Here is a Power Point presentation that can be used for K-8 easily for a variable objective activity or lesson.  Gear your depth by the age group from simple build and fly for fun to a deep dive into Newtons Laws, Physics and Flight Control Systems. "Total Control"

School Enrich Outreach-.pptx  *note: you may get a warning on the hyperlinked videos in the presentation.  They are from a "trustworthy source"

Go to AMA Flight School for more "STEAM QUICK PROJECTS"

For videos go to District 1 YouTube Channel "EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH"

Thank you for engaging in Aeromodelling Educational Outreach

Questions, please reach out to me.

Daren Hudson, District 1 AVP- Educational Outreach Advocate  see "CONTACTS"

“Have you ever considered the rewards of volunteering your time to help the Academy of Model Aeronautics move forward? Do you know of someone with strong leadership abilities and a desire to serve so that the next generation of aeromodellers can continue to enjoy this great hobby?”  Did you know that AMA has opportunities to lead at several levels, all with varying duties, skill sets, and levels of participation?

AMA is a member based nonprofit organization that only benefits from greater member engagement.  All members need to be informed and advocate however they can to sustain and grow the hobby and AMA.  Becoming one of the several levels of volunteer leaders can be a rewarding way to enjoy Your Passion Your Hobby while serving our One Community!  Serving locally at club level as a Club Officer, you can manage and guide a club in day-to-day operations, encourage community involvement or building “friend raising” relationships while promoting the hobby and the Academy.  Apply to be a Leader Member if you want to be an integral liaison between clubs and district officer leaders.  This level of AMA membership provides a greater understanding and a higher level of service to the community.  A position as Contest Director or Event Manager offers motivated members not only authorization to run and organize exciting aeromodelling events and contests but you will actively engage with members at such gatherings while providing key safety oversight and direction.  Interested in an even higher level of engagement in your district?  Associate Vice Presidents, appointed by District Vice Presidents serve in any number of critical roles. Assisting with district initiatives, visiting clubs, participating in live and virtual meetings, advocating on many levels, engaging in educational and public outreach, interacting with other district AVPs and VPs and observing Executive Council meetings to name a few. Being a District AVP, mentored by your District VP is an excellent and highly recommended prerequisite to members considering the prestigious but demanding volunteer role as District Vice President, serving on the Executive Council on district and national levels while providing oversight for the organization.

If you have any interest in one of these necessary and critical voluntary leadership roles, please refer to the hyperlinks in this blog or the links provided below or contact your District VP for more information.

Thank you for stepping up!

*One short anecdote:  I have been an AVP for about 5 years.  I’ve had the good fortune to volunteer under the mentor-ship of the most senior EC member with a tremendous passion, enthusiasm, knowledge, experience, and drive for the AMA mission.  I have been engaged in Govt. Affairs advocacy with state and local governments and while sitting on SRMPs with Tyler Dobbs.  Engaging in public and educational outreach has been among the most rewarding part of my role.  Administering the District FB Group and basically doing anything my VP needs has been enjoyable but doesn’t equal the activity of a fully engaged VP.  No, this is NOT a nomination letter!  Rather, a cautionary note to any Leader Member with little experience thinking they can just slide into this important position for our organization.  With my experience as an AVP I don’t feel that I am yet prepared to be an effective, fully functioning VP.  When I was a new LM, I did not have the necessary experience, knowledge or perspective to be an effective VP! There are so many wonderful volunteer leadership positions within AMA to gain critical knowledge and experience that no one should be in a rush to be a VP.  I am a strong supporter of requiring VP candidates to first be AVPs or fully engaged and knowledgeable LM with experience to really learn the expanded duties of a VP/ EC member which include local, district/ regional and national issues and policy oversight.

Club Officer Roles:

https://www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/ClubOfficerSuggestedDuties.pdf

Become a Leader Member:

https://www.modelaircraft.org/clubs/recognition-rewards/leader-member

Contest Director/ Event Manger:

https://www.modelaircraft.org/events/become-an-organizer

Associate Vice President:

https://www.modelaircraft.org/contact-executive-council

https://www.modelaircraft.org/about-ama/executive-council/candidate-guidelines

To see a list of current districts and find out who is currently serving on your Executive Council, click here (note you must be logged into the Members Only area):

https://www.modelaircraft.org/about-ama/ama-organization/ama-district-web-sites

 

May 2021- JPO (Jet Pilot Organization, AMA designated SIG for the Turbine community), with the collaboration with many turbine community pilots, has developed a wonderful document to better organize and explain the Gas Turbine Waiver process.

