|
 |
 |
The
key to the success
of any organization such as AMA is the
ability to communicate
with its members.
|
|
It's
the beginning of August, the 82nd annual National
Aeromodeling Championships (Nats) is winding down, and the
Nats Management Committee will soon begin planning for next
year's events.
I had a number of members E-mail me this year complimenting
the NatsNews. The publication is a daily newsletter that
includes items of interest to those who are on site, plenty
of great pictures, as well as a daily account of scores and
standings.
NatsNews is written in part by members participating in the
Nats and edited and compiled by Liz Helms of the AMA
Publications staff. Distributed in print form at the
International Aeromodeling Center, NatsNews was made
available online for those who wanted to stay on top of the
action but couldn't attend this year's Nats. Members who
"subscribed" were sent a daily E-mail with a link to the
current issue as soon as it was posted.
The key to the success of any organization such as AMA is
the ability to communicate with its members. In reading all
of the positive reaction to NatsNews, I realized that AMA
has several different publications—print and online—all
managed by our Publications Department, that help in
creating that link between you and your organization.
Model Aviation, of course, is AMA's flagship publication.
Since its redesign in 2005, MA content continues to evolve
based on input from our members through surveys and other
forms of feedback. Editor Michael Ramsey has worked hard to
include feature articles that are of interest to a diverse
membership. MA is supplemented on the AMA Web site with
videos, Web-only articles, and electronic reprints of
important series from MA such as "From the Ground Up."
The "AMA News" section keeps our members up-to-date on
association business and provides an opportunity for each of
the district vice presidents to let you know what's taking
place around the country. With the additional information
provided on our Web site, MA is a multifaceted informational
resource for our members.
The AMA Insider, formerly the AMA National Newsletter, is
edited by Ashley Rauen. At one time it was only distributed
to club newsletter editors, but that's changed. The AMA
Insider is now distributed electronically, not only to club
newsletter editors, but to club officers, AMA Leader
Members, and others who have opted to subscribe to this
online journal.
The Insider's content has also been enhanced with the
addition of columns such as "President to President," "On
the Safe Side," "Club Tips," and most recently "Leader to
Leader," a column written specifically for AMA Leader
Members.
Launched in 2003, AMA's online E-magazine, Sport Aviator
(SA), continues to grow under the direction of editor Frank
Granelli. Built for and about new model-aviation
enthusiasts, SA has become a valuable resource for those who
are just becoming involved in model aviation.
Product reviews, construction articles, how-to pages, and
online videos focusing on beginner and intermediate level
information attract new readers on a daily basis as well as
a significant number of repeat visitors. From its beginnings
five years ago SA has attracted more than 278,000 unique
viewers annually and more than 382,000 making regular
visits.
AMA's Park Pilot magazine was launched in January 2008. A
quarterly publication, Park Pilot is a benefit of membership
for those who join AMA through our Park Pilot Program.
Designed for those members who enjoy flying slower, quieter,
park-flyer models, it focuses on providing information
dedicated to this specific modeling discipline.
Edited by Jeff Troy, Park Pilot continues to grow and become
a resource of information that includes reviews and builds
off the continually growing list of park pilot models.
Additionally, the magazine offers regular columns written by aeromodeling experts that include micro-RC, helicopters,
entry-level aerobatics, Scale, indoor, and CL modeling.
In addition to all of this, our Publications Department is
also responsible for producing miscellaneous AMA
publications. This includes many of our long-shelf-life
products such as the Newcomers' Guide, the Guide to
Membership Services, Top Tips to Keep Your Park Flyer
Flying, and the R/C Model Aircraft Quick Start Guide. Each
of these publications serves a specific purpose and each is
provided as a benefit of membership.
Communication is the key to success in a membership
organization. While MA is probably the most visible tool we
have to communicate with our members, our Publications
Department has worked hard to develop a total package that
includes not only MA, but all of the other publications I've
mentioned.
Last month I reminded you about the upcoming AMA elections.
Your ballot should be arriving shortly, if it hasn't
already. Elections for the term beginning in January 2009
include district vice presidents in districts III, VII, and
XI, a national election for executive vice president, and a
special election in District II to fill the vacancy created
when I was elected president.
Campaign statements for all of the candidates can be found
in this issue of MA beginning on page 160. Please take a
moment to read each and vote for the candidate you think can
best help lead AMA. MASee you next time ...
Dave Mathewson, AMA president
|
|
