National Model Aviation Day, Aug 17th

sprzout

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So...

Out of curiosity, is anyone besides me and my club (that I know of) going to participate in National Model Aviation Day?

For those who don't know, the AMA has designated a specific day each year to be a way to introduce the general public to model aviation. This is kind of a way for those people who said, "When I was a kid, I used to be so interested in this!" or "I've always been interested, but never understood where to go to get involved/how to get involved," type of thing (and I know that's really generalizing it).

My club is trying to go all out to introduce people to the hobby, whether it's warbirds, gliders, quadcopters, 3D aircraft, scale flight, foamies, helicopters, even air rockets. We're inviting the public to come out to our field on that Saturday to have lunch, build some chuck gliders, learn to fly, experience a "drone ride", watch some of our club's best pilots fly 3D flight (and apparently, we've got quite a few; I just found out that several of them have been to Joe Nall invitationals and placed at IMAC nationals and championships!), and generally, get info on the hobby from whoever's willing to help at the field.

Our current club president and former club presidents have put together some air powered rocket launchers that work by pressurizing a PVC pipe system with a bicycle pump and having an electronic trigger that opens a valve to let the air flow through and launch the rockets, and we'll be shooting those off pretty much all day. They saw the design of it at the Maker Faire we participated in, and it was hilarious - these old guys who are in their 60's and 70's were out there acting like they were 5-6 years old again with these kids, shooting off the rockets.

I'm looking forward to participating (I'll be helping to build the FT chuck gliders again; I've gotten it down to about one every 3 minutes :D) and I was curious if anyone else out there would be participating in this event with your clubs? If so, what does your club have planned for events? I'm curious if we can share ideas for it. :)
 

FDS

Elite member
Mass model flyover Washington towing banners saying “hands off our airspace?”
It’s cool that there’s a day been set up, it would be great if it was international.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
Mass model flyover Washington towing banners saying “hands off our airspace?”
It’s cool that there’s a day been set up, it would be great if it was international.

Make it international. Nothing saying you can't do something the same day as the AMA's events, doing the same thing. :)

I know there is some bad blood with the AMA. That's not why I'm participating in this. I'm looking past all of that and looking at it as a way to bring new people into the hobby. We show people what they can fly, we show them safe and welcoming areas to fly (which, for our area, is a big deal; so many people are getting chased out of various parks because they're either flying recklessly or people think they're being spied on with cameras :rolleyes:), and we show them that this can be a family thing where fathers and sons (or mothers and daughters, or any combination thereof! I'm all for women stepping in and wanting to learn to fly!) can come out and enjoy themselves.
 
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FDS

Elite member
It’s great that there’s a plan to showcase the hobby as widely as possible, I just wish ALL the hobby flight organisations had flat out refused to endorse or co operate with the laws passed against flying safely wherever you like, that have worked globally for years.
I am doing a flight showcase for young people through work this month, I will mention organisations that can help get you started and equally that sub 250 is now the only class where you can fly wherever you like.
I wish we could bulk buy the FT chuck gliders in Europe, I could have got them out to over 100 kids by now.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
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It’s great that there’s a plan to showcase the hobby as widely as possible, I just wish ALL the hobby flight organisations had flat out refused to endorse or co operate with the laws passed against flying safely wherever you like, that have worked globally for years.
I am doing a flight showcase for young people through work this month, I will mention organisations that can help get you started and equally that sub 250 is now the only class where you can fly wherever you like.
I wish we could bulk buy the FT chuck gliders in Europe, I could have got them out to over 100 kids by now.

Our problem here in the States is that we have idiots that go, "Hey, let me fly my drone in the flight path of LaGuardia airport, one of the busiest airports in the world!", and then get mad when we have to have rules to tell them they shouldn't fly there. I've seen people on here, RCGroups, and various FB groups that have gotten bent out of shape with it.

That's why I want to be part of this day - Yes, it is sponsored by the AMA, and I get that there are people who don't like being limited to where they can fly. That's not what I'm getting behind with this day - I'm behind it because I want people to get involved with the hobby, and be able to fly where they are allowed to fly without repercussions, for the most part. I want people to be involved, find the joy with the hobby that I have, and share it with others. :)
 

FDS

Elite member
More people in the hobby is more people to lobby for repeal of stupid disproportionate rules, I suppose that’s another angle.
I feel like the positives of the hobby need more celebration and better publicity. It would counter a lot of bad publicity.
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
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More people in the hobby is more people to lobby for repeal of stupid disproportionate rules, I suppose that’s another angle.
I feel like the positives of the hobby need more celebration and better publicity. It would counter a lot of bad publicity.

That's why I think this day is important. Get away from the negatives, show everyone how it can be a positive influence. Bunch of happy, smiling people doing something they enjoy? Why not? :)

So, if there's anyone who is going to participate with their club, or is planning to go to an AMA site and participate, holler - I'd be curious to know what you have planned, and would love to share our ideas. :)
 
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FDS

Elite member
Do any national bodies anywhere actively publicise good news stories about our hobby on a regular basis? As opposed to special campaigns?
If I can get permissions I will have pictures of my event and if not links to the website where the feedback will be.