See it here at the JPO website "Resources" page-

https://8354aa41-77f9-440d-8b9b-e223ced055f1.filesusr.com/ugd/b0a732_81d6f4999a7140a58cbd87656fd2faa1.pdf

JPO "Resources" page- https://www.jetpilots.org/resources

Every new season brings aero modelers, the hobby and our clubs challenges.  Some are new challenges, some are old, some productive and some, well, not so much!  As we come into the 2021 season, punctuated by an unprecedented world pandemic in 2020 that appears to be in the beginning stages of a recovery (thank goodness!), let’s all take some time to reflect, review, resolve and, if necessary, rethink the way we go about “maximizing opportunities for success” in our modeling and the operations of our clubs.  It’s all about relationships.  Relationships with each other, land owners, community and government agencies.  Let’s make 2021 a banner year for model aviation.

These observations and opinions are based on:  a lifetime career in the aviation industry, a lifetime (with the standard deviations) of aero modeling, volunteer roles within AMA as club officer and president at different clubs, a Leader member for outreach, advocacy and education, an AVP- Associate VP for District 1 and involvement (at different levels) with most disciplines in the hobby and a few SIGs (Special Interest Groups) including IMAC and the Gas Turbine Program.  In addition to sharing modeling concerns and subjects with my fellow AVPs and VPs within District 1 and beyond I have been blessed to learn from and have discussions with aero modelers throughout the world about the few differences but many similarities of the aero modeling experience.  I am further blessed to have been mentored by some extremely talented and experienced modelers.  Finally, my experience with public and educational outreach as well as model aviation advocacy provides a unique perspective.  Working with school administrators and teachers and dealing with local, state and federal governments from outside our immediate modeling community reveals the importance of relationships necessary for aero modeling to co-exist and thrive as a valued community-based activity.

1. What is Aero modeling? Model aviation?  In the broadest and simplest terms- the activity of flying models.  ANY and ALL flying models are a part of model aviation.  One of the greatest benefits of our hobby and aviation is its extreme diversity.  That’s a good thing.  To exercise any prejudice toward any particular discipline of our hobby is often destructive and never productive for the hobby as a whole.  I’ve been quoted in forums and blogs saying “you can be a limited club or a restricted club with various reasons but you should ALWAYS be a welcoming club”.  If a discipline doesn’t “fit” your club and a person is brave enough to come check your club out for goodness’ sake welcome them to the hobby we all love, show them what you do, express an interest (out of courtesy if nothing else) in what they do.  If necessary, help direct them to a club with a better fit.  That way they leave with a positive experience about you, your club, AMA and the hobby.  Being unwelcoming and negative is poison to our hobby and your club.

2. Clubs and land owners/ managers, it’s all about relationships.  Whatever arrangement you have at your club, a positive relationship with the land owner, manager or community is crucial to survival.  That could not be truer than right now as we are at the dawn of AMA being officially recognized as the premiere CBO- Community Based Organization and the application for FRIAs- FAA Recognized Identification Areas coming soon.  Our clubs and the members are community members and voters.  Leaders outside the modeling hobby need to be informed and educated on the “community good” that clubs and modeling offer on many levels- education outreach, public event outreach, fundraising efforts, enjoyable wholesome activity for all ages, etc.  This information should never be assumed to be known beyond the hobby community.  It must be cultivated and nurtured by officers and members.  Town boards, land ownership, Park managers all change over time, a land management club liaison or committee is a great way to keep the channels of communication open.  A note on communicating with land owners and managers.  They generally do not fully understand the hobby and the different forms of model aviation.  They are concerned about their land being treated with respect and limiting any issues.  Speak with them from their perspective, what you would want to hear if you were the owner/ manager.  For instance, meet with them with a group of club officers (who have met prior to develop a strategy to represent the club in the best light possible), a dialogue may go like this- “… the club is in good shape, we have a maintenance plan for the property, we are on constant lookout for any unapproved activities.  Our safety programs are under constant review in order to mitigate any threats, etc…”.  Don’t forget that your AMA district officers have access to additional resources, have experience mitigating incidents and are here to assist clubs and members. Regarding flying sites- All clubs should always have site search on the agenda.  All members should have their eyes opened for possible venues and when spotted, an active relationship should be developed with the owner/ manager.  Flying sites do not all last forever, be on the lookout, always.

