The 1998 National Aeromodeling Championship
By Shelia Ames
The International Aeromodeling Center at AMA Headquarters in Muncie, Indiana hosted its third set of National Aeromodeling Championships outdoor events — the 72nd Nationals. Competition, which consisted of 104 separate official events and several unofficial events, lasted from July 10 to August 4.
"I was really pleased (with this year's Nats)," said Dave Brown, president of AMA. "The entries were up, and there was a minuscule number of complaints."
Attendance and events
Attendance at this year's events was up, with approximately 1,300 contestants — about 1,200 outdoor competitors and roughly 100 indoor fliers, consistent with past Nats entrants. The Indoor Nats were held May 27–31 at the Johnson City, Tennessee Mini-Dome on the campus of East Tennessee State University.
Event and participation highlights:
- 104 official outdoor events, plus several unofficial events
- Total contestants: approximately 1,300
- Indoor Nats: May 27–31 at Johnson City, TN Mini-Dome
Site and weather
According to Steve Kaluf, AMA Technical Director, this was the best Nats of the three held at the relatively new 1,000-acre Muncie site. (AMA Headquarters moved to Indiana from Reston, Virginia in 1993.) "Everyone I've talked to has been positive and people are continuing to like the site," Kaluf said.
"The site improves each year," Brown added. "The people become more used to the site, and what you can and can't do in certain areas."
Weather was a contributing factor to the event's success: most days of the four-week competition span were sunny and warm. There were only two weather-related interruptions; the most significant was a heavy rain that shut down one flying area for a day.
Staff, volunteers, and SIGs
At an event of this scale, smooth operation depends on dedicated people. In addition to his duties as Technical Director, Steve Kaluf filled in as Nats Manager for Ron Morgan, who was unable to attend.
Key staffing details:
- About 500 workers overall, including officials
- Approximately 300 volunteers
"The staff works well together," Kaluf said. "Without all of that, you have nothing."
Twelve Special Interest Groups (SIGs) ran the individual events. "The SIGs have got it tuned well and are working together well," Kaluf said. Brown noted their ability to organize banquets and symposiums at various sites around Muncie.
Feedback and suggested improvements
Overall feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. "It's back to being a premier event," Brown said. "Surprisingly, I have received more raves and accolades than suggestions and complaints."
A small number of complaints and suggestions are being compiled for future Nationals. Items mentioned include:
- Problems with certain rules and operational procedures
- Fees
- Porta-potties (sanitation facilities)
- Inherent conflicts between certain modeling categories
- Improvement of grass sites (Kaluf noted marked improvement over last year but said it takes time to develop the desired look)
- More Control Line circles
- Electricity for campers
- More on-site camping facilities
- More magazine coverage, not only in Model Aviation but in other publications
"Most of the complaints are things we'll try to address," Brown said.
Looking ahead
The 1999 Nationals are already in the planning stages; a Nats planning meeting was scheduled for October. "We'll see what needs to be done and how we can improve the event," Brown said.
Entry blanks for the 1999 Nationals will be mailed to participants of the last two or three years' Nats. If you do not receive one but would like to compete, contact the Competition department at AMA Headquarters.
See you next year!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
