I AM THE AMA
JOSHUA ORCHARD
Scientist and Du-Bro Brand Ambassador
MODEL AVIATION: How did you become involved in model aviation?
JOSHUA ORCHARD: I began modeling at a young age. I started with basic balsa sticks and a lot of curiosity. I took my mother’s sewing pins and made some floats for a foam model, wrapping them in plastic wrap from the kitchen. The wrap did not seal well, and my parents were not thrilled with the pin holes on the dresser top either, but it was my first vivid memory of building a model. It was curiosity, plain and simple.
MA: How has model aviation impacted your life and/or career?
JO: Model aviation has given me—perhaps more than anything—an outlet. While my career as a scientist has taken my mind to a lot of problem solving by experimentation, I apply that skill in different ways with the hobby. Taking engineering or artistic problems and finding solutions has always been a trial-and-error endeavor, but the major overlap has always been my ability to never be afraid to fail.
MA: What disciplines of modeling do you currently participate in?
JO: I primarily build Scale models. While the occasional sport model sneaks into my build queue, I’m consistently drawn to the historical models with propellers. I appreciate jets, helicopters, and drones, but my primary interests lie in the Golden Era or interwar period. I love these subjects, along with the drastic leanings that they convey through their iterative designs.
MA: What other hobbies do you have?
JO: My other hobbies include my family and my faith, but I also enjoy gardening. Having competed in rose shows as a teenager, I continue enjoying them at my home and surprising my wife with a bouquet from time to time.
MA: Who or what has influenced you the most?
JO: My biggest influencer has genuinely been my faith. It has taught me to pursue learning and relationships, which have directed my life in ways that I could not have seen coming. It has been a means of facilitating some of the best friendships and learning from those great people. My club is small, but it’s a great group of friends, where we rib and tease each other, yet we are fiercely friendly.
MA: What do you enjoy most about your current position in the hobby?
JO: My current position allows me to make connections with people. As the membership secretary and treasurer for my club, I get to welcome back old friends each year, as well as those who are new, and show them the ropes and resources.
I also currently enjoy being a brand ambassador for Du-Bro. This has been an amazing relationship, where we are able to educate folks in our hobby about building techniques. This has been voiced as an invaluable resource for those who are new and old to the hobby. Sometimes we forget, sometimes we rediscover, and sometimes we see new technologies, resins, or resources that are used in new ways that we’re not though about before that make our models better and able to be built easier. I’m able to attend events in this role and help others fix their models on-site so that they can continue to enjoy the event. I love building and I get to share that wherever I go with the support of Du-Bro.
I’ve included a picture of me with my Great Planes Gee Bee (an old fiberglass version) that I built with a 6S electric system, is fully outfitted with Du-Bro hardware, and flies with an FrSky fully-stabilized radio system.