3. Club “tone”?  Clubs generally form with like-minded people interested in similar activities.  Model aviation offers so many choices that these interests often change and intertwine, sometimes changing the dynamics of clubs.  Club officers can set the tone.  They are there to represent the membership.  A simple “tone” could be good communications.  Communicate on the flight line, at the flying site, about your intentions and more importantly any concerns you may have.  Communicate, through the channels of the club; meetings, newsletters, social media, email to represent the good of the club and the hobby.  Resolve personal conflict personally.  This alone could solve so many issues.  Thinking from a perspective of “is it good for the club? For the hobby?” has been successful at many clubs.

4. Safety!  So many opinions, so many thoughts, techniques.  AMA has given a great back drop to this subject, the AMA Safety Code and the AMA Safety Handbook.  They do not cover every circumstance, no code, handbook could ever do that.  They are created through a scientific risk mitigation process.  MITIGATION, that’s the key.  Accidents WILL happen.  It’s not about “WHAT” had the accident.  ALL aircraft, ALL power plants (even pure gliders have battery operated receivers and they pose risk) can have accidents, ALL aircraft present threats and risk.  Mitigation does not involve eliminating the “what”.  It’s about what we do to mitigate the risk or threat before a possible accident and what we do after an accident to prevent it from becoming more severe (crash response policy and procedures for ALL aircraft), learning from it and not repeating it.  In aviation safety the safest aircraft is the one that never moves!  So, if we want absolute safety, we don’t fly.  Barring that unrealistic position, we MITIGATE and we manage risk and threats.  How?   Through the use of the Safety Code and Safety Handbook recommendations and suggestions and adding any specific special requirements for a particular operation or venue.  These mitigations vary and can change over time.  They involve analysis of previous accidents, assessment of possible perceived risks, erring to the conservative with procedures when a new operation takes place, easing tighter restrictions with proven performance.  Safety also involves how individuals maintain competence with their flying abilities, regardless on flying discipline.  We all must double and triple check our construction, electronics, assembly, powerplants and perform thorough preflight checks, control checks and post flight checks at a minimum. 

Safety is not about the “What”, it is about the “How”.

 

I truly hope this helps everyone meet this season with a renewed sense of dedication to making our clubs and the hobby thrive.  Have a great 2021 and beyond.  Hope to see you on a flight line.

YOUR PASSION

     YOUR HOBBY

          ONE COMMUNITY

 

Respectfully,

Daren Hudson

AMA District 1 AVP

EDUCATING THE YOUTH OF BROOKLINE METCO PROGRAM

 

My name is Steven Goler, and I am a District 1 AVP working for the betterment of our hobby! I work closely with our District 1 Vice President Andy Argenio. Andy is continually active in our District 1 community and set the standard for all of us District 1 AVP’s to be active and promote the hobby in all ways we can. So, I took this opportunity to do just that! I believe that we all owe it to whom ever is interested in model aviation. We should strive to keep the enthusiasm alive and stimulate the minds of our youth as well as people that have been in this hobby for years. Model aviation has a way of expressing a feeling of accomplishment seeing something that you built and seeing your dream of flight come to fruition!

A few months ago, I invited a close family friend to one of the jet rallies that was held at Plum Island Radio Control Flyers Inc. AMA #5198 Newbury MA. Unbeknownst to me he told one of his friends who is an educator with Brookline METCO (Public Schools) about me and my jets. Her name is Felicia (Cece) Huggins; she is the METCO Advisor for John Pierce School, and the William H. Lincoln School in Brookline, MA (617) 942-1759. What is METCO you ask?

