Summary
On this episode of AMA Air, Matt Ruddick and Lee Ray spotlight a resource for creating club websites, discuss National Safety Month, and prepare for another busy summer at the International Aeromodeling Center with previews of the AMA National Fun Fly, MultiGP International Open, and the 2026 National Aeromodeling Championships (Nats), and much more!
This month’s episode of AMA Air is sponsored by the AMA National Fun Fly
FAI F2 World Championships for Control Line – (1:54)
The FAI F2 World Championships for Control Line ended on May 8th, 2026, and Team USA had a stellar showing. For the third year in a row, Alex Valishev won first place in F2A, while Bill Hughes and Patrick Hempel took home fourth and fifth place in the event, which placed the United States atop the standings for F2A speed. In F2B, Orestes Hernandez placed first, and David Fitzgerald and Paul Walker placed sixth and eighth respectively. Angstrom Ebernez finished third in Junior F2B. In country order for F2B, the United States placed second. David Fischer, Samuel Londke, Chuck Rudner, Anna Minor, and Andy Minor competed in F2D combat, and collectively placed Team USA in second place in the event. Lastly, F2G Electric Speed competed at the World Championships for the first time. Dave Rigotti represented the United States, finishing in 5th place. Congratulations to all those who competed! Photos and more details from the World Championships can be found in a blog post.
June is National Safety Month – (4:44)
In 1996 June was established as National Safety Month by the National Safety Council. AMA began recognizing this event in 2021, though safety has been part of AMA since the organization’s founding in 1936. AMA’s Safety Programming remains at the forefront for model aviation activities of all types. Take time this month to double check the safety guidelines and review your own practices to see if there is any way you can improve the safety of yourself and others while flying.
DualRates – (7:03)
A clean, easy to navigate, and informative website is an essential marketing tool for your club. Whether you are looking to create a new website or revamp your current one, a resource available to AMA clubs is DualRates. This service makes creating a fresh, informative website easy. DualRates provides template options when creating a webpage that caters directly to model aviation clubs. These templates include video players, interactive maps, image galleries, event calendars, and a ton of other options.
AMA National Fun Fly – (10:31)
The National Fun Fly has returned and takes place later this month on the 25-28 at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana! With open flying, vendors, a swap shop, and raffle, the National Fun Fly has all the makings of a triumphant return! The AMA National Fun Fly is sponsored by: Du-Bro, Toledo RC Swap Meet & Expo, Innov8tive Designs, Hitec, CalAire, Valley View RC, AMA District VI, Malibu Shirts, and Papa Johns. Malibu Shirts will be providing a free t-shirt to all registered pilots, and Papa Johns will be providing a free pizza dinner to all registered pilots on Saturday, June 28th. We look forward to seeing you out there!
Club of the Month – (12:49)
The Club of the Month for June is the Gateway RC Club of Jacksonville, Florida. The club was established in 1959 and has been flying at its current site since 1992, which now boasts over 140 members. The club features a 450-foot asphalt runway, a full grass runway alongside that, a 90-foot pavilion which has numerous worktables, outlets, and a central charging station. A clubhouse on site includes a male and female restroom, water fountain, refrigerator, microwave, training room with four flight simulators, and Wi-Fi. To learn more about their club be sure to check out the club Facebook page or club website.
IFlyAMA Facebook Group – (14:21)
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 Dan Landis, featuring his Boomerang ATOM Squared. His father, Richard Landis, was the photographer.
UAS4STEM Preliminary Results – (16:11)
UAS4STEM is a student drone competition featuring “search and rescue” type missions. Students must build the drone, program it for autonomous flight, and then demonstrate the drone in action. The Preliminary Competition gives teams the opportunity to showcase everything they’ve accomplished throughout the season while allowing judges and the AMA Education Team to recognize the hard work, creativity, and dedication each team demonstrated along their journey. This year, 26 teams participated in the Preliminary Competition across both the Beginner and Advanced Divisions. The teams who advanced to the Finals Competition are:
Beginner Division:
- 1430 Guide-Ons
- 1430 Knights
- Drones2Mars
- Nequa Valley Blue
- Nequa Valley Gold
- Redstone Bravo
Advanced Division:
- 55 Knights
- AeroDactyls
- Scio Flyers
- Skyward Eagles
- Some Assembly Required
- St. Mary’s Civil Air Patrol
A full list of those teams who participated, along with more details, can be found online. We look forward to seeing the students compete in the Finals Competition, held at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, next month!
National Model Aviation Day – (19:42)
National Model Aviation Day is coming up later this summer, but it’s not too early to grab yourself a National Model Aviation Day t-shirt! Join the AMA Foundation in celebrating model aviation for the twelfth annual National Model Aviation Day, August 22, 2026. National Model Aviation Day was created to encourage clubs to celebrate the hobby and share it with the public. Be sure to register your club’s event online so that others can find it and join the celebration.
Pink Ribbon Good Build Contest – (20:50)
In collaboration with Pink Ribbon Good (PRG), the AMA Foundation is hosting a PRG-Themed Build Contest. This build contest is open to all AMA members across the globe of any age. PRG is an organization dedicated to providing free meals, rides to treatment, peer support, and housecleaning essentials to individuals across the country who have been impacted by breast and/or gynecological cancers. The AMA Foundation is honored to have the opportunity to help spread their mission, all while giving AMA members the chance to honor loved ones who have been impacted in a unique and meaningful way. To make this contest as inclusive as possible, and to encourage our AMA Youth members to get involved, there’s only one eligibility requirement: you must have the PRG logo displayed on your final build! Access to the PRG logo and ways to submit can be found on the AMA Foundation Website.
MultiGP International Open – (23:32)
The MultiGP International Open, one of the world