Modeling Spoken Here
Bob Hunt — Aeromodeling Editor
... no one will be left out or forgotten.
Editorial direction
In the January editorial I wrote at length about the changes that would be in the offing for Model Aviation editorial content pertaining to newcomers. This month the first of those changes appears.
To recap, we have decided to present virtually every aspect of how to get started correctly and safely in each area of aeromodeling in as logical a sequence as we can manage and in as much detail as we can achieve. This means not only operational-type articles, but also construction, basic preparation, and safety pieces.
The thought is to do this properly one time, then put the information in a logical and easily findable manner on the AMA Web site so that future generations of modelers will not have to wait for this material to be represented in the magazine. Once this monumental task is completed (and it will take a long time), we can again restructure our goals to move forward as a complete family of modelers, secure in the belief that everyone who really wants to be included can be. This will only work if we are all willing to give up a little in the short term so that we can make major gains for the health and security of the hobby/sport in the long run. If we don't do this now, it will be far more difficult to do in the future.
The first word in the name of our organization gives us the direction we need to go in; we are an "Academy." If you were to look up the meaning of the word academy, you would find the following definitions: college, conservatory, school, seminary, university. We are and should remain, among other things, a teaching organization.
Academies are not made up only of those who know the subject matter thoroughly and/or those who teach it; there are always new "students" entering an academy, and they are hungry for, and need to be presented with, basic, intermediate, advanced, and expert-level information in a format they can digest and use. To that end, we start the teaching and the learning journey.
"From the Ground Up" series
I have asked my old friend and mentor Bob Aberle to kick things off with the first article in our "From the Ground Up" series. His "Introduction to Aeromodeling" is designed to address baseline, beginning modelers—making them aware of the choices available in the world of model airplanes, where they should start, what types of modeling opportunities there are, what items they really need to get started, safety issues, and other concerns they might have.
Why are we starting at the entry level? If we are to truly serve the entire modeling community, we need to include those who are just starting out. They need to be able to "catch up" with the rest of us on at least the basics. Even moderately advanced articles may be beyond their grasp, so some baseline information needs to be established.
In the coming months, Bob will outline the Radio Control (RC) portion of the sport. This is the area into which the most new modelers are coming, and we need to start here. Bob will cover equipment choices, frequency and operation safety, the basics of the batteries we use and their proper maintenance, equipment installation and linkages, and more. Armed with this basic and essential information, the new modeler can move forward with confidence that no important steps or issues have been skipped.
Beyond that will be more advanced RC information, but not before the other types of modeling get the same treatment of the basics for those who choose not to fly RC. Control Line and Free Flight newcomers will get what they need to make a successful start too. The plan is to bring each group forward in concert with the others in knowledge and understanding.
Yes, this will take a lot of time and space. We could simply give over the entire magazine to this concept and cut the time required to achieve our goals, but that would be unfair to the more advanced modelers who want and deserve the stimulus of more advanced subject matter. So we will continue to try to present a well-balanced selection of articles for all modelers as the hobby/sport evolves. Newcomers often enter the hobby in the middle of a cycle; they are essentially entering the theater in the middle of the movie. Is it necessary for them to wait another four or five years to see the basic information they need right now?
We have decided to use one of those new paradigms I wrote about in the January editorial to ensure that all available modeling information is available all the time to all modelers. We are going to publish the "From the Ground Up" series on the AMA Web site so it can be accessed and downloaded to allow new modelers to catch up quickly. The print material can be updated periodically to reflect new techniques, methods, materials, and equipment, but once it is on the Web, there will really be no need to publish it again in the magazine.
The result will be an abundance of space in which new and interesting articles that extend the frontiers of every aspect of the hobby/sport can be printed. And we will have been responsible as an academy, providing the basic information to all who seek and require it. That's a win/win situation.
Contributors and upcoming articles
Want a glimpse of the future of the "From the Ground Up" series? We have already begun to assign article subjects to those we know are excellent communicators as well as experts in their particular modeling fields.
- Bob Aberle: Introduction to Aeromodeling and the RC series (equipment, safety, batteries, installation, linkages, etc.).
- Bob Hunt (myself): Articles about getting started in building, including how to set up a shop and what tools are required.
- Mike Grez (Sig Manufacturing): An in-depth piece on balsa wood.
- Dean Pappas: A comprehensive series forming a flight-trimming cookbook for scratch builders and ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) enthusiasts.
- Paul Vliet: Credited with the name "From the Ground Up."
Bob Aberle is one of the most knowledgeable people I know when it comes to understanding technical RC issues, and he has a great gift for conveying technical matters in terms the rest of us can understand. The real meat and potatoes of Bob's offerings will begin with the next issue.
That's just a brief look into the future. As I wrote in January, the future is daunting but exciting. And trust me, no one will be left out or forgotten.
AMA Director of Publications Rob Kurek read the preceding and suggested that I add the fact that education of our membership is a directive that is in our bylaws and mission statement.
Contact
Need to get in touch with me? I can be reached by mail at:
Box 68 Stockertown, PA 18083
My telephone number is (610) 614-1747, and my e-mail address is robinhunt@earthlink.net.
MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