METCO is a school integration program that enrolls Urban Boston students in high-performing public schools in the suburbs to reduce racial isolation. Children get a great education, make life long interracial friendships, and prepare for a diverse global economy since 1966. I have had three of my very own younger siblings attend METCO and they are all successful citizens; making a difference in the communities they grew up in and paying it forward for the next generation.

My friend showed Ms. Huggins a video of me flying one of my jets. She was so impressed that she shared it with her students. I guess the students were so excited about seeing these jets that they wanted to know more about them! So, she got back to my friend and asked how to contact me so she could find out more about these amazing jets. Ms. Felicia asked me if I would be willing to participate in a Zoom meeting with these children and talk to them about the hobby and how it has impacted my life. We finally made contact and I jumped all over the opportunity to share my knowledge of the hobby and how it helped me make a career choice all stemming from having fun with model airplanes! I never thought that just flying a “toy” plane would help mold my life choices! The spark was lit.

These children come from the same urban community that I grew up, Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan. We did not see a lot of people that looked like us with radio-controlled airplanes. I was fortunate to have an uncle that had a radio-controlled airplane and that is how I got introduced to radio-control anything! I was instantly hooked!  How could I deny these kids the same opportunity that I got to experience the fun world of flying a radio-controlled airplane? The answer is simple, I could not that is how! Subsequently Ms. Felicia and I set a date to make this happen.

 

EDUCATING THE YOUTH OF BROOKLINE METCO PROGRAM

 

I thought to myself if there was someone that I can reach out to that would assist me with this presentation. Someone that has the same passion and a great knowledge of model airplanes, the hobby, and most importantly life experiences! Instantly a great friend came to mind that has spoken to all ages of people literally throughout the world. He is an AMA member in good standing, a Horizon Hobby ambassador and well known throughout the hobby! He is also a two-time NHRA motorcycle drag race champion! His name is Reggie Showers! Reggie has been a good friend to me, and we constantly communicate about the hobby and life in general. So, when I reached out to Reggie Showersthere was no hesitation in his response. He was onboard before I finished telling him about this opportunity to pass on the education that could help mold a child’s mind in a positive way. And that is what it’s really all about!

 

On February 10, 2021 we began our Zoom session with a classroom full of inquisitive articulate children. We opened the session with both introductions, a brief history of Academy of Model Aeronautics and its mission. I shared information about our AMA Youth Membership and educational opportunities. Explained that the AMA scholarships offer up to $50,000 awarded annually in college scholarships. Also, there is access to 2,400 AMA flying clubs & fields throughout the country. Information is at their fingertips on the AMA site and there’s always someone to help when needed.

As we spoke some of their hands went up almost right away. They wanted to know how fast the planes were, how high do they go, how far can they go, and how do we control them. These were all exceptionally good questions. The one question that they did not ask was how much it costs! I really thought that they would have asked for sure, but they were more interested in the operation of them and the skill needed to operate one of these jets. Many of the children wanted to know how long it took for us to be able to fly jets. Of course, we told them that we all started out small with propeller airplanes and worked out way up as we gained experience. We told them that it took a lot of practice and crashing to get here; and still not done crashing!!! (lol)

As I mentioned earlier, we wanted to emphasize that education is the key to everything in life. Even when you are playing there’s learning involved. We went into some of the history of how the Tuskegee Airman became one of the best fighting squadrons during World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps (AAC), a precursor of the U.S. Air Force. Trained at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama, they flew more than 15,000 individual sorties in Europe and North Africa during World War II. American bomber crews nicknamed the 332nd, the Red Tails or Red Tail Angels after the red tail markings on the vertical stabilizers of the unit's aircraft. The Luftwaffe called the Tuskegee Airmen, Der Schwarze Vogelmenschen, literally the Black Birdmen.

 

EDUCATING THE YOUTH OF BROOKLINE METCO PROGRAM

 

The children were glued to the screen as Mr. Showers was explaining to them how people that looked exactly like them were a significant part of helping to win World War II and liberating Europe. The point is that it does not matter what your skin color is, it is that you can do anything, be anything you want to in this country with hard work and dedication. During the conversation one of the children Googled Mr. Showers and she was so impressed at what she was reading she let him know! Now that is instant education at your fingertips! Someone they just met on a computer instilling the power of the internet for the good of education. Now that is what I am talking about!

