Clubs in the News

Earlier this year, members of Rend Lake RC Club applied for the Take Off and Grow (TAG) Grant. The AMA is excited to announce Rend Lake RC Club has received a $500 award by District 6 Vice President, Randy Cameron. This grant was awarded to Rend Lake to help with Open Houses and their RC Kid’s Camp this summer.   Rend Lake RC Club encourages anyone interested to attend their open house May 20 and August 1 from 12 - 4 p.m. Aircraft will be present and members will be there for any questions attendees may have. There will also be trainers present to allow attendees an opportunity to learn the Buddy-Box System and receive a first flight certificate.   For more information about the Rend Lake RC Club open house and camp, visit their website here.    

The Casa Grande RC Flyers held their 2nd annual air show on Saturday March 11, 2017 and enjoyed a record number of attendees at the club field.  This year’s air show benefited the Valley Humane Society who received many needed items as well as cash donations. The show featured pilots from Horizon Hobby and Hitec/Multiplex, a pilot from the Eloy airport who flew helicopters, and an internationally known aircraft pilot and designer from Arizona City.  People from around the valley filled the bleachers to watch the pilots perform amazing stunts during the two-hour event. The Casa Grande RC Flyers is an Arizona non-profit corporation and chartered club of the AMA whose purpose is to promote model aviation and support the Casa Grande community. Club members teach classes at area schools, participate in fairs and 4H events, and offer free lessons to individuals who wish to learn to fly model aircraft.  Details about the club and their activities can be found on their website:  www.CasaGrandeRCFlyers.com    

Coachella Valley Radio Control Club enjoyed their weekend hosting an annual War Birds Fun Fly benefiting Wounded Warrior Project and Rebuilding American Warriors.  The event had more than 30 pilots flying model military airplanes from World War I and II. Coachella Valley Radio Control Club has remained a Gold Leader Club for consecutively 12 years. They allow anyone at any age  to join their club if they wish to fly planes and are passionate for the hobby. “This is just one of those thousand points of light for people to enjoy that helps others at the same time. We are so proud of our facility and the fact that it was built with no public money” said club President, Dan Metz. The AMA Foundation admires the non profit club for working to make a difference in the community and sharing their love of model aviation to all. To view the full story, view here.  

The Sonoran Desert Flyers pilots do their best to provide great experiences to those who are interested in learning more about model flying. Over the years the members have impacted hundred of people, including new pilot Ryan. Ryan, 40- years old, has Cerebral Palsy, a disability that causes muscle spasms, slow growth, and involuntary movement. Despite all of this, he is a practicing psychiatrist. His father, Steve, took him out to the Sonaran Desert Flyers field to learn more about model flying-a hobby he believed would be fun for him to try. With the help of the Sonoran Desert Flyers, they were able to set up a day for Ryan to fly on a Tuesday morning, even though their typical flying day was Saturday. They packed up all their gear, found their club trainer, and set flight. Ryan enjoyed the experience so much that he will continue flying. The club is setting him up with a transmitter tray to smooth out his hand movements. The Sonoran Desert Flyers makes it possible for everyone to enjoy the love of model aviation. Bob Schuman, member of SDF, states, “All in all, this is what SDF does best. Stop by and meet them, your life will be better.”  

The Academy of Model Aeronautics has recently awarded the Sarasota RC Squadron with a $175 Club Recognition and Reward Grant. The Warbirds were featured in Suncoast News Network for their Feel Good Friday Feature. The Sarasota RC Squadron hosted a fly-in benefiting the Sheriff’s Associations. The event was open to anyone interested in the hobby and encouraged attendees to bring a stuffed bear for cops to keep in the back of their car if a child is ever found to be in a bad situation.   Board member, David Speed, said the event was “nothing but radio control warbirds in honor of the veterans that worked on planes from WWI, WWII and the Vietnam War.” The event had a multitude of planes flying such as, real jets, P25’s, P51’s and airplanes ranging from $400 to $10,000. The AMA Foundation would like to thank the Sarasota RC Squadron for their efforts in raising over 40 bears for children. Their dedication to the hobby does not go unnoticed. 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 St. Louis Whirly Birds with $150 Club Recognition and Reward Grant. The club was featured in Fox 2 News in St. Louis for their 32nd  Fun-Fly event. View the full story here.  The club opened their event to the general public. There was a mix of young and old participants for three days of the event.  Anyone who had an interest in flying was able to take part in the event and be eligible for door prizes.  For more details about the St. Louis Whirly Birds, visit their website here. 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 Southwest Area Park R/C Model Club with $150 Club Recognition and Reward Grant. The club was featured in the Arbutus Times on Oct. 10, 2016, and also on Fox News 45. The story, titled “Hobbyist Fliers Watch Air Traffic Soar,” shares the story of the competition for airspace among model airplanes and real planes. The Baltimore County runway hosted an airshow for venues across the nation to compete. The airshow was almost was not able to take place due to the new rules and laws under the FAA to regulate hobbyist. With the help of the AMA, the event was able to take place so hobbyist fliers could fly freely. The association said, “"We successfully worked with the FAA to roll back these unnecessary flying restriction.” To view the full story, click here. 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 Hudson Valley Radio Control Club with a $75 Club Recognition and Reward grant. The club was featured in the Rockland Journal News for their 7th Annual Haverstraw Air Show. The Haverstraw Air show held dozens of fliers from planes ranging from 7 inches to 104 inches. The event was an opportunity for families and friends to get together to spend time watching planes zig zag through the sky. The club president, Bruce Leach, was interviewed by the paper and spoke about how model airplanes bring parents and their children together to do hands on activities. Model airplane flying is unlike any other sport and allows for a different type of interaction with their children. For more information about the event, view Hudson Valley Radio Control Club website here.   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 AMA Foundation has recently awarded the Olympic RC Modelers Club a $125 club Recognition and Reward Grant. The club was featured in Peninsula Daily News for their fundraiser they hosted for Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County. The Olympic RC Modelers paired with the Sequim RC Aeronautics to provide a light up show of hot air balloons, RC planes and helicopters. Attendees had the chance to buy raffle tickets benefiting the Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County. The event also featured West Coast Spin Doctors, Mike and Marilyn Mason. The Mason’s demonstrated wing walking in a 1943 Stearman. Children had the opportunity to take part in paper airplane race, while adults attended a car show. The first 100 people were granted with free wooden planes. 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 learn more about this program.  

The Academy of Model Aeronautics recently awarded Tri State Model Flyers with a $75 Club Recognition and Reward Grant. The club was featured in an article in the Greater Ashland Beacon about their 5th annual fly-in. The club opened their event to the general public at no cost. They had a fly-in, a night fly and a new activity where people could bring their old, unwanted planes for others to shoot paintballs at. Those in attendance purchased five paintballs for $1. The club wanted to have a new activity to generate new interest in flying. More club information can be found on their 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.