The AMA Podcast

December 2, 2019

The now 2-time MultiGP Champion, Evan "Headsup" Turner, joins us on the AMA Podcast to discuss his experience in Daytona at this year's championships... including how a shipping mishap nearly ruined his chances at a 2nd title.  We also talk about his relationship to his top 'rivals' and his history flying IMAC at Clover Creek Aerodrome.  Did we mention he's only 16 years old?

Check out Evan's new brand, Five33 at https://flyfive33.com/

This week, we welcome Jay Gerber, an AMA Hall of Famer, AMA Fellow and NFL producer for over 40 years.  Jay was invited to headquarters recently to receive a special honor for his lifetime of dedication to the hobby, and he was kind enough to stop in and tell us about his life and career.  We spoke about how modeling helped solve some big problems in the early days of NFL broadcasting, as well as his role in the greatest play in NFL history.  We also talk about the importance of the club atmosphere to modeling.

To view some of the work Jay produced for the AMA, visit http://www.modelaircraft.org/AMAFilms

If you'd like to send us a comment, question or suggestion for the show, email us at [email protected]!

To join the AMA, visit http://www.modelaircraft.org/

This week, we talk with Lee Ray and Fitz Walker from the RC Roundtable podcast. They talk about how they got started in modeling, how they met, the origins of the RC Roundtable, and just where is Terry Dunn!

Visit the RC Roundtable at www.RCRoundtable.com

If you'd like to send us a comment, question or suggestion for the show, email us at [email protected]! 

Joe Bok, CEO of Aero Telemetry is an airplane designer, FAA licensed pilot, aerospace engineer and former football player who has had a hand in developing telemetry systems for everything from football helmets to the space shuttle.  He also had a key role in building the model airplanes used in 2004's The Aviator!

Mason Hutchison is a lifetime modeler part of the engineering team that made Stratolaunch, the world's largest airplane and a flying platform for launching payloads into low Earth orbit, a success. 

To see Stratolaunch's First Flight, check out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFHAz4AG-no

To see the Hughes XF-11, H1 Racer and Spruce Goose used for the movie The Aviator in action, check out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS_DluV2Tg0

If you'd like to send us a comment, question or suggestion for the show, email us at [email protected]! 

Steve Petrotto, Director of Marketing at Horizon Hobby joins us to talk about Drone Safety Awareness Week, and how pilots can integrate safely into the National Air Space.

To learn more about Horizon Hobby's RC Flight School, visit https://www.horizonhobby.com/content/flightschool

To find an AMA Club, visit https://www.modelaircraft.org/club-finder

To learn more about Know Before You Fly, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/

In this episode, we speak with the Executive Director of the UAS Integration Office, Jay Merkle.  He gives us his thoughts on the upcoming requirement for testing and what he thinks of remote ID.

We are also joined by Rick Crow, AVP of District XI and president of the Butte Plane Nutz.  He gives us a recap of his struggle to receive his club's letter of agreement.

Jay Smith is the Executive Editor of Model Aviation magazine and Park Pilot magazine, and he stopped by the podcast to talk about how he got started in the hobby, how he became editor of 2 publications, and why he finds his job so important.

https://www.modelaircraft.org

AMA Special Interest Groups play a very important role in the model aviation ecosystem, and our AMA SIG Series plans to showcase these groups. This first edition of our AMA SIG Series features IRCHA (International Radio Control Helicopter Association) board member Tim DiPeri. Listen as he talks about his story coming up into RC helis and how IRCHA and the Jamboree have grown over the years.

Watch the AMA's recap of the 2019 IRCHA Jamboree, including an interview with 10 year old phenom, Rhys Wyatt!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Larw00Kmw3A

https://www.modelaircraft.org

Airline Captain, CAF Red Tail pilot and AMA member Brad Lang has been fascinated with airplanes from a young age.  The son of a Tuskegee Airman, Brad discusses how he became a pilot and how model aviation led him to a career in aviation.

For more information on the Red Tail Squadron, visit https://www.redtail.org/.

To learn more Academy of Model Aeronautics, visit http://www.modelaircraft.org/.

AMA needs your assistance in an urgent matter. The FAA unexpectedly informed us that, contrary to earlier commitments to AMA, the agency is planning to limit all recreational model aircraft operations to 400 feet in controlled airspace and there will be no exceptions. Although a 400 feet limit may work for a large number of our members, we have a number of disciplines that will need to go higher than these proposed heights. Additionally, the FAA is proposing restrictions in uncontrolled airspace to altitudes that could present safety issues as well as limit some model aircraft operations altogether. We were stunned by this proposal and are pushing back, but we need your help.

We urge you to send a letter to your elected representatives in Congress and ask them to contact the FAA concerning this critical issue. Please visit www.modelaircraft.org/higher-flight to contact your representative.