As our hour came closer to the end we wondered where the time went. We ended up showing them another video with drones. We talked to them about FPV drones. How drones can be used to earn a living, fire and rescue, home sales and lots of ways to earn a living through the technology that is ever growing. The sky’s literally the limit when it comes to radio-controlled airplanes and drones. The seed has been planted and people like Reggie Showers and me are there to water the seeds to watch them grow!

 

Steven Goler,

District 1 AVP 644171

 

Hello,

I've been a District 1 AVP (Associate Vice President) for just over a year now and I've been getting around the region and interacting on social media to get a better pulse on what our membership really knows about AMA.  My conclusion, unfortunately is not too much!  That's not necessarily a bad thing for a hobby organization or a club.  I'll admit before getting more engaged myself I didn't realize how many benefits, programs and how much support and outreach assistance resided inside AMA.  However, for the largest "Community Based Organization" representing modeling it is somewhat alarming and deserves attention.  In this time of split second communication and an enormous amount of information available at a moment's notice why don't more of our members and officers know more about the organization they belong to, represent and promote? It could be there is too much information or many members choose not to utilize the vast array of technology for communicating or they just want to pay their dues and fly their model planes or enjoy whatever part of this diverse hobby they gravitate to?

Here's the problem with the “I just want to pay and fly” or "pay and play" option of membership.  The hobby industry and AMA has been challenged from many obstacles over the past decade from market pressure on local hobby shops to the proliferation of the drone market and resulting tsunami of crazy legislation from municipalities to Washington affecting all aspects of the hobby.  While all this was eroding the fabric of the "traditional" hobby of modeling, innocent enthusiasts trying to enjoy their pastime were feeling these pressures; having difficulty finding parts and supplies locally, club rosters suffering for conflicts over different "new" disciplines entering the hobby, flying fields and facilities being lost due to encroachment and noise issues, reduction in new entrants into clubs. Those "paying and playing" and not becoming engaged or even informed in the chaos saw dues increasing for the first time in years, started hearing more about government relations, legislation and advocacy when all they wanted to do was get their insurance and play with their models.  The world had changed under their noses and their "Community Based Organization" which supported their beloved hobby quietly in the background with huge events to enjoy, programs of all kinds, benefits reaching far beyond insurance, outreach to schools with STEM programming and much more was now reaching out for help.   Why? Because it was under attack and needed a "call to action" from it's troops, the ones who love the hobby, who know the most about how well the safety code works to mitigate threats, the benefit of assistance with procuring and sustaining flying facilities and more.  All those things happening in the background with little fanfare for all those years was great.  Now, unfortunately due to outside forces the organization required members to become informed and advocate.  To inform and educate those outside the hobby since they were threatening the relationship established with the FAA because of the success of that safety code and threat/ risk mitigation held for decades.  Why? because they too were not informed and educated on the very activities they were attempting to govern.  Who better to educate and inform them than the group who had done it successfully for those nearly 80 years?  So, here we are.  A Community Based Organization recognized by the FAA seeking it's "community" for help.  Lawyers to lobby in Washington costs $, the creation of a department known as Government Relations, not needed a decade ago, to focus on needed advocacy, PR and communications cost $, increasing the outreach to communities, local, state and federal agencies cost $, the list goes on.  So yes, the dues increased to cover these new needed expenses to protect and defend the hobby we all love. 

What now?

AMA is actively improving resources and communication avenues to help members help the organization and the hobby.  The website is being revamped and constantly experiencing improved access.  A great starting point is the Membership "Benefits of this Organization" page and another resource for what's going on is the Government Relations page These are only two resources.  How else can and is AMA helping you help your organization?  Soon you will be seeing a "Government Relations Advocacy Tool Kit" which will include methods and materials to easily advocate for your hobby and AMA with local, state and federal government agencies.  In addition, districts are increasing the number of AVPs and there is a new initiative to encourage each chartered club in AMA to have an engaged "Leader member" who will act as liaison to the AVPs to provide a better source of accurate information being passed to members. AMA realizes that there are areas that need improvement and we are working to do just that but we need the help of members to speak up and share concerns. 

