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MODEL AIRPLANE FLYING on a Marine Corps base? You bet. People who have lived near a military installation or have been in the service know that our hobby is often encouraged by base authorities. The long record of cooperation between the military and the AMA in hosting the Nationals, for example, is a great tradition. It exemplifies the promotion of aeromodeling not only in the United States, but throughout the world.
Camp Pendleton flying site
For more than 25 years, radio-controlled models have been flown from a little-used helicopter landing field at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, located between Oceanside and San Clemente in southern California. The paved, 800-by-250-foot flying site sits picturesquely on a plateau surrounded by nearby green hills and distant mountains. The prevailing soft breezes, usually directed straight down the runway, are highly conducive to RC flying.
Joint Military R/C Flyers (AMA Club 1694)
Almost 20 years ago, after a few years of informal flying, the Joint Military R/C Flyers, AMA Club 1694, was chartered. Mustering both military and civilian members, the JMRC Flyers has distinguished itself in many ways. Among its members are a number of world-class RC pylon fliers, pattern fliers, and scale modelers; its roster includes at least five AMA Hall of Fame members. The club’s achievements have been recognized with the prestigious AMA Award of Excellence, and all members proudly wear this emblem on their official club flight jackets.
Programs and outreach
The club has a long tradition of goals and activities that go far beyond the needs of most RC flying groups. Although gathering RC enthusiasts together and providing them with a place to fly is a basic aim of most clubs, the JMRC Flyers has an added high priority—introducing the sport/hobby of RC flying to potential devotees.
Through its Adopt-A-School program, club representatives maintain a busy schedule of appearances and flight demonstrations at many local schools, igniting throngs of youngsters with the excitement and thrill of model aviation.
One of the club’s most vibrant programs is acquainting active-duty military personnel with RC flying. The approach not only offers hands-on flying experience, but also provides each flight student with:
- a competent club instructor,
- a ready-to-go club radio, and
- an airplane with a buddy-box setup.
Many enlisted and officer-grade military personnel at Camp Pendleton are on temporary assignment for relatively short periods, and discretionary funds for off-duty pursuits such as RC flying are often limited. To help, club dues are waived for new military members for the first six months.
Mall show and recruitment
The JMRC Flyers constantly recruit new military members. On June 27 the club sponsored its first-ever mall show, hosted by the Marine Corps Exchange (MCX). Camp Pendleton’s MCX draws many active-duty and retired military customers and their dependents, especially on weekends.
On that Saturday the club displayed a large number of representative RC models. A video monitor showed many aspects of model flying, much of it from AMA-produced videotapes. Large signs offered “No-Cost Flight Instruction” to new members, and club spokesmen worked the crowd, garnering prospects and signing them up on the spot.
The well-planned endeavor was an unqualified success: 33 new members were brought into the club. Practically all of them are raw novices, and their needs have imposed a strain on the club training program. Additional instructors will be required, but they can be drawn from the ranks of competent club members.
Needs and donations
The greatest challenge is augmenting the overworked fleet of trainers, radios, and engines so the club can continue its no-cost training for deserving active-duty service people.
Toward this end, the Joint Military R/C Flyers is soliciting donations of:
- ARF-type RC trainers,
- engines of approximately .40 displacement, and
- radio outfits suitable for training purposes.
Firms or individuals who wish to help should direct their communications to: Joint Military R/C Flyers P.O. Box 342 San Luis Rey, CA 92068
The resounding success of the first static mall show has prompted the club to make it a tradition. The next show will probably take place during the winter holidays, when even greater crowds will be in attendance.
Conclusion
If enlisting new blood into our hobby/sport is the solution to many of our problems, the Joint Military R/C Flyers of Camp Pendleton may have found a very effective method of achieving it.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
