose the least amount of threat to our Free Flight members who also use the site throughout the summertime.
All of these improvements were made to enhance the members’ experiences when they come to the IAC for an event or just to fly. Much like your local club flying site, having sunshade and an area to assemble and maintain your aircraft is vital for pilots. AMA can now better support pilots who come here for events at Site 4.
I want to encourage you to make 2023 the year that you come to the IAC and participate in the AMA Nats. As I stated before, this year we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first Nats. We want to celebrate this throughout the year, starting with Indoor Nats, which has already occurred, and moving through the end of the Nats which will finish on July 31 with RC Helicopter events and RC Scale Aerobatics.
The FAI F3C/N RC Helicopter World Championships are still scheduled at the IAC for August 1-10. I hope you will plan on attending some events here this summer. We would love to see you here!
You can find all the information about the 2023 Nats at www.nats.modelaircraft.org. I’m looking forward to seeing you at the Nats!
