AMA News

AMA News

Press Release — Frank Ehling: mixture of pride, regret; announces retirement

Frank Ehling — pride because Frank is going into another phase of a long, distinguished career in model aviation; regret because the Academy will no longer have the pleasure of working with him on a day-to-day basis. Frank has decided to change the direction of his life.

On Wednesday, October 13, 1982, he retired to devote his efforts to freelance design work in the industry and model aviation publications. He says he has hundreds of good designs left and will be making new inroads in modeling magazines.

Frank started with the Academy in July 1960 mainly because he was asked to assist the Annual National Championship (Nats). He soon became invaluable and remained Technical Director for 22 years. Members of the Academy staff wish him the very best in everything and are sure Academy members will feel the same way about a man who has been prominent in our hobby since the 1920s. Expressions of appreciation or requests for his services can be mailed to him at 11004 Harding Road, Laurel, MD 20810. Telephone: (301) 490-3665.

FLASH — FCC has approved new RC frequencies. Details next month.

Synopsis — Executive Council Meeting, Oct. 23–24

The following summarizes actions of the fall AMA Executive Council meeting in Arlington, VA. A copy of the official minutes may be obtained upon request from AMA HQ. The minutes will become official after Council review at the next Council meeting in January.

Unless indicated otherwise, the President either abstained from voting or voted to break a tie. Where some Council member votes are not shown on a particular item, the member was not present at the time of voting. Items are not necessarily in the chronological order in which they were acted upon. The District X VP was not present but provided a number of written votes in advance of the meeting; those were applied where applicable.

Attendees

• President: John Grigg, Lockport, NY
• Executive Vice‑President: Jim McNeill, Birmingham, AL
• Executive Director: John Worth, Fairfax, VA
• Vice‑President District I: Ed Izzo, Holliston, MA
• Vice‑President District II: John Byrne, Bayside, NY
• Vice‑President District III: Dave Brown, Hamilton, OH
• Vice‑President District IV: Chuck Foreman, Mechanicsville, VA
• Vice‑President District V: Bill Mathews, Birmingham, AL
• Vice‑President District VI: Jim Sears, Burgin, KY
• Vice‑President District VII: Hardy Brodersen, Birmingham, MI
• Vice‑President District VIII: Ted White, Bedford, TX
• Vice‑President District IX: Travis McGinnis, Arvada, CO
• Associate Vice‑President District X: Betty Stream (substituting for Jim Scarborough), Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
• Vice‑President District XI: Ed McCollough, Portland, OR
• NAA: Clifton Von Kann (initially); Ev Langworthy, NAA Executive Director

Guests included Eugene Shelkey (National Soaring Society President and District III AVP), John Vogel (NSS Secretary/Treasurer), John Preston (District IV AVP), Lillian Worth, Don Godfrey (IMAA President), Bill Wilbur (IMAA Safety Officer), and Jim Alley (IMAA representative, District X). They attended for various lengths of time.

Present from HQ executive staff: Micheline Madison (FAI/Contest Boards Director), Vince Mankowski (Assistant Executive Director), Geoff Styles (Public Relations Director), and Gisele Jackson (AMA Comptroller).

The regular meeting of the Executive Council was brought to order at 9:00 a.m. by the President.

Meeting Actions (motions and results)

1. Nats Executive Committee Authority — Motion to give the committee authority to decide Nats site locations, whether combined or separate — failed (3–9).

• For: Districts 3, 7, EVP.
• Against: Districts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, ED.
• Abstained: NAA.

1. Special Joint Meeting (Executive Council and Nats Executive Committee) — Approved (9–3). Meeting to be held in the Washington, D.C. area on December 11 to explore and decide many matters concerning the 1983 and future Nats. (NAA abstained; dissenting votes from Districts 1, 2, 11 where recorded.)

1. Expansion of Scholarship Program funding (from $10,000/year to $25,000) — Not approved (2–10). Only Districts 7 and 9 in favor; NAA abstained.

1. 1982 Scholarships — Approved $9,500 total (9–1) to be distributed to six winners.

• For: Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, ED, NAA.
• Against: District 5.
• Abstained: Districts 6, 8, EVP.

