Awards and Scholarships

Congratulations to the 2019 Flying Site Development/Improvement Grant recipients. Each club has been successful in its efforts to increase the value the club’s property and member experience.

A total of $32,542.54 has been awarded among 44 AMA Chartered Clubs.

AMA established the Flying Site Development/Improvement Grant program to invest in the continued improvement and growth of AMA chartered clubs. Grant funding is provided through an allocation of membership dues each year. This year, thanks to the support of AMA Foundation donors, enough funding was available to award grants to all qualified clubs. These clubs are making a difference in the model aviation community, and the communities in which they operate.

Club Name

 Amount

Bridgerland RC$381.00

Central Alabama Sportflyers$240.30

Circle Masters Flying Club$37.01

Corning Tri Rivers RC Modelers$237.54

Dallas Wingdingers$346.51

Derby Radio Control Club$1,828.35

East Coast Swamp Fliers$2,400.72

Erie RC Club$49.58

Fairgrounds Flyers$214.43

Florence Aeromodelers$1,324.92

Fraser Flying Club$97.89

Harvey County Radio Control Club$1,336.19

Horizon City Flyers$257.00

Hudson Valley RC Club$245.00

Huntington County Modelers$551.01

Inland Empire Radio Control Club$150.00

Island Flyers RC Club$670.16

Johnson County RC Flyers$160.49

Maricopa AMA RC Club$120.81

Miracle Strip RC Modelers$551.68

North Georgia Model Aviators$698.96

Northeast Aero RC Club$350.00

Ocean County Modelers$717.77

Olympic Radio Control Association$269.29

Omahawks, RC Inc$3,000.00

Osceola Flyers$70.00

Owatonna RC Modelers$429.46

Penn Ohio Radio Kontrol Society$306.00

PROPS$570.57

Radio Control Society of Marine Park$838.75

River City Radio Controllers$2,636.20

Robin's Flying Field$1,249.44

Rochester Aero-Modeling Society, inc$160.02

Seaview Rotary Wings$175.00

Shadetree RC Club$401.79

Smith Lake Fliers$848.62

Somerset RC$29.53

Southwest Area Park Modelers$243.07

Sun Valley Fliers$3,000.00

Top O' New Jersey$783.56

Tumecula Valley Fliers$741.60

Tuscarora RC Flying Club$290.20

Washington County Model Aviation Association$532.12

Western Carolina Radio Club$3,000.00

Michael Solon was 2018 recipient of the Dewey O Broberg Scholarship. Michael was introduced to RC world when he was in 9th grade. He joined the aeronautics team at his high school as a freshman. He would stay late to fly flight simulators and he eventually graduated to crashing real RC planes. He prefers to use drones because of their practicality. One of Michael's favorite memories is during Christmas. He received a drone as a present. The first time he flew his drone was to take a few photos around the beach. However, because he didn’t trim it yet, the wind immediately sent it at max speed away from him. Soon after, his new drone made its way towards the ocean. Michael said it got far enough so that all the camera could see was ocean and the sun rising. When Michael was about to give up, the wind suddenly changed directions and pushed it back onto the beach. The whole adventure was recorded on video. After high school, Michael plans to go to college to study mechatronic engineering. Congratulations to Michael for being the 2018 recipient of the Dewey O Brobery Scholarship.

Robbie Vanzyl was the 2017 recipient of the Dewey O Broberg Scholarship. Robbie is from Peachtree City, GA. Robbie was first exposed to the realm of RC in the 6th grade. While cleaning out a storage area with his dad, he discovered a Balsa Glider, also known as a “Foka” glider by the company Graupner, that his dad made as a teenage in the 1970s. Robbie said by first glance of the red and yellow model, he knew he wanted to pursue model aviation. He got involved with AMA after he became a member almost four years ago. Vanzyl participated in the AMA UAS4STEM competition where he was able to go to AMA headquarters and meet many of the AMA employees. Outside of flying RC planes, he enjoys fly racing drones. He has recently been more active in the racing drone community. His most enjoyable aspect of flying model aircraft is the people that he is able to meet and spend time with. Robbie stated that a great day of flying is less reliant on the weather or condition of my airplanes, but more about people and friends at the airfield that day. Two of Robbie’s biggest accomplishments related to RC are receiving the Dewey O Broberg Scholarship at this year's national UAS4STEM competition and starting his own small racing drone company. The AMA would like to congratulate Robbie on his award.

Click here to learn more about the Dewey O. Broberg Memorial Scholarship.

The AMA Foundation would like to thank the members of the National Miniature Pylon Racing Association (NMPRA) for their continued support. The NMPRA sold 300 tickets for a raffle and raised $6,300 to donate to the Cliff and Nancy Telford Scholarship Fund. Each year AMA awards this specialized scholarship to the applicant who shows dedication to the hobby through participation in competition activity. Dillon Graves was the 2017 recipient of the Clifford and Nancy Telford Scholarship. Dillon has accumulated many honors in the past six years including: Two time Junior National Champion F3J and unlimited Thermal Duration in 2011 and 2013, National Champion Open Class F3J Thermal Soaring 2013, Overall Florida Soaring Society Champion as an Expert in Unlimited 3rd 2012 and 1st in 2013 and Master in 2015, and first Sportsman Gator F3B World Cup 2013. Dillon currently attends the University of Central Florida.  Thank you to the following for their contributions for the raffle and direct donations for the raffle:

• Mario Salazar
• Mike Helsel
• Lloyd Burnham
• Randy Etken
• Dennis O'Brien
• JR Americas  
• APP Advanced Pylon Products
• Mike Helsel
• Robert Holik
• Aero Racing Engines
• CMAD Racing
• Jett Engineering, Inc.

