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The Beresford Area Radio Flyers Club has been awarded a $75 Club Recognition and Reward Grant by the AMA for their generous donation to Mayor Jim Fedderson for the swimming pool project. The club was mentioned in the Beresford Republic newspaper honoring them and their dedication to aviation. The club mentions their attachment to the Academy of Model Aeronautics and says that the AMA promotes all types of model aviation. The club also mentions they are able to use the Beresford Flying Field due to being members of the AMA.   The Beresford Area Radio Flyers are actively working toward promoting educational programs to school classes, civic groups and scouting organizations. They encourage anyone with a passion for aviation to come check them out.

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.    

Save the date for FPV Fly-In event on Friday, June 16 to Sunday, June 18, hosted by Ready Made RC. The fly-in will be held at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. Proceeds from the event will generously donated to the AMA Foundation. Visit the event page on Facebook to learn more.  

The Academy of Model Aeronautics has awarded the River City Radio Control Club with $175 with a Club Recognition and Reward Grant. The 25 member RC club was featured in a  Vicksburg Living Magazine article. The article featured the River City Radio Control Club member Sam Pitchford, an aviation hobbyist since the  1960’s. Pitchford talked about his love for model aviation and how he got started on the hobby.  “It’s good therapy. When you’re flying you can’t think of anything else but what you’re doing. Your problems disappear. They’re not around when you’re flying that airplane.” said Pitchford. The members of the River City Radio Control Club utilize the Crosswind Air Park. The air park is an old landfill off of 16th Section school property, however, when it closed the club began leasing the field. Now you will find the club out every Sunday afternoon and on some days throughout the week. The members have a wide range of model airplanes from P-51’s to aerobatic craft and home built airplanes costing up to $5,500. One particular member of the AMA, President Phillip Cameron, is currently working on building a model of World War II B-17  bomber. He has previously built a B -17 RC model plane and an electric plane. The Vicksburg Living Magazine discusses how all members of the River City Radio Control Club are members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics. Richard Dunaway, the clubs longest member, states “It protects us and the landowners. Our membership is open to anyone as long as they are AMA certified and flies a plane.” The AMA Foundation appreciates the members of the River City Radio Control Club for their membership and dedication in the organization. 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.

Gateway RC Club held its annual fundraiser for USMC Toys for Tots in Jacksonville Florida. Despite the destruction of shelter from Hurricane Matthew, the event was able to donate $682.93, toys and 24 bicycles. The event came together with more than 30 flyers. Guests entry fee was an unwrapped toy worth $10 and a bicycle if they had an extra one. The club has been known for working hard in the past to donate more bikes than any other organization. For more information about the Gateway RC Club, view here. The AMA Foundation thanks the Gateway RC Club for bringing people together to support a meaningful cause.    

Chuck Orrick, a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics for over 25 years, recently purchased two bricks along the Walk of Fame. During interactions with AMA staff regarding the bricks, he shared his unique story and gave permission for it to be shared. Orrick is a lifelong model airplane enthusiast whose first memory of a model airplane dates back to the 1960’s. He was in kindergarten, showing his first small balsa airplane his father carved for him during show and tell. His father carved a few more airplanes for him, but in 1976, when Orrick was 16 years old, his father passed away. However, Orrick’s love for model airplanes has continued to this day. [caption id="attachment_3276" align="alignright" width="213"] Orrick's father, Charles Orrick, Jr.[/caption] In the early years of Orrick’s AMA membership, he inquired about having his long and hard to remember member number changed to “1701.” However, that number was already taken so he accepted 17701 instead. Several years later, during the 1990’s, Orrick was cleaning out his grandmother's closet and found a picture from 1946 of his father holding an airplane with the number “17702”. Orrick never knew that his father was an AMA member and couldn’t believe their member numbers were just one away from each other. While further investigating the picture, he stumbled upon a very touching article. The article featured a story about his grandfather, Capt. Charles Orrick. Little did he know, his grandfather helped to form the first flying club in Thomaston, Georgia. Orrick had no idea his grandfather was involved, and had such influence in, model aviation, something that had been a part of his life for as long as he could remember. Orrick had a deeper connection to his father and grandfather than he could ever imagine. He had gone many years loving his hobby of model airplanes without knowing that his father and grandfather both had strong ties to the hobby as well. [caption id="attachment_3277" align="alignleft" width="300"] Chuck Orrick (left) and Gene Seinkbeil (right)[/caption] Today, Orrick continues in the legacy of his father and grandfather. He and his friend, Gene Seinkbeil, built the “Martian Spaceship.” It was from an old free flight plan converted to R/C in the 80’s that they converted to electric. In 2008, Seikbeil and Orrick competed at the SEFF, and won the title “Best of Show.” The AMA is proud to help Chuck honor his family’s love for model aviation by placing his bricks in the Walk of Fame. To learn more about the brick program, visit: https://amafoundation.modelaircraft.org/walk-of-fame-donation-ama-foundation/

The AMA foundation would like to congratulate the York County Flyers club and Clover High School team, the Soaring Eagles UAS4STEM , for their efforts in raising $2,225 to benefit Hospice and Community Care, an organization that works to improve the quality of life for patients and families, and works to be the compassionate guide for end of life care. The two clubs paired together to host the annual Fallen Eagle Memorial Fly-In Event. The event consisted of electric flying all day, mission demonstrations by the UAS4STEM team, a make-n-take glider contest for children, an afternoon buddy box contest, and FPV pilots on a new 300 yard trail with obstacles and gates. The event included a raffle table with over $2,000 in prizes. The efforts of the two organizations does not go unnoticed and we thank them for working to better our community.

Boy Scouts of America clubs from Arizona towns:   Nogales, Tucson, Sierra Vista, Marana and more attend a Camporee Aviation Day with the Sonoran Desert Flyers. The 3 day event held over 150 scouts and their leaders to learn about the trade. Scouts had the opportunity to learn how they could receive free flight training and other events the Sonoran Desert Flyers put on. Scouts were able to see FPV quads through a 3D extra and a static display of the clubs electric planes. The Sonoran Desert Flyers showed their passion to the scouts. Leader member, Bob Schumann, stated, “The fpv goggles and monitor had the scouts enchanted.” The club was able to reach retired U.S. Colonel and Congresswoman, Martha McSally. She dedicated her time out of her day to talk to the scouts about her time commanding an A-10 squadron in combat. The AMA recognizes the Sonoran Desert Flyers for their love and passion for the hobby. Their dedication does not go unnoticed. Also, the AMA would like to thank the Sonoran Desert Flyer club for the $50 donation toward the year- end giving campaign.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics has awarded a $75 Club Recognition and Reward Grant to  Wintonbury Flying Club. The AMA recognized “Gold Leader”club was featured in Bloomfield Messenger for their 12th annual Giant Scale Fly-In in Bloomfield. The Wintonbury Flying club fly-in event gave the public a chance to admire the aircraft they feature. The public saw demonstrations, took part in a Q&A and children had the opportunity to fly in a 110 inch Olympic 2 glider. The club has been located in Bloomfield and actively involved with the community since 1972 and has over 215 members. Every year the club participates in donations for the food pantry and Toys for Tots Program. For more information about the club, view the 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 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.