This month’s episode of AMA Air is sponsored by XSRC HSDJETSUSA.
On this episode of AMA Air, Matt Ruddick and Lee Ray discuss a recent National Authorization granting AMA clubs in Class G airspace higher flying altitudes, announce the new Executive Director of the AMA, interview Catalina Muchnick about Montana Drone Safety Day, and much more!
AMA Names Tyler Dobbs as New Executive Director – (2:57)
The AMA Executive Council announced Tyler Dobbs, AMA Interim Executive Director and Government Affairs Sr. Director, as the new Executive Director of the AMA. Tyler Dobbs will be replacing the previously departed Chad Budreau. Join Matt and Lee in welcoming Tyler to his new position!
National Authorization Grants Higher Altitudes in Class G Airspace at AMA Flying Sites – (4:05)
A National Authorization has granted higher altitude flying limits in Class G airspace at AMA flying sites. Previously the limit had been set at 400ft above ground level, which was prohibitive for many forms of flying. The AMA Government Affairs team worked hard to secure higher altitudes of up to 700ft to 1,200ft above ground level. A blog post and a FAQ have been created to assist members in fully understanding the authorization, as well as providing resources to aid members in figuring out the altitude limits at their own flying sites.
Montana Drone Safety Day interview with Catalina Muchnick – (6:12)
Matt interviews Catalina Muchnick, the founder and organizer of Montana Drone Safety Day. Catalina Muchnick joined an AMA Club in high school and her love for model aviation lead her on a path towards a degree in aviation management. While in college she served as the President of her AMA club on campus. Inspired by National Drone Safety Day, Catalina and the other members of her student club organized Montana Drone Safety Day to help promote safe UAS flying in her local community as well as career pathways in UAS. To learn more about what the event is all about and how it got started, be sure to watch the full interview in this month’s episode of AMA Air!
AMA Air 10th Anniversary Clip – (15:26)
2025 serves as the 10th anniversary of AMA Air; to celebrate, Matt and Lee take a look back at clips from the show’s past. This month they look back at the RC Roundtable Podcast Takeover episode of AMA Air, which originally aired back on January 15th, 2021.
Club of the Month – (22:20)
The Club of the Month for May is the Silver Creek Aeromodelers, located in Snowflake, Arizona. The club originated in October of 2021 and is the home for 20+ aviation modelers. Their main dirt runway is 900′ x 100′ running east/west, and a secondary runway, running north/south is 800′ x 50′. Last year, the club installed a brand new club house that also houses a solar charging system for members. Silver Creek Aeromodelers has also hosted two Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Young Eagles Build & Fly programs at their club.
IFlyAMA Facebook Group – (23:46)
The IFlyAMA Facebook group is an online community for sharing useful tips, discussing model aviation news, and showing off your recent builds! A contest is held every month to determine the cover photo for the Facebook group. This month’s winning photo was submitted by George Dusty Bayley.
Flying Site Improvement Grants and Scholarships Awarded – (25:02)
The AMA Foundation announced in a blog post that 39 chartered clubs were chosen to receive money to help improve their flying sites with assistance from the Flying Site Improvement Grant. It was also announced that seven students were awarded AMA Scholarships this year, thanks to the generosity of AMA members and donors to the AMA Foundation. Learn more about the scholarships awarded in this blog post.
AMA Foundation “Fly More, Mow Less” Sweepstakes – (26:17)
The AMA Foundation announced the “Fly More, Mow Less” sweepstakes. Contributions to the sweepstakes will go toward the AMA Foundation Club Support Fund. These funds aid model aviation clubs across the country in a variety of ways, including disaster relief, flying site improvements, and introducing the public to the hobby. The grand prize is a Lymow One robotic lawnmower. To learn more about the other prizes in the sweepstakes, as well as how to enter, check out this AMA Foundation blog post.
2025 Nats – (28:22)
The 2025 National Aeromodeling Championships (Nats) starts this month! Indoor Free Flight Nats takes place May 24th – 26th in Johnson City, Tennessee. The remaining outdoor portion of the Nats will pick up again during July/August at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. If you’re interested in participating, it’s not too late, there is still time to register!
For more information on the above topics, as well as a preview of Model Aviation magazine’s 50th anniversary celebration, a recap of the RCSuperShow, and word on the opening of the National Model Aviation Museum for the season, be sure to watch the full episode of AMA Air!