AMA News

More Vital People Awards Made at the 1985 Nats

In 1984 the first of six Carl and Beth Goldberg Vital People Awards were presented. This recognition program honors vital people in the background of the modeling movement — newsletter editors, contest organizers and judges, club officers, and others whose efforts enhance the enjoyment of the hobby and whose accomplishments are seldom formally acknowledged. Recognition is in the form of annual cash awards together with plaques for up to six people per year. The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) administers these awards.

For 1985 four additional awards were approved; three were presented at the National Championships and the fourth will be presented in the near future.

Candidate Recommendations for 1986

• Recommendations may be submitted by any Open AMA member using the nomination form available from District Vice Presidents or AMA Headquarters.
• Nominees shall have been AMA members for a minimum of four years and shall be living AMA members.
• Awards shall be made annually at an appropriate time and place.
• Deadline for submission of nominations is January 1, 1986, for nominees to be honored that year.

Nomination Process

Inclusion for consideration:

• Club officers and past club officers (still active)
• Contest board members and contest coordinators
• Nats workers and/or officials
• Special Interest Group officers
• Appointed district officers or contest board members
• Any “average” modeler who does an “unsung hero” job of service (newsletter editors, mechanics of running an organization, promotion of modeling in a positive light, role models for youth, etc.)

Notes:

• A recommended nominee may be unknown on a regional or national level; being widely known should not be a barrier.
• An AMA-chartered club may nominate and support one of its members.
• Any Open AMA member may recommend a nominee with three other AMA members supporting the recommendation and submit it to the appropriate District Vice President.

Exclude from consideration:

• Members who have already received national recognition
• AMA officers and employees
• Magazine columnists
• Manufacturers or principals in the manufacturing business (hobby-oriented)

Although intended as a one-time award to any one member, a second award to the same member could be considered after a period of five years.

Selection

The Carl and Beth Goldberg Award for Service to Model Aviation is administered by the following committee:

• NAA Representative
• AMA President
• AMA Executive Vice President
• AMA Executive Director

This committee reviews nominations and selects award recipients.

1985 Recipients

• Wayne Yeager (Romulus, MI) — Presented a Vital People plaque and a $250 check, which he endorsed to the UCLA Medical Center to support AIDS research (Carl Goldberg died in early 1985 as a result of a tainted blood transfusion). Recognized for achievements including Executive Vice President of the National Miniature Pylon Racing Association (1979–1984); President of the Association of Midwestern RC Clubs (10 years); Awards Chairman of the annual Toledo Show (7 years); and numerous other positions of service.
• Bill Kleinhaus (Evansville, IN) — One of the original organizers of the Evansville RC Model Airplane Club (formed in 1946 as a Free Flight group). Bill has been a continuous AMA member every year since 1938 and remains an active volunteer in his club.

Results — 1985 Election

Ballots eligible for tabulation: 11,301 Ballot tabulation supervised by Raymond H. McGivern, Certified Public Accountant.

District 2 — Vice‑President

• John Byrne (incumbent) — 2,009
• Walt Throne — 766
• Others — 6
• Total — 2,781

District 4 — Vice‑President

• Howard Crispin (incumbent) — 916
• Others — 17
• Total — 933

District 6 — Vice‑President

• John Guenther — 657
• Loren Holm — 472
• Jim Sears — 667
• Others — 17
• Total — 1,813

District 8 — Vice‑President

• John Clemens (incumbent) — 1,091
• Mike Harrison — 505
• Gene Hempel — 614
• Others — 4
• Total — 2,214

District 10 — Vice‑President

• Richard Bergeron — 860
• Dave Peltz — 1,461
• Bev Wisniewski — 1,227
• Others — 12
• Total — 3,560

Summary of candidates (ballots listing):

• District 2: John Byrne (incumbent), Walt Throne, Others
• District 4: Howard Crispin (incumbent), Others
• District 6: John Guenther, Loren Holm, Jim Sears, Others
• District 8: John Clemens (incumbent), Mike Harrison, Gene Hempel, Others
• District 10: Richard Bergeron, Dave Peltz, Bev Wisniewski, Others

AMA HQ SERVICES STAFF

• Executive Director: John Worth
• Executive Coordinator: Joyce Hager
• Comptroller: Gisele Jackson
• Competition Services Director: Micheline Madison
• State General Manager: Vince Mankowski
• Special Services Director: Carl Maroney
• Membership Director: Carol Merfeld
• Special Events Director: Doug (last name incomplete in source)

