Featured

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    

The Celina Flying Sportsmen have recently been awarded with at $175 Award Recognition and Grant by the AMA Foundation. The club hosted their annual Swap Meet where dozens of vendors filled 70 tables to get people started in the hobby of R.C. model flying. The club was featured in Hometown Station, WLIO Lima Ohio,  for the success of the event. Eric Nelson, a member of the Celina Flying Sportsmen R.C. Club said, “The hobby's been growing like mad. The Academy of Model Aeronautics (A.M.A) was about at 165,000 people. This year, I saw the numbers we’re up to 195 thousand, that’s worldwide.” Gaining attention and growth into the hobby is something that is always appreciated by the AMA Foundation. We thank the Celina Flying Sportsmen R.C. Club for their efforts in sharing the passion of flying. 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 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 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.

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 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.

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.