AMPS Holds Make-A-Wish Event

     You never know when the background noise of talk radio will lead to something unexpected. For Ernie Faulkner, a member of the Arizona Model Pilots Society (AMPS), that happened while he was listening to an interview involving a local children’s hospital and some kids with serious medical challenges.
     After hearing the radio segment, Ernie asked himself how he could have an impact on their lives. A couple of phone calls later, he was in contact with the event coordinator of the Arizona Make-A-Wish Foundation, Mark Korthals.
     According to the group’s Web site, it began in 1980 with the wish of a little boy from Phoenix, Arizona, who had leukemia. The foundation has grown to become the world’s largest wish-granting organization, with 72 chapters in the US and its territories.
     Ernie and Mark discussed hosting a family affair at the AMPS model airfield, where the Make-A-Wish kids and their siblings could have the opportunity to fly model aircraft and examine other models up close.
     AMPS members were instantly excited about the idea. The date was set and plans were made.
     A club board member made use of his ample contacts list and obtained a commitment from the Deer Valley Airport Restaurant, which is near the club field, to provide food for the event. A couple of local businesses provided small balsa gliders for each of the kids, and club members signed up for setup, kitchen, parking, and flying duties.
     The forecast for April 25, 2009, was for gusty conditions. Club members arrived early for setup and were ready to go when the first guests arrived slightly earlier than planned. Great timing! By the time the wind became a bit of a problem, more than 50 Make-A-Wish kids and their brothers and sisters had flown model aircraft.
     Using club and club members’ trainers and buddy boxes, as many as five flight stations were in use throughout the morning. Each child got to take the controls for five to seven minutes. Besides the guest pilot, each station had a model pilot-in-command (a club instructor) and a safety observer/helper.
     The excitement and enthusiasm were easy to measure by the smiles of the kids and their parents. Club members laughed about one little guy who, throughout the course of the morning, queued up at each of the flight stations saying that he didn’t remember if he had flown yet. It didn’t matter; there were both time and airplanes to handle his wish for the day.
     As the morning came to a close, the wind came up. What do to then? Have lunch! The kitchen team had burgers, hot dogs, and the trays full of potato salad and slaw from our restaurant sponsor.
     Thanks to all who made this a great event, including the Arizona Make-A-Wish Foundation for registration and supervision, Deer Valley Airport Restaurant for the food, friends of the club for the kids’ gliders, and AMPS members for the people power and airplanes to make it all happen.  MA

—John Laird
AMPS Board Member

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