AMA News — Member Letters and Notes

• Allan Wehman (Ladson, SC) — Giant scale models are catching on in South Carolina, but Allan reports losing the flying site after 16 years due to a manufacturing site being built on the ground. AMA Council has voted loss of flying sites as the top priority.
• Dave Mullins (Seattle, WA) — Supports the idea of a permanent Nats site if part of an annual location; suggests rotating the Nats by AMA Districts as an option.
• Bob Cowles (Wisconsin) — Coordinator of MECA (Model Engine Collectors' Association). Displays a partial collection of original Orwick ignition motors. For information, contact Bob McClelland, 3007 Travis, West Lake, LA 70669.
• Ed Hunter (Amory, MS) — Supports the AMA Safety Committee’s proposed first aid booklet; suggests including a model first-aid kit and advice on extreme temperature storage.
• Harold E. Todd (Fairbury, IL) — Reports logging 3,032 flights and requests a Year-Round Flying Patch; instructed to contact John Worth at AMA Headquarters for the form.

Executive Director's View From HQ

John Worth AMA Executive Director 1810 Samuel Morse Dr., Reston, VA 22090

AMA Museum Program and Patronage

• AMA has launched a Museum Program for the National Center for Aeromodelling.
• Patron categories:

1. Regular — $10 (tax deductible): special pin and bumper sticker, and a year’s subscription to Cloud Nine (quarterly Hall of Famers’ newsletter).
2. Charter — $100 for the first year, $10 thereafter: Regular benefits plus listing on the museum honor wall.
3. Life — $1,000 one-time: Regular and Charter benefits plus special Life pin and patch.

• Special patronage cards are issued with numbering formats by category.
• Cloud Nine compiles correspondence from Hall of Famers and modeling personalities; patrons receive the newsletter.
• To join: Make checks payable to AMA, mark “Museum Patron” on the bottom left, and send to AMA HQ.

"Little Toot" Lives On...

• The George Meyer Craftsmanship Trophy recognizes outstanding model building craftsmanship.
• George Meyer designed the biplane "Little Toot" in 1957 and later built a full-size airplane after six years of work. The trophy is awarded at the National Model Airplane Championships and at the George W. Meyer Memorial Fly-In in Denver on July 5–6, 1986.
• The fly-in is for scale models and will follow builder-of-the-model rules unless otherwise indicated. Event director: Bob Croft, 8237 South Lamar Court, Littleton, CO 80123. Phone: (303) 979-6969.
• The AMA Museum in Reston, VA, houses many of George Meyer’s models as part of the George Meyer Memorial Museum.

Insurance Confusion

• In December AMA mailed an offer of free accident insurance coverage for AMA members participating in, or traveling directly to and from, AMA-sanctioned events. Members must fill out a form naming a beneficiary to receive this coverage.
• Clarification:
• Liability protection (for damages a member may be sued for) is provided automatically and covers model flying anywhere and anytime in accordance with the AMA Safety Code; it does not require a form.
• Accident insurance pays the member directly for various injuries (or the beneficiary in case of death) and requires the form to be filled out.
• To obtain the free accident coverage, fill out the form sent in December by the A.H. Wohlers Co. (policy underwritten by the Life Insurance Company of North America). The form must be mailed by March 1, 1986. All resident adult AMA members are eligible.
• AMA did not purchase this insurance; it is a no-cost-to-AMA program that provides a fringe benefit of membership.

Alcohol & Insurance

• The Academy of Model Aeronautics' Comprehensive Liability policy excludes coverage in certain alcohol-related situations, including:

1. Persons or organizations in the business of manufacturing, distributing, selling, or serving alcoholic beverages.
2. Owners or lessors of premises used for such purposes if liability is imposed.
3. Liability arising from violation of statutes or from serving alcohol to minors or persons under the influence.

• The exclusion means a club member deemed under the influence of alcohol risks being without insurance coverage, and the club’s coverage may also be jeopardized.
• AMA’s insurance broker recommends clubs control alcohol use at events to reduce the risk of an uncovered accident.