So what can YOU do?  Become informed, reach out to your representatives in AMA: your club officers, leader members, district AVPs, VPs through district website forums and blogs and district social media sites, the AMA website and FB page, and AMA HQ contacts through email or phone.  Give us your feedback- if you see something say something!  Reach beyond the hobby community when the opportunity exists to inform and educate and introduce new people, young and old to the hobby.  Advocate for your hobby however you can and do all this while you are enjoying the ability to have fun with your pastime, it will only continue to exist if we come together as a "community" within this Community Based Organization of the Academy of Model Aeronautics. 

I welcome your feedback anytime.

Thank you,

Daren Hudson

District 1 AVP

dth7@comcast.net

Plum Island Airport RC Flyers AMA 5198 serves as an example of one success story in District 1.  There are more in the region and we are asking you to share them here By “add comments” to this blog.  Sharing the successes and learning from them will go far to help more clubs in New England and beyond secure and preserve flying sites.

Continued brush clearing maintenance at Plum Island shows how working with land managers, and AMA created and preserves a superb flying venue to serve the community, modeling and aviation. New President of Plum Island Airport RC Flyers Club, Larry Roper was on scene as the clearing of over-grown brush adjacent to the runway took place. The club was awarded an AMA flying site grant 2 years ago for initial clearing. That effort included volunteers from our club, other area clubs and MA Boy Scout Troop 44 (you may remember them from our Aviation Appreciation Day- Plum Island Aviation Appreciation Day for Scouts 2016) all coordinated through the Historic Plum Island Airport management.

With the help of a hired machine and operator we hope to keep the area from the wind sock to the runway more manageable with a mower. This will serve the many full scale users of the historic airport as well as the many modelers who visit Plum Island to fly in our events annually.  As Larry reminds us in this video, community and land owner relations is key to retaining quality flying sites. Part of that is community outreach and capital improvements that benefit all stakeholders. Remember that AMA has flying site resources including: pdf and video series on acquiring and keeping sites, grant program to financially assist clubs who qualify and testimonials such as this about success stories. 

 AMA Flying Site Assistance 

Larry provides a video of the work taking place at Plum Island which is good reminder for us all.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=HgNdeiMnJrA

Please post your stories, questions and “add comments” to this blog.

Thank you and happy flying,

Daren Hudson

District 1 AVP

On October 21st, 2017 District 1 was well represented by several clubs, members and district officers at our 2nd year attending this multi aviation user event put on by the Granite State Airport Managers Association, GSAMA to raise funds for their STEM and scholarship programs.  This year we added to our successful static and simulator displays with Giant Scale Aerobatics and Turbine Jet flight demonstrations. I want to thank the GSAMA and in particular Rita Hunt and the organizing committee for allowing us to expand our exposure this year, we really enjoyed putting on a show for you.  Rita and I have worked together for more than 2 years now supporting both aviation and model aviation in NH and beyond.  Her enthusiasm for the positive impact modeling can have on aviation as a whole is much appreciated.  As you will see in the pictures and the video clips (see comment section for videos please) young and old alike were introduced to some model flying that they had never seen before while getting the opportunity to give it a try on the simulator and realize its a little harder than it looks!  Hundreds of spectators and exhibitors were able to get up close and personal with the static displays and the demonstration pilots from 9am-2pm on a beautiful fall New England day.  From all reports and feedback the demonstration flights and the simulator and static displays were a huge success and GSAMA would like us back again next year.  We look forward to it and are all ready thinking how we can make it even better.

Of course this type of event cannot happen without volunteers and modelers willing to pay it forward and pay it back.  We are so fortunate to have such a talented and giving community in New England and I am grateful to those who help me and the other D1 officers spread the good word about modeling and support aviation through our great hobby.

As CD for the event I would like to personally thank the following modelers for their support and help.  Everyone involved in events such as these are true ambassadors for the hobby, AMA and aviation.

