From the Copilot’s Seat What’s on the Horizon?
Nominations for AMA president and vice presidents in Districts I, V, and IX are due at the Headquarters of the Academy of Model Aeronautics by June 19, 2025. Any AMA Adult member may submit a nomination. All nominations must be electronically submitted to AMA Headquarters via email to Katie Perry at katiep@modelaircraft.org.
To be eligible to discharge the duties of AMA vice president, a nominee must be a Leader Member of the AMA and must reside in the district.
To be eligible to discharge the duties of AMA president or executive vice president, a nominee must be a Leader Member of the AMA and must previously have served as a member of the Executive Council or associate vice president or as a Contest Board member for at least one (1) year.
(Nominees and nominators will be notified by HQ confirming receipt of nomination. If confirmation is not received within two weeks after you have sent your document, contact Katie Perry at [765] 287-1256, ext. 203.)
A letter of acceptance from the nominee must be submitted by July 4, 2025, 15 days prior to the published nominating committee meeting. A résumé of professional qualifications and model aviation experience from the nominee must be on file at AMA Headquarters by July 9, 2025, 10 days prior to the published Nominating Committee meeting.
Nominating Procedure Document
Relating to Article IX
Candidate Guidelines:
(a) No person may nominate himself/herself for office.
(b) No person shall simultaneously hold two positions on the Executive Council. In the event a person holding an office is elected or selected to a second position on the Executive Council, that person must choose which of the two positions he/she will continue, such decision to be made within 48 hours of the announcement of the selection, or else the person so affected will be deemed to have selected to remain in the first office held.
(c) Incumbent is automatically placed on the ballot, provided that he/she has been properly nominated and accepted, except that a 3/4 vote against may withhold the incumbent’s name from the ballot (see Bylaws, Article IX, Section 2).
(d) All nominations must be received at AMA Headquarters thirty (30) days prior to the convening of the Nominating Committee Meeting. All information must be submitted by electronic means.
(e) Candidate must be a legal resident of the district in which the election is being held; this does not apply to the office of the President or Executive Vice President.
(f) Candidate must be a current AMA member with Leader Member status (other qualifications apply to the office of the President and Executive Vice President, Article IX, section 3).
(g) No person elected to and serving as an active member of the Executive Council shall be paid for any regular column or article in Model Aviation magazine. Exception may be made for such articles as the coverage of special events provided prior arrangement was made for said article. Articles and columns printed in the “AMA News” section are not paid contributions. No paid columns may be submitted after the individual has been placed on the ballot.
Candidate Acceptance:
All correspondence must be submitted electronically to AMA Headquarters Muncie, Indiana. Failure to meet all requirements will disqualify said nominee.
(a) A letter of acceptance by the candidate must be electronically submitted 15 days prior to the meeting.
(b) Along with a résumé of professional qualifications and model aviation experience, résumé should include, but not be limited to, the below areas of consideration. Information must be received at AMA Headquarters 10 days prior to the Nominating Committee. Campaign statements will not be read by any person until it is determined who will be placed on the ballot.
1. Management experience.
2. Financial background.
3. Insurance employment and/or expertise.
4. Legal background.
5. Technical background, including areas of aeronautics, electronics (especially in radio frequency propagation and usage), acoustics (as related to noise studies and analysis), and other areas of engineering.
6. Aeromodeling background must be noted. The individual will be required, if elected to national office, to deal with questions related to all areas of aeromodeling and should have a broad-based background.
As I write this in the first week of January, I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome Greg Stone to his new role as AMA president. I believe Greg will do a great job leading AMA into the future, and I look forward to working with him for the next year. I’d also like to thank all of those who voted for me. It was a very close race with only 45 votes separating us.
Good news! The AMA National Fun Fly is back for 2026. The event will take place on June 25-28 at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. Stay tuned for additional information to come soon, including more about preregistration. I’m hoping to see all of you there.
The bad news comes last. Many of you already know that, effective January 1, 2026, AMA implemented a modest dues adjustment across all membership categories. These changes address rising operational costs and inflation to maintain the organization’s advocacy and insurance programs.
2026 Dues Increases and Fee Changes
- $4 increase applied to Adult, Senior, Park Pilot, Three-Month Trial, and Affiliate memberships: Adult from $85 to $89; Senior from $75 to $79; Additional Family Member from $45 to $49; Park Pilot from $48 to $52; Three-Month Trial from $19.95 to $23.95; and Affiliate from $125 to $129. Youth memberships will increase by $5 from $15 to $20.
- A $3 convenience fee is being introduced for all transactions made via credit card or PayPal.
The context and rationale for the increase in membership dues is because of inflated operating costs, as well as increasing insurance premiums. AMA’s advocacy efforts have also increased, requiring more of a cost for lobbying and legal representation in Washington, D.C., particularly regarding FAA and FCC regulations. Additionally, supply chain disruptions have caused substantial price hikes in publishing Model Aviation magazine each month.
Members who are looking to avoid future annual increases might opt for a Life Membership, which offers a one-time payment to secure membership for life. Current enrollment and renewal options are available through the AMA Membership Enrollment Center (modelaircraft.org/membership/enroll). For a full list of current benefits and rewards for AMA members, visit the AMA Member Benefits page at modelaircraft.org/membership/programs-benefits.
Happy landings and fly safe!