AMA would like to thank Tom Scott and the leaders of NMPRA for the continued support. Your work has helped many with their college expenses and helped AMA award more than $1 million in scholarships. To learn more about this year’s scholarship recipients visit:  /amafoundation/dillon-graves/

The AMA Scholarship Fund was created to award qualified AMA youth members with scholarships to pursue scientific/technical careers. Since its inception, AMA’s Scholarship program has bestowed over $1,000,000 in awards to college-bound aeromodelers. Donations to this fund will support our youth members who will be future leaders in aviation, technology, and science. [caption id="attachment_3101" align="alignright" width="300"] Bob Hanford[/caption] Robert “Bob” Hanford was one of the earliest recipients of an AMA scholarship. He was one of three modelers who received scholarship money in 1971. He was awarded $500, which he used to earn a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Oklahoma State University. “It paid most of my first year’s tuition—how times have changed!” Bob said of the scholarship. He applied for an AMA scholarship when he was a senior in high school. “It was a tremendous help. My parents divorced about that time, and weren’t able to help with college expenses.” Bob said after participating in the 2016 Free Flight Nats that he competed in his first Nats in 1964 when he was 11 years old. His father, a member of the 1949 US Wakefield Team, taught him how to build and fly at the age of eight. Bob’s aeromodeling experience has aided him in his career as a licensed professional engineer, and in his current position as a manager of civil/structural engineering. “The aeromodeling background definitely helped—knowing how to read and prepare drawings, spatial relations, strength of materials, and direct structural applications as I had experienced in modeling,” he commented. Over the years, hundreds of AMA youth members like Bob have benefited from the scholarship program. Donating to the AMA Scholarship Fund helps secure the future of aeromodeling's next generation.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics recently awarded the Fort Wayne Flying Circuits with a $150 Club Recognition and Reward grant. The club was featured in KPC News and The Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette for two separate events they recently held. The KPC News featured an article about the club's participation in the community's seventh annual Balloons Aloft event on July 5, 2016. The event included many different activities including dancing, classic cars, face painting,  a 1-mile family walk, and of course, R/C aircraft. The club was participating for the first time in the event and members were excited to put on a good show for the community. To read the full article, visit KPC News. [caption id="attachment_2924" align="alignright" width="300"] Flying Circuits President, Tom Hayes, with his giant model airplane.[/caption] The Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette featured the club's 35th annual Monster Mash and Swap Meet. This year's event was in celebration of National Model Aviation Day. The club president, Tom Hayes, said the purpose of the event was to bring pilots together, but also to share the hobby with the public. Hayes' hope was that spectators at the event would develop an interest in model flying. Visit the Journal Gazette to read more about the event. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics recently awarded the North Mississippi Radio Control Club (NMRCC) with a $75 Club Recognition and Reward grant. The club was featured on the DeSoto Times-Tribune website on July 1, 2016 with the same article printed on July 5, 2016. [caption id="attachment_2883" align="alignright" width="300"] Mike Lee, DTT
Aaron Scott of Senatobia holds aloft a radio-controlled P51 during a Tail Draggers exercise at Arkabutla Lake and Dam field.[/caption] The article introduced the community to NMRCC and radio-controlled aircraft. Dave Doyle, president of the club, explained the organization and membership benefits. To read the full article, visit the Desoto Times-Tribune website. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.  

The Academy of Model Aeronautics recently awarded the Black Hawk R/C Pilots with a $150 Club Recognition and Reward Grant. The club was featured on KWWL, the NBC-affiliated television station in Waterloo, Iowa on July 16, 2016. The Black Hawk R/C Pilots hosted a Warbird Fly-In and encouraged the public to come out and watch. Club president, Neal Leeper, was interviewed for the segment and spoke of the progression of flying R/C airplanes. Today's airplanes, many of which are able to fly right out of the box, make it much easier to learn to fly than earlier days in the hobby when airplanes had to be built from scratch. The segment also promoted the club's upcoming event in celebration of National Model Aviation Day in August. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics recently awarded the Wolverine Skyhawks with a $75 Club Recognition and Reward Grant. The club was featured in The Cedar Springs Post on July 19, 2016. The Skyhawks held their annual remote-controlled airplane show in conjunction with  the Cedar Springs Library's summer reading program. The crowd of about 150 enjoyed a show put on at the club's field, including 16 year old Jace "the Ace" Dussia. Jace is an XFC 3D Aerobatics champion and has been flying since he was seven years old. The club also gave away a remote controlled airplane system, won by 14 year old Kerissa Basso. [caption id="attachment_2867" align="alignright" width="288"] Jase “the Ace” Dussia entertained the crowd with his skillful flying of his remote-controlled aircraft. Here it’s hovering not far off the ground. Photo by J. Reed.[/caption] Read the full story on the Post website. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics recently awarded the Fluvanna County Radio Control Flying Club (FCRCFC) with a $175 Club Recognition and Reward Grant. The club was featured on Charlottesville's CBS 19 Newsplex and local radio station Z95. FCRCFC hosted the first annual Wings and Wheels 4 PAWS (WW4PAWS) Car Show and Model Aviation Extravaganza on Saturday, June 25th to benefit four animal rescue organizations in Fluvanna County. WWPAWS was the largest and most successful event ever hosted by the FCRCFC. On Sunday, July 3rd, president Bill Sykes presented a ceremonial check for $2,800 to the directors of the four beneficiary organizations. Read the full story on the Wings and Wheels 4 Paws website. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.