View from HQ
Joyce Hager — Executive Director
"... a toy costing less than a gallon of glow fuel can become the twinkle in a child's eyes!"
As I write this, the end of the year is upon us, and speaking for all of the employees of AMA, I hope everyone had a healthy and happy holiday season.
As you may be aware (or should I say I preach this each year?), this is the busiest time of the year for the employees. AMA renews more than 75% of our membership during the months of October, November, and December, and December 30 and 31 are very busy. I appreciate the patience that our members display when they call headquarters.
License cards took longer to send to the membership this year. I apologize; we had a delay in receiving our products, and when printing a large job of more than 50,000 license cards, we ran into a few problems. Hopefully this is concluded. If your club is requiring proof of membership and you have access to the Web site, you can go there and verify membership payment. In the meantime, we are mailing license cards two or three times a week.
Attention Members in Florida
I received a request from Edward Young of Dade City, Florida, for help in soliciting new members for the Florida Flyers. Edward said that Don McClements, the club's late president, had worked hard to increase the club's membership. They have a great flying site in a county park with restrooms, benches, and electrical outlets, and it is far from any homes or other obstacles. Members of the club would love to share their flying site with other AMA members.
If interested, please contact:
- Edward R. Young
- 11202 Mesquite Dr., Dade City, FL 33525-2323
- Tel.: (352) 567-1939
Ed, I hope this helps.
Museum Volunteer — Don Brown
During the 1940s, Don was involved in some aeromodeling; however, first school and then a family occupied his time, and he was unable to continue. During the Korean War, as a way to help pay for college, Don joined the Naval Air Reserve and served at Akron NAS and Grosse Isle, Michigan. By the 1980s, after retiring as a mechanical draftsman from MichCon Gas, Don decided to return to the hobby and fly free flight rubber aircraft. This decision eventually led him to move to Muncie in 1998.
A year and a half later he began volunteering in the museum, and he has helped inventory the museum's model-airplane kit collection and assisted with setting up the new restoration shop. Don also built a model that we hope to use in one of the museum's future hands-on exhibits. Next time you are visiting the National Model Aviation Museum in Muncie, IN, please be sure to thank the volunteers we have recruited. They have been a key element in getting items identified, cataloged, and displayed so that others may enjoy them.
DBRCA Toys for Tots Fun-Fly
Gary Clark of the Daytona Beach Radio Control Association (DBRCA) sent in the following story about the club's fun-fly, held December 7 to benefit the Toys for Tots program:
"On this very brisk morning, with our flag flapping in the light morning breeze, those who dared to brave the cold and probable high winds started flowing into the DBRCA flying site. A moment of silence was observed commemorating and honoring all of the veterans of our great country, who served with distinction and honor to help preserve our freedom, and remembering 'The Day That Will Live in Infamy,' Pearl Harbor Day.
"With every pilot and a great many of the spectators bringing along a new toy for the Toys for Tots program, the line of spectacular aircraft (monoplanes, biplanes, and even helicopters) began to take shape. We decorated the tent, had a Christmas tree, and gave out candy canes to all who flew or showed up.
"There was a beautiful array of aircraft and lots of socializing (that's what this hobby is all about, right?). Everyone was in the giving, sharing, and helping holiday spirit with newcomers and seasoned pilots alike sharing stories and advice on how to make flying more enjoyable (less crashing would help).
"Upon starting the first engine of the day, Mother Nature obliged by creating a howling wind from the north and treacherous flying weather for all but the foolhardy. Even with the windy conditions, some dared fly their pride and joy, helping provide entertainment for those armchair pilots in all of us.
"It seemed the Giant Scalers were better at cutting through the nasty winds and continued to fly well past the noon hour. In all, it turned out to be a great day of flying and critiquing my many landings.
"Our Toys for Tots Fly-In gathered three very big boxes of toys for the less fortunate children. It is truly amazing to think that a toy costing less than a gallon of glow fuel can become the twinkle in a child's eyes!
"I consider this to be a great success and a testament to the great people we are fortunate enough to meet through this hobby. With as little effort as was put into this toy drive (I will take full blame for the lack of effort), we did a great job for the kids.
"The Marines were as grateful as the children, and we are going to vote to make this an annual event with hopes of it growing into a community event helping all of the kids we can!
"Thanks to all who showed up and gave to the needy and had a good time doing so."
Happy flying,
Joyce Hager Executive Director jhager@modelaircraft.org
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
