P-51 Mustang

The winner of the AMA Foundation Sweepstakes for the Future has been drawn! Congratulations to Scott Stump from Yorktown, IN! Scott will be enjoying a 3-day trip to California with his wife to experience a flight in Lady Alice, a P-51 Mustang. Scott has also won a model Lady Alice, courtesy of Legend Hobby (formerly VQ Warbirds). The AMA Foundation is sincerely grateful to Dr. Ken Wagner, owner of the Lady Alice, for donating the P-51 ride. We would also like to thank Mr. Gordon Truax for his role in facilitating the ride. Thank you to everyone who entered and purchased entries. The AMA Foundation raised more than $7,000!

 

The winner of the AMA Foundation For The Future Sweepstakes has been chosen and the winner has been revealed. William (Bill) Fitzharris from Arizona is the lucky winner and will be enjoying a trip to AMA Expo West and a flight in a P-51 Mustang, Lady Alice. When asked about his history with flying and how excited he is for the trip, this is what he had to say: How long have you been flying model aircraft/involved with the AMA? Bill has been flying since his early teens and has built and flown control-line in the days of the Redhead McCoy glow engines. His club was sponsored by the local Plymouth Auto Dealership, and that was it for the next 60 years. Then, a few years ago his daughter gave him a surprise birthday gift, an E-Flite Apprentice ready-to-go out of the box. He joined a local club, the Arizona Model Pilot's Society (AMPS) and the AMA. What are your areas of interest in model aviation? Free flight, RC, helicopters, scale, etc.? Currently he enjoys flying RC. What is your profession? Has model flying had any impact on your career path? Bill is a retired Wells Fargo Financial Advisor. Model Aviation has not really had an impact on his career choice. He has attended numerous airshows in the D.C. area along with the Air and Space Museum and Udvar-Hazy Museum, which his daughters have said they have visited too many times. How excited are you about winning? "Being known as "Mr. Never Has Won Anything," excited is not a strong enough word to describe how happy I am. This one is for the books!"

The Foundation team recently visited Ontario, California for AMA Expo West. We love getting the opportunity to travel because it gives us the chance to meet members from all over the country. This trip was especially exciting because in addition to the expo, it was also the weekend the winner of the AMA Foundation for the Future Sweepstakes got to take his ride in Lady Alice, and our AMA Marketing team made a big announcement. [caption id="attachment_4488" align="alignleft" width="300"] Nathan and Dr. Wagner just after landing[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4489" align="alignright" width="300"] Dr. Kendall Wagner (left) Nathan Metzler (center) Dan Bott (right)[/caption] Nathan Metzler was the lucky winner of the AMA Foundation for the Future Sweepstakes.  His prize package included an all-expense-paid trip to Ontario, free admission to AMA Expo West, and the ride in Lady Alice, a P-51 Mustang, donated by Dr. Kendall Wagner . Nathan was elated when he learned he was the winner and selected his 10-year-old daughter, Madeline as his plus one for the trip. The weather was perfect Saturday morning for the ride and Nathan said it best when the plane landed and he said "You cannot put a price on that!" Click here for more photos. [caption id="attachment_4498" align="alignright" width="225"] AMA Foundation staff, Mandee (right) and Chrystal (left)[/caption] Foundation staff members had a great time during the Expo, spending the weekend talking to people about the Foundation and the programming it supports. We set a fundraising goal for the weekend and thanks to our generous supporters, hit our goal! Thank you to everyone that supported the Foundation that weekend and to all who support our efforts throughout the year! The AMA Marketing team also had an exciting weekend, making a special announcement from the main stage during the show... AMA Expo West is moving! Beginning this year, the show will be in November at the Fairplex Exposition Center in Pomona, California. Join us in 2018 for AMA Expo West November 2-4. For more information, visit www.amaexpowest.com   Chrystal Pearson Development & Communications Coordinator AMA Foundation

  Our team kicked off its year-end campaign last week with the launch of the AMA Foundation for the Future Sweepstakes. The sweepstakes is open to anyone older than 18 living in the US. One of our supporters, Dr. Kendall Wagner of California, graciously donated a ride in his P-51 Mustang to help the AMA Foundation raise money for the many programs it supports. Enter one time per week for your greatest chance to win through December 8, 2017. We are also planning another Facebook Live event on #GivingTuesday, November 28, 2017. Visit the AMA Facebook page throughout the day. This year our theme is “there will be pies in the sky.” Several AMA employees have agreed to share what their “slice of the pie” is at AMA and how they contribute to the work. They have also agreed to take a pie in the face if our goals are met. Click here to learn more! As always, you can support the AMA Foundation by shopping on AmazonSmile. When you are starting your holiday shopping this year, shop with AmazonSmile, select the AMA Foundation as your charity, and Amazon contributes a portion back to us. Bricks in the AMA Walk of Fame will be 10% off throughout the entire month of November. AMA bricks are often purchased as gifts, in memory of loved ones, to celebrate an achievement, or just to support our great cause. Remember, donate to the AMA Foundation by December 31, 2017, to ensure that your contribution counts for 2017.

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We're happy to announce the winner of the California Dream Flight Sweepstakes. Christopher Mayer, of Owatonna, MN, was randomly chosen from entries submitted by approximately 5,000 people.

The California Dream Flight sweepstakes challenged entrants to make a voluntary donation to the AMA Foundation to build a foundation for the future. The sweepstakes raised $15,000 within the entry period.

[caption id="attachment_2422" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Grand prize winner, Christopher Mayer[/caption]

Mayer’s prize included round-trip airfare for two to California; a three-day/two-night stay at DoubleTree by Hilton; free admission to AMA Expo, in Ontario, California; a rental car and a $250 food stipend; and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride in Lady Alice, a full-scale P-51 Mustang.

Chris was shocked when he learned he was the grand prize winner.

"No one really ever expects a call like this," he said. " To receive this call literally is the answer to a lifelong dream." A ride in a P-51 Mustang has been number one on his bucket list for as long as he can remember.

Chris has been involved in model aviation since 1981, devoting much focus over the last 15 years to large-scale WWII vintage aircraft. He has even passed on his passion to his sixteen-year-old son, Collin, who is already an accomplished RC pilot.  Chris says the hobby has allowed him to meet many fantastic people with similar passion and he enjoys sharing in their knowledge.

[caption id="attachment_2429" align="alignnone" width="1024"] "Lady Alice" owner and pilot Dr. Kendall Wagner, sweepstakes winner Christopher Mayer, and AMA Foundation board member Daniel Bott pictured in front of the P-51 Mustang[/caption]

 

 

A second prize, donated by ROTOR F/X, was awarded to Gerry Hinshaw, of Lathrop, MO. He won support services needed to apply for and obtain an FAA Section 333 exemption.

[caption id="attachment_2417" align="alignnone" width="980"] Second prize winner, Gerry Hinshaw[/caption]

Thank you to all who entered the sweepstakes, especially to those who made a donation in support of the AMA. The foundation is committed to providing resources for the next generation of aviators through AMA scholarships, government advocacy, club and flying site support grants, AMA Flight School and e-learning opportunities, and the preservation of more than 10,000 artifacts in the National Model Aviation Museum, located in Muncie, IN.

For more information about the AMA Foundation visit our website.