1. Standing Rules (Bylaws) — New section concerning election of officers explaining which officers are elected in which years (following change from two- to three-year terms) — approved unanimously.

6.–7. Special Interest Groups — Recognition/requalification of MACA (CL Combat), NFFS (Free Flight), NCS (CL Carrier), NSS (RC Soaring) under new 1981 criteria — approved unanimously.

1. 1983 FAI General Conference — Proposal from the National Aeronautic Association to financially support hosting of the event — not approved (4–10).

• For: District 3, ED, EVP, NAA.
• Against: Districts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

1. New Membership — Establish one-day Junior membership at contests for $1 and permit a one-contest adult membership for $10 — approved (8–5).

• For: Districts 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, ED, EVP, NAA.
• Against: Districts 1, 3, 4, 6, 11.

9a. Senior One‑Day Membership — Amendment to include Seniors for $2 — approved unanimously.

9b. Delete One‑Day Open Membership — Amendment to drop the special adult membership from motion 9 — not approved (5–6).

• For deletion: Districts 2, 3, 4, 6, 11.
• Against deletion: Districts 1, 5, 8, 9, ED, EVP.
• Abstained: District 7, NAA.

10., 10a. Instant Memberships — An amended proposal to authorize elected AMA officers to accept dues payments for immediately effective (including insurance coverage) new and renewal memberships — initial amended proposal not approved (7–7).

• For: Districts 3, 6, 8, 9, ED, EVP, NAA.
• Against: Districts 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 11.
• The amendment to add such authority for renewal as well as new members was approved (8–4).
• For amendment: Districts 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, ED, NAA.
• Against amendment: Districts 1, 4, 7, 11.
• Abstained: EVP.

1. Instant New Memberships — Proposal similar to motion 10 but for new members only — approved (11–2).

• For: Districts 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, ED, EVP, NAA.
• Against: Districts 1, 5.

1. World Championships Budget — Preliminary budget for the 1983 RC Aerobatic World Championships, as developed by AMA HQ — approved unanimously (allowing the U.S. offer to host to be presented at the Paris FAI meeting in December).

1. Free Flight (FF) Team Selection Committee Meeting funding — Approved (9–4) as amended to fund an in-person meeting.

• For: Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, ED, EVP, NAA.
• Against: Districts 1, 6, 8, 9.

13a. Funding Limit — Amendment to limit AMA's share to matching funds of not more than one-half of the amount needed for travel and lodging, with the balance from the FF Team Program Fund or other sources — approved (9–4).

• For: Districts 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, ED, EVP, NAA.
• Against: Districts 1, 4, 6, 8.

1. IMAA Safety Code — Submit the safety code of the International Miniature Aircraft Association to the AMA Safety Committee for recommendation concerning possible adoption by AMA — approved unanimously.

1. CL Combat Funding — Approve funding for future Combat World Championship teams to include a mechanic for each pilot, on the same basis as other team members — approved (10–2).

• For: Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, ED, EVP, NAA.
• Against: Districts 5, 8.
• Abstained: District 6.

1. CL Scale Team Funding — Reimbursement to Team Manager for unusually high model box shipment costs from Moscow to the USA due to circumstances beyond the manager's control — approved unanimously.

1. Engine Rule Approval — For documentation requirements concerning engines for competition, the appropriate Contest Board Chairman will determine if the rule has been complied with — approved unanimously.

18.–19. Junior/Senior Reclassification — Motion to return youth age classifications to 16 and 21 — tabled pending further feedback from membership. (Motion to table carried by all except District 6, which abstained.)

1. Life Member Patch — Provide all Life Members with a special cloth emblem, similar to that authorized for AMA officers — approved unanimously.

1. Lake Charles Nats — Nats Executive Committee recommendation for Lake Charles, LA, as the site of the 1983 Nats — not approved (5–6).

• For: Districts 4, 7, 8, ED, EVP.
• Against: Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 11.
• Abstained: District 6.

1. 1983 Nats Location — Decision to table until after motion 25 — approved (7–5).