Your Flight Demonstration Pilots:
Cody Wojcik, Tyler McCormack- Giant Scale Aerobatics and Extreme Aerobatics
Jeff Lynds- Scale Turbine Jet Demonstration
Larry Roper- Sport Turbine Jet Demonstration (unfortunately Larry had technical issues and was unable to fly but he was ready to go, mechanical failures do happen). Thank you Larry for jumping in on the mic to narrate when I took the standby demonstration slot.
Daren Hudson- Sport Turbine Jet Demonstration
John Yassemedis- District 1 Technical Officer and Part 107 Drone pilot- Commercial Drone Demonstration and airborne videography.

Your Flight Demonstration spotters:
Ted Wojcik, District 1 AVP NH spotting for Cody, Scott McCormack spotting for Tyler, Mike Terocy spotting for Jeff, Andy Argenio, District 1 VP spotting for John and Steve Goler, District 1 AVP MA spotting for Daren, District 1 AVP MA, NH.

Ground support for flight demonstration pilots and static:
Steve Brehm, District 1 AVP RI, Karen Adrien and Susan Gjeltema

Static display and RC Simulator booth in hangar:
Fremont Flyers VP Ray Racine (Ray's second year running the sim booth, great job!), Secrertary Ken Mowers and Treasurer Andy Fagen along with new member Ron Lessard.

Also thanks to SNHFE members Brian Smith with his son and Erik Verstraete with his daughter Anna who were there for support.

As you can see it was a collective effort by model enthusiasts promoting model aviation and the community based organization of AMA.

Clubs represented from District 1 included: Fremont Flyers- NH, Plum Island Airport RC Flyers- NH, Southern NH RC Club, Southern NH Flying Eagles, Woodstock RC Flyers- CT and Crow Island RC Club- MA.

District 1 Officers present: Andrew Argenio- VP, Daren Hudson- AVP MA, NH, Ted Wojcik- AVP NH, Steven Goler- AVP MA , Steven Brehm- AVP RI and John Yassemedis- District 1 Technical Officer.

Special thanks goes out to our Photographers Andy Fagen and Brian (sorry I didn't get his last name, he was shooting at the event for GSAMA and supplied us with some photos).  Our videographers: John Yassemedis- Airborne Drone footage and Tom Hettinger for ground based footage.

I am so proud of the support from our District 1 members for this outreach event which shares the love of our hobby, networks our good works to many new faces and provides a positive and productive image of model aviation and AMA to the public.  I feel that this type of event participation is key in preserving a productive relationship with aviation users, communities, the general public and legislators moving forward.  I can't thank the volunteers and my friends enough for helping out.  I look forward to doing this and more events like this in the future.

See you on a flight or spectator line soon!

We've shared several photos at the NH event photo gallery on this site.

Aerial video shot by D1 Tech Officer John Yassemedis featured on the home page video banner.

http://www.amadistrict-i.org/5-VIDEO-NOV-12

Full Video Playlist available at the new District 1 YouTube Channel

See complete album and videos in the comment section of this District 1 Facebook Group post.

https://m.facebook.com/daren.hudson/albums/1503981023020166/

Thank you,

Daren Hudson,
District 1 AVP MA, NH

Please share this post far and wide, inside and outside our modeling community. We want more people to "get the bug" for model aviation.
*If you have any questions about this event or are interested in holding an event featuring model aviation please get in touch with me.  Community and school outreach programs are some of the most rewarding activities we can do.  I always get more than I give.
 

This is a link to the write up that Daren Hudson wrote concerning this past weekends event with the Cub Scouts Pack 50 at Plum Island Airport. Nice job Daren and all the participants

Direct Link to Scout Aviation Day Album and Story

Sharing the hobby, making smiles!

Thanks Steve, I updated the link to go directly to the album.

Hello, I was going to write a blog with reference to this event and Steve started for me, thanks buddy!  That teamwork is part of the point I wanted to make.  It takes a village to promote the hobby.  With the advent of social media the "share" button can be a welcome "team member" for that purpose.  This blog can be considered a companion piece to "Open Club vs Welcoming Club".