DISTRICT REPORT

Don Krafft — District I Vice‑President

P.O. Box 1828, Duxbury, MA 02331 (617) 934-6248

Associate Vice Presidents:

• Gerald Brown, P.O. Box 4384, Middletown, RI 02840
• Bill Chandler, P.O. Box 41, Orland, ME 04472
• Drew Davenport, 33 Ash St., Townsend, MA 01469
• Bob Landry, 80 Main St., Essex Jct., VT 05452
• Al Nowottny, 4 Beverly Pl., Norwalk, CT 06850
• Richard Sherman, 28 High St., Plymouth, NH 03264

Frequency Coordinator:

• George Wilson, 318 Fisher St., Walpole, MA 02061

Notes and club news:

• Green Mountain RCers (Essex Jct., VT) held their annual banquet on November 9, 1985. Pattern fun‑fly trophies awarded: 1st Ron Salsaki; 2nd Dave Lamphere; 3rd Ralph Williams; 4th Jean Coutu. Mrs. Lamphere won a $50 door prize.
• South Shore RC Club banquet (Nov 17, 1985): raffle prize Futaba seven‑channel radio to Bob Engleman. Tony Daigle trophy presented to Fred Bellows.
• Electric motor-powered models are under consideration as a means to preserve noisy fields; an advisory committee has been formed (District I representative: Dwight Holley, 1511 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Bethel, CT 06801).
• Insurance: AMA experienced difficulty obtaining coverage this year; members should read the yellow paper that came with membership cards and ensure clubs have their insurance certificates.
• AMA Golden Anniversary Fly-In will be held August 2–3, 1986. Nats and fly-in planning is underway.
• Permanent Flying Site: a committee is exploring the feasibility of a year-round flying facility; no money expended yet.
• Reminders: Radio equipment maintenance/tuning season; club patches requested for display; separate Mortgage and Building Fund contributions should be specified.

Coming events:

• WRAMS Show — Feb 23–24, 1986
• Maine Expo, Augusta — March 8–9, 1986

John Byrne — District II Vice‑President

36‑29 213 Street, Bayside, NY 11361 (718) 225‑8319

Associate Vice Presidents:

• Pete Bianchi, 260 S. Broadway, Yonkers, NY 10705
• Tom Brown, P.O. Box 861, AFD, NY 10923
• Frank Coscullino, 27 Kearney St., Dover, NJ 07801
• Frank Dickson, 8 Willow Ave., Pascackway, NJ 08854
• Ray Siders, 7 Evergreen Ave., New Hyde Park, NY 11040
• Hank Lucas, 46 Cory Dr., Toms River, NJ 08753
• Adam Sharlow, 41 Perry Ave., Latham, NY 12110
• John Santora, 6062 Rabbit Lane, Rochester, NY 13135

Frequency Coordinator:

• George Myers, 70 Froehlich Farm Rd., Hicksville, NY 11801

Notes:

• Re-elected for another three-year term; thanks to supporters and to those who voted.
• Contest Director (CD) applications are processed heavily at this time; clubs are urged to apply early for sanctions.
• Ecological concern: a model airplane incident in Mountainside Park at Pequannock, NJ prompted a proposed local ban; AMA involvement helped calm officials. Local insight requested.
• Correction: Senior Formula 40 CL Speed at the Nats was won by Joe Gruber — acknowledgement provided.
• Accent on Youth: Craig Hampson (Broken Props Club, Bridgewater, NJ) described a successful 4-H fair flying exhibition and contest with demonstrations and community participation.
• Welcome to David Peltz (elected VP of District 6) and thanks to Jim Sears for returning to the Executive Council.
• Show-time: CNYMAA Symposium at Syracuse Fairgrounds confirmed for February 1; WRAM SHOW '86 at Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY — AMA District 2 Membership Meeting on Saturday, February 22, at 2:00 p.m.

District III notes (selected)

• Fun-fly contests attract contestants from multiple states; youth involvement encouraged (example: young Jason Mowery won a raffle prize).
• Club visits: the VP requests specifics when inviting visits (date, location, lodging) and suggests grouping clubs for efficient visits.
• Condolences: Gus Christian (Pattern flier) died of a sudden heart attack on December 14; remembered for fun and dedication.