• For tabling: Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9.
• Against tabling: Districts 4, 7, 11, ED, EVP.
• Abstained: NAA.

1. Nats Entry Fee — Reduction of approximately 25% for the basic (not event) fee — approved (7–5).

• For: Districts 1, 2, 3, 8, 11, EVP, NAA.
• Against: Districts 4, 5, 7, 9, ED.
• Abstained: District 6.

1. Nats RC Trophies — Proposal to provide 10 trophies for each RC event (Pattern, Pylon, Soaring), with Best Junior and Best Senior in each — not approved (4–10).

1. Special Nats Meeting — Have a special meeting of the Executive Council and the Nats Executive Committee on December 11–12 in the D.C. area to discuss all aspects of future Nats planning and operations — approved (9–1).

• For: Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, ED, EVP.
• Against: District 6.

1. New York Nats — Hold the 1983 Nats primarily at Floyd Bennett Field (Brooklyn) August 1–8, with RC Soaring and Free Flight indoor and outdoor events elsewhere — approved (7–4).

• For: Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11.
• Against: Districts 4, 8, 9.
• Abstained: District 6.

1. Open House Nats — Offer special Nats entry fees for 1983 only: $50 (Open), $20 (Senior), $10 (Junior), with $10 additional for late entry, and no additional event fees for advance or late entry — approved (8–1).

• For: Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11.
• Against: EVP.
• Abstained: District 4, District 6, ED.

1. Reconsider Motions 26 and 27 — Reconsider NY and Open House Nats decisions until the December 11–12 Special Nats Meeting (motion 25) — approved (10–2).

• For: Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11, ED, EVP.
• Against: Districts 6, 7.

1. Special Rule of Order — Permit, except for priority items, introduction and discussion of agenda items without a motion and vote until the following meeting — approved (7–6).

• For: Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 11, ED.
• Against: Districts 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, EVP.

1. Effective Date of Insurance — Make AMA's insurance coverage effective upon receipt by HQ (except for "instant" memberships by CDs at contests and Executive Council member acceptance) — approved unanimously.

1. Lodging Reimbursement — Authorize Council members to use single rooms without extra cost — approved (8–3).

• For: Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, ED, EVP.
• Against: Districts 6, 8, 9.

1. Salary Confidentiality — HQ not to release or publish salaries unless specifically approved by the Executive Council — approved (7–5).

• For: Districts 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, ED, EVP.
• Against: Districts 1, 3, 4, 6, 8.

33.–34. VP Budget — Proposal to increase Vice‑President budget to $2,000 (from $1,200) — not approved. (Details recorded in the official minutes.)

1. Special HQ Loans — Principle of authorizing special loans to help AMA employees relocate to the new HQ building site outside of D.C., subject to specific approval of each loan upon presentation of details to the Council — approved (7–4).

1. Next Meeting — Next regular meeting of the Council to be held in Anaheim, CA, in conjunction with the Hobby Industry of America (HIA) show, on Saturday, January 29, 1983 — approved (6–5).

Other Actions (consensus, show of hands, or unrecorded votes)

• Elections: Agreed that a candidate may run for two offices simultaneously and may accept either office if elected to both.
• Executive Director Salary: The Executive Director's salary was reviewed as required by contract; a retroactive cost-of-living increase for 1982 was approved, as well as a combined cost-of-living and merit increase for 1983.
• Editor Patches: Addition of a patch for newsletter editors, to be provided automatically to clubs (replacing the previous special-request policy), approved; patch to be similar to those for other club officers.
• Budget: The 1982 financial statement and preliminary budget for 1983 were reviewed without action (the 1983 budget is subject to revision and approval at the January meeting).
• Awards: Distinguished Service award (posthumous) approved for Tom Hutchinson.
• EVP Reports: The Executive VP provided details of HQ expenses in connection with the Nats and World Championships and Council expenses for the year; privileges for employees and volunteers differ concerning travel and lodging costs.
• Committee Reports: Reports were received from Scholarship, Frequency, Building Fund, Film Projects, CD Qualifications, Bylaws, Nats, Nats Procedures, Nats Executive, and Special Interest Groups; actions resulting from those reports are noted above where applicable.

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