This past season at Plum Island has been an eye opener for myself and our members.  We have learned just how valuable and beneficial a welcoming attitude, a hand shake, an invitation "under the ropes" and an introductory flight can be.  We have had 6 events and at 2 Open Fly ins and this past Scouts Aviation Day we have flown approx. 75 Introductory flights with people of all ages and backgrounds.  We have spent much time talking to spectators and visitors, often inviting them as guests under the ropes for an up close look.  We will often bring the planes to the ropes and engage visitors to "look under the hood" and get some hands on experience.  We've also invited photography enthusiasts in to take pictures.  My point is that those hand shakes, those welcomes and the time spent really pays off.  Not only enjoyable for everyone involved, we always get more than we give, but the networking benefits can work well for the hobby, for the club and the community.  We have been saying all year "you never know who you will meet at the spectator line".  That networking has led to Steve Goler successfully running a jet demonstration at the Beverly Airport Family Fun Days where thousands of spectators were thrilled with the members flying turbine jets.  Other benefits have been this recent Scout Aviation Day which was networked through the Historic Aerodrome and our contacts.  We have also been put in touch with an individual who may be helpful for flying site acquisitions.  These are just a few.

So how can you help?  If your club has an event, a fun fly, an open house, etc.  Do you have fun?  Of course you do.  Make sure someone captures some "story photos" and use social media to share them outside your club.  "We" club members know how much fun the hobby is, we need to get that message outside the hobby community.  A simple Facebook Album with a few sentences to describe the event posted at a club page then shared to other clubs and most importantly on personal pages may just get the attention of someone new.   A school teacher may want to start an after school enrichment or STEM program, a senior center might want an outing idea, a retirement advisor may be looking for activity suggestions for recently retired individuals, a community may be having a parade or celebration looking for something different, a scout troop may want a cool activity or have their scouts earn an aviation merit badge,  etc.. you get the idea.

As an example this Scout Aviation Day album was posted on our Plum Island Airport RC Flyers FB Page then shared at the District 1 page and group and several other RC groups.  Finally I shared it on my page and the scout troop's page.  Within 2 hours is had reached over 460 people!  That's considerably more than the 20 members of our club.  I told two friends and so on, and so on...

You can also share here at the state photo album page and add captions to describe your event/ outing.  Someone may pick that up and share it.  The point is share the good news!

Enjoy the "off season" and stay warm.  Dig through some photos and help promote the hobby.

If you find yourself near Concord Airport on Saturday the 21st stop in and help us promote at the 4th Annual GSAMA Aviation Day and 5K on the Runway.

Thanks for what you do, enjoy the hobby and share it.

Daren Hudson

District 1 AVP

Wow! What a jet rally. Fantastic group of pilots and participants, our usual great spectators and 3 of 4 absolutely fantastic warm fall New England weather days. Thank you thank you thank you to ALL involved. Congratulations to Larry Roper on his first "CD"- Contest Director event, a great one. Our mission at PIARCF (Plum Island Airport RC Flyers) is: "To promote the historic Plum Island Aerodrome, Scale Model Radio Control Aviation, AMA (the Academy of Model Aeronautics) and to inform and educate the local community and all spectators. We aim to serve RC pilots with specific needs, be it paved runway and expansive airspace for turbine powered jets or airspace needs for IMAC and Freestyle practice." I am very proud to report that on the opening day of this event (Thur Oct 5) that mission came to life at Plum Island. MIT was present with their prototype long range drone for test flights (they also use the airport), We had setup tents for the jet rally and pilots were flying, attracting spectators to the aerodrome. Pilots not flying engaged with the onlookers answering questions and sharing the hobby. Around lunchtime a call came in on the radio and 6, yes 6 beautiful bush planes with their big tundra tires came in and landed on the grass. The pilots were as interested in our jet models as we were in their bush planes, sharing aviation! The jet flying continued at a steady pace through Saturday aftrenoon. Spectators filled the parking lot and brought picnic lunches to watch the show. All in all a perfect event. Special thanks to the Plum Island Aerodrome, Historic New England, our great pilots, our wonderful spectators and all those who helped with set up and clean up. This jet rally capped off a very good season at Plum Island. We look forward to putting together another great season of events for 2018. Please see our "Events" section on this FB page in late winter as we post the schedule. Blue skies. PIARCF Officers and members.

Photo Album on Facebook- Plum Island Airport Photo Album Link

Also see photos on the District 1 MA photo/ slide show page.