events

The Rochester Aero Modeling Society recently received an AMA Club Recognition and Reward grant for $75. The club is located in Macedon, NY. The club presented a check for $1000 to Macedon Town Ambulance. This donation to the town ambulance was the mark of RAMS exceeding $10,000 in total donations to Macedon organizations since 2006. Each year the club hosts the Model Airplane Show and the Helicopter Jamboree. Each of these events are fundraisers for Macedon organizations. The money will be used to buy equipment and materials to assist the Ambulance Service in providing training and support to the community. The AMA would like to thank the Rochester Aero Modeling Society for raising money for their community. 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 Central Connecticut RC Club recently received an AMA club recognition and reward grant for $75. The club is located in Farmington, CT. The members of the club attended a drive and fly-in at a local airport. The event the club attended was the 32nd annual Simsbury Fly-In and Car Show. This event attracts around 15,000 spectators, and it has about 150 businesses as sponsors, advertisers, and exhibitors.The annual show was hosted by the Simsbury Flying Club, and proceeds from the event helped keep the Simsbury Airport in operation. The fly in and car show featured hundreds of airplanes and cars that could be seen up close. The airplanes ranged from antiques dating back to the 1920's, to homebuilts, helicopters, small former military aircraft, and brand new models on display by dealers. The AMA would like to thank the members of the Central Connecticut RC Club for attending this event. Thank you for helping other AMA clubs host successful events. 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.

Wally’s Squadron R/C Flyers club received an AMA Club Recognition and Reward Grant for $175. The event was located in Summersville, WV. The club hosted their 26th Annual Fly-In Fundraiser event from  August 16-19. The event was filled with many different activities for the spectators. Throughout the weekend, the events included: balloon bust, paintball plane shoot, Warbird fly in, tail dunk, limbo, radial engine fly, ugly plane contest, fireworks, late night demo and a lighted balloon bust. The event also had on-site camping. The club raffled off prizes including infant to 14 year old bikes and an outdoor family fun package. The club also had many different sponsors including the Hampton Inn, Desert Aircraft, Lockards Inc., and many more. To watch the coverage from the event, click here. The AMA would like to thank Wally’s Squadron R/C Flyers Club for hosting their fundraiser every year and inviting the community. 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 Airmasters Model Airplane Club (AMAC) recently received and AMA Club recognition award for $150. The club is located in Albany, GA. The club recently got handicap-accessible bathrooms on their field. County leaders spent $40,000 on the bathrooms. Each year, AMAC holds an event to showcase planes on the ground which attracts a couple hundred residents. The club also shares their field with 4-H. "They were real nice to us. When they gave us this field here. It wasn't in this shape. We did the best we can with it. And then Lee County came out and helped us level it off and get it ready," said Samuel Williams, AMAC Treasurer. AMAC members welcome any residents interested in learning to fly model to come out on Saturdays and Sundays. The AMA would like to congratulate AMAC for the new addition to their field. The AMA would also like to thank the club for hosting events and including the public in these events. 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 Minot Aircraft Modelers located in Minot, ND received an AMA Club Recognition Reward of $125. The club currently has 32 members and is growing quickly. Members of the club have various types of aircraft including planes, helicopters and quad-copter drones. On Aug. 5, the club hosted their International Fun Fly and had 49 participants. Anthony Martinez, a member of the club, used his drone to take still photos and videos of the activities during the local group’s International Fun Fly. To watch the video from the event, click here. The Minot Aircraft Modelers hold different events throughout the year. The club normally holds an annual event at the Dakota Square Mall and holds an open house in the spring at their flying field. They invite the public to their flying field where they put on a show and teach about model aircraft. The AMA would like to thank the Minot Aircraft Modelers for holding different events throughout the year to show the public about the hobby. 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 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    

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.  

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 AMA is currently participating in #GivingTuesday to help us hit our 2016 goal of raising $200,000. What is #GivingTuesday? It’s a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Why should you give? Because model flying is what you love, and we love to help you fly. AMA’s team stands up for members everyday by providing membership services, working with the FAA and in DC, engaging youth and building educational programs using model aviation, building partnerships to enhance the hobby, and much more.  

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Last year I shared the experience Ben Flesher and I had when we attended Wounded Warrior Project’s VIPS Day at their headquarters in Jacksonville, FL. This was still one of the best adventures I have had at AMA. We got to learn so much and we both left knowing that our clubs had made a huge difference for veterans. While we were in one of the training sessions, we learned about WWP’s alumni programs. These are the activities they provide to veterans signed up for services the organization provides. They talked about how the veterans were given opportunities to learn new things, meet new friends, set new goals, etc. When we heard about it, I knew model flying would be the perfect activity for the veterans to learn about. It took some time, but eventually we were put in contact with Emily Gray, who helped us from start to finish to host our first Warrior Day at AMA. Our team welcomed a total of 35 people out to the International Aeromodeling Center to learn as much about model flying as possible in one day. The day started with introductions, including a welcome from Dennis Tyler, the mayor of Muncie, Dave Mathewson, AMA’s executive director, and Tim Jesky, AMA district VII vice president. We split the group up into three smaller groups and assigned a group leader for each. The groups then visited the following stations: 1: Flight simulator and buddy boxing 2: National Model Aviation Museum and hands-on activities 3: FPV racing/demonstrations with Ready Made RC. Most of the success for the day should be accredited to the great folks with the Blacksheep RC Squadron in Danville, Indiana. They came to Muncie for the entire day and really impressed our staff and each person that attended the event. With their help we put on a model airshow and everyone got to try to fly. I would like to personally thank each person that volunteered, and give special credit to Rege Hall for supporting our team by finding the volunteers and the airshow pilots. Another person who deserves a lot of credit is Deven Schei. I met Deven for the first time at the VIPS event last year. Since then, he has attended other AMA events on behalf of WWP. He’s a great speaker, a great friend to AMA, and was a great influence in introducing AMA to the decision makers at WWP. We would also like to recognize the following individuals and companies for their support: Mayor Dennis Tyler, Muncie Fire Department, Lifestream Services Inc., The Haven, Museum of the Soldier, Papa Johns, Pepsi Beverages Co., Readymade RC, Pilots Greg Alderman, Bill Gentry, Parker Hall, Rege E. Hall, Spencer Stevens, Steven Woods, and all volunteers that helped us with buddy boxing. And thank you again to the great Platinum Sponsors of this year’s National Model Aviation Day celebration who assisted us with this partnership: Ready Made RC, Hobbico, Horizon Hobby, and Hobby King Thank you to everyone that participated in this day of giving back to those who served our country!   [caption id="attachment_2998" align="alignnone" width="225"] AMA Foundation staff, Mandee Mikulski & Chrystal Pearson[/caption] Mandee Mikulski Director of Development, AMA Foundation