Summary
On this episode of AMA Air, Matt Ruddick and Lee Ray speak with AMA President Greg Stone to discuss his background in the hobby, as well as his vision for the future of the AMA, take a look at a new video series from the AMA Foundation, announce the date for National Model Aviation Day 2026, and much more!
On this episode of AMA Air, Matt Ruddick and Lee Ray speak with AMA President Greg Stone to discuss his background in the hobby, as well as his vision for the future of the AMA, take a look at a new video series from the AMA Foundation, announce the date for National Model Aviation Day 2026, and much more!
This month’s episode of AMA Air is sponsored by On Top of the World
AMA President Greg Stone Interview – (2:10)
Matt and Lee are joined by newly elected AMA President Greg Stone to discuss his upbringing in the hobby. From getting his start with control line and rockets up to how he has passed that passion of model aviation on to his own children. Greg also touches on his time volunteering for the AMA as a District Vice President and member of several committees, including his work with the AMA Education Committee. He talks about the important impact of youth programs such as Science Olympiad, UAS4STEM, AIAA Design Build Fly, and SAE Aero Heavy Lift. The interview concludes with Greg giving some of his goals for his term as President, including increasing support of educational programs at the national and local levels and boosting communication between clubs on a national level. For the full details on what Greg discussed, be sure to watch the complete 25 minute interview!
Club of the Month – (32:58)
The Club of the Month for February is the North Georgia Model Aviators. The club, located in Dawsonville, Georgia, was established at their new location in 2017, with over 150 members. The members worked hard after unexpectedly losing their original flying site back in 2016 and cleared out a newly acquired wooded lot to create a stunning flying location. To learn more about their club be sure to check out the club Facebook page and club website.
IFlyAMA Facebook Group – (34:40)
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 John C. Smith, featuring a vibrant yellow Boomerang Sprint. Joe Vermillion was the photographer of this winning image.
2026 Nats – (36:10)
Registration for the 2026 National Aeromodeling Championships is now open! This summer’s Nats will mark the 100th running of the event; you won’t want to miss this historic moment! Be sure to register early and take advantage of early bird discounts. To stay up to date on the Nats and join the conversation, check out the brand new Nats Facebook page.
Flightline Founders – (39:29)
The AMA Foundation is excited to premiere a brand new video series focused on important figures in aeromodeling history, Flightline Founders. This new series will be released monthly on the AMA Foundation website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkdIn pages, as well as the AMA YouTube channel. The first episode focuses on the Wright brothers and their contributions to not only general aviation, but modeling as well. Be sure to stay tuned for future episodes throughout the rest of the year!
National Model Aviation Day – (40:26)
It was announced that this year’s National Model Aviation Day will be taking place on August 22, 2026! It’s never too early to begin planning how your club will celebrate the occasion! Model Aviation Day was created to encourage clubs to celebrate the hobby and share it with the public. Be sure to register your event online so that it can be added to the national event calendar. We look forward to celebrating with you later this year!
For more information on the above topics and more, be sure to watch the full episode of AMA Air!