2022

Robert A. Studinski Leaves Major Gift to the AMA Foundation Endowment

AMA Foundation Heritage and Legacy Society donor Robert A. Studinksi bequeathed more than $75,000 to the Foundation's Endowment Fund. The Academy of Model Aeronautics and the AMA Foundation would like to thank Robert Studinski and his family for this generous gift. The Foundation Endowment Fund provides funding in perpetuity to the AMA benevolent programs through annual earnings and returns, leaving the fund's corpus untouched.

Mr. Studinski's contribution will have a major impact on the future funding of programs at AMA and will ensure that we are able to continue upholding the joy of flight for modelers of all ages across the country.

If you would like to learn more about Robert's life and his history with model aviation, continue reading the obituary provided by his loved ones.

Mr. Studinski's contribution will have a major impact on the future funding of programs at AMA and will ensure that we are able to continue upholding the joy of flight for modelers of all ages across the country.

If you would like to learn more about Robert's life and his history with model aviation, continue reading the obituary provided by his loved ones.

Robert Ambrose Studinski passed away at his home in Benton, KY on February 24, 2020.

He was born on January 16, 1933 in Avon Lake, Illinois to Ambrose and Mary (Gorzella) Studinski.

Robert was in the Army from 1953 through 1955 and continued in the reserves until 1961. He served in Germany in the 2nd armored division. During that time he collected beer steins for himself and Hummel's for his mother.

Robert married Leah Cook on November 22, 1958 and they built a house in Big Rock, IL, where he worked for Lyon Metal Products in Montgomery, IL for 45 years. He started as a designer, and by the his time of retirement, he had become a Product Development Manager.

Robert and Leah, for their retirement, bought 16 acres in Benton, KY near Leah's sister, Vernyce Lawrence, and husband, Dean, where they built a home that included a barn with a loft.

Robert was a pilot and had a passion for airplanes. From an early age, he would build fly wire planes. Later in life he would buy RC kits that he equally enjoyed building. The barn and loft is where Robert spent a great deal of time building radio controlled model aircraft of all sizes from a wing span of 1 foot to a wing span of 6 feet. He enjoyed flying with a local flying club, and was an active AMA member.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ambrose and Mary Studinski, and his wife Leah who passed away in July of 2014. He is survived by nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Robert Studzinski Robert Studzinski by car

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AMA Flying Site Improvement Grant Helps Clubs Build Stronger

Whether the project is big or small, AMA supports its clubs.

In 2021, AMA and the AMA Foundation provided $53,497.87 in Flying Site Improvement Grant to 34 clubs across the county, helping them make improvements to their flying sites.

The LoveAir RC Club was one club who received a Flying Site Improvement Grant this year. Read below to learn more about how AMA's grant assisted their improvement efforts.

Reflections from an FSIG recipient

Whether the project is big or small, AMA supports its clubs.

In 2021, AMA and the AMA Foundation provided $53,497.87 in Flying Site Improvement Grant to 34 clubs across the county, helping them make improvements to their flying sites.

The LoveAir RC Club was one club who received a Flying Site Improvement Grant this year. Read below to learn more about how AMA's grant assisted their improvement efforts.

Reflections from an FSIG recipient

The LoveAir RC Club was founded in 1988 with the purpose to serve northern Colorado as a resource for RC Aeromodeling. Our current site provides an outstanding facility which includes an 800-foot asphalt runway that is a favorite of many RC pilots around Colorado and many other states. We conduct three AMA sanctioned events every year and have many pilots flying at our site whenever the weather is good. So, because of the importance of safety, we felt the need to upgrade our old pilot safety fence.

Figure 1 below shows our old fence. It was about 32 inches high and was designed and installed before the time of 2.4 GHz radios, 50cc and up gas engines, and larger RC airframes. It worked fine for the smaller airplanes of the time, but the modern heavier and higher power planes including jets were just too much for the old fence, so we decided to install a new stronger fence. We included this in our long-term financial plan and saved up funds to help finance the new fence project. WE included in our plan applying for an AMA FSIG and were very appreciative to be selected for a grant that helps us to upgrade the safety of RC flying activities at our Flying Site - Drake Field, Ault, Colorado.

The Project

Figure 2 below shows the crew of club volunteers who removed the old fence. They did this on the second day of the project. On the first day of the project, the fence contractor installed the vertical posts for the new fence in concrete about a foot away from the old fence. The volunteer crew was able to remove the old fence on the second day early in the morning in about an hour. Our club routinely asks for volunteers to help with clean-up and improvement projects at our field. We consistently have great success with doing many of our projects with club volunteers.

Figure 3 below shows the volunteer crew working to remove the old fence.

Figure 4 below shows a contractor worker in the morning of the second day beginning to assemble the top rail of the new steel fence.

Figure 5 below shows the completed new safety fence on May 5th. It is 42 inches high with chain link mesh. It is higher and very much stronger. We are very happy with it.

Fred W. Smith, Treasurer of LoveAir RC Club

Figure 3: Volunteer Crew Removing The Old Fence

Figure 4: Contractor Worker Starting Install Of New Fence

Figure 5: The Completed New Safety Fence

The AMA Foundation relies on your donations to continue providing funding to club sites in need of improvements. Donate today to the Programs Fund.

Learn more about the Flying Site Improvement Grant.

Read more about AMA Flying Site Improvement Grant Helps Clubs Build Stronger

Dr. Warren Knapp Leaves Major Gift for Education and National Model Aviation Museum

The AMA Foundation received a bequest gift of $10,000 to assist with education and National Model Aviation Museum efforts. The AMA and AMA Foundation would like to thank Dr. Warren Knapp and his family for this generous gift. Dr. Knapp, a member of both the AMA Foundation Heritage and Legacy Societies, requested these funds be allocated upon his passing.

Warren W. Knapp passed away on October 3, 2020 in Ithaca, NY. He was an avid modeler and enjoyed flying with the Ithaca Radio Control Society. For more than 30 years, he was a professor in Atmospheric Studies at Cornell University as well as served as the Director of the Northeast Regional Climate Center.

Warren's contribution will have a major impact on the lives of future students through educational programming and will help the National Model Aviation Museum in their efforts to continue preserving the history of model aviation.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. Knapp and his history with model aviation and meteorology, you can read his obituary HERE.