IV DISTRICT REPORT

Howard Crispin — District IV Vice‑President

611 Beechwood Dr., Charlottesville, VA 22901

Associate Vice Presidents:

• Robert E. Beavan, 117 Otis Drive, Severn, MD 21144
• Bob Champlin, 255 Tipton Rd., Newport News, VA 23606
• Doug Holland, 3157 Fernwood Dr., Raleigh, NC 27612
• Raymond LeFrancois, 465 Chinquapin Tr., Charlottesville, VA 22901
• Scotty Moyer, 11 Orchard Lane, Wilmington, DE 19809
• Charles Spencer, 288 Holly Lane, Mooresville, NC 27028

Frequency Coordinator:

• Paul Yarocki, 6040 Winthrop Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28301 — Phone: (919) 488‑5996 (evening)

Notes and topics:

• Winter events: Tidewater Soaring year-end meet, CASA mid-winter meet, Northern Virginia RC Sno Flin Fun Fly, Fauquier County FARM Club events — District IV Newsletter keeps members informed.
• Noise and You: A series of articles on sound measurement, noise reduction methods, and manufacturer involvement is expected. Education on noise is critical to prevent loss of fields.
• The Rule Book: Official Model Aircraft Regulations 1986–1987 has been published with comprehensive information.
• RC Pattern Scheduling: CDs in the region coordinated a schedule under the Radio Control League of North Carolina to reduce conflicts and improve attendance.
• Club news highlights a variety of local club activities: unique fundraisers (cookbooks), newsletters (Propwash — Chattanooga R/C Club), new clubs (Amory R/C Modelers), PR brochures (RAMM, Montgomery, AL), and successful events (R/C World Flying Festival).
• Scholarship: Mark Rist (Huntsville, AL) won a $2,000 AMA scholarship.

Additional reminders:

• Control-line flying is promoted for its technical and tactile experience.
• Be vigilant about illegal sale of aircraft-frequency radios in non-hobby stores; encourage manufacturers and retailers to properly mark frequency suitability on packaging.
• Suggestion to provide enlarged, event-specific rule sections for posting at contest sites to aid compliance.

VII DISTRICT REPORT

Peter Waters — District VII Vice‑President

117 E. Main, Upper Level, Northville, MI 48167 CompuServe address: 70047,2162

Associate Vice Presidents:

• Arthur A. Arno, 1014 Woodbridge Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103
• Boyd Bowdish, 6410 Glenwood, N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49525
• Jack Finn, 368 Hampden Dr., N.E., Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
• Russell Kienzler, 2625 E. Shorewood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53211
• Robert L. Lundberg, 4928 Taos St., Duluth, MN 55804
• Carl Moff, 5024 Lake Mendota Dr., Madison, WI 53705
• William Rohn, 844 Tangmeood Tr., St. Joseph, MI 49085
• Tom Sears, 132 S. Roslyn, Pontiac, MI 48054

Frequency Coordinator:

• Pete Waters, 117 E. Main, Upper Level, Northville, MI 48167 — Day (313) 348‑0085; Evening (313) 437‑4244

Notes:

• Publication schedules and newsletter continuity are a concern; plans to start a regular AVP contribution section.
• CD license requests are increasing; emphasis on displaying AMA numbers on contest models and on safety.
• Proposed booklet on sound education to provide practical guidance on noise reduction and muffler ideas; solicit local input.
• Cross-border insurance (MAAC) issues with Ontario clubs should be resolved for continued exchange visits; politeness and hospitality toward visitors is emphasized.
• Nationals at Battle Creek proceeding toward finalization.

Club roundup highlights:

• Elm Creek Fliers exploring a new field near Marcell
• CARDS organizing the 1986 IMAA Festival in Lansing, MI
• Many clubs producing newsletters with club news, quotes, and event ideas

Tribute:

• Remembering Carl Goldberg and his popular models (Falcon 56, Gentle Lady) and encouraging recognition of his contributions.

More Vital People Awards — Summary

• The Carl and Beth Goldberg Vital People Awards continue to recognize unsung volunteers in the modeling community with cash awards and plaques.
• Nominations, exclusions, selection committee details, and award administration follow the guidelines outlined above.

AMA News — Miscellany and Closing Notes

• Several sections and stories in this issue recap awards, elections, district news, and club activities across the country.
• Readers are encouraged to participate in nomination processes, attend regional events and fly‑ins, maintain safety and insurance awareness, and contribute to noise-education efforts to protect flying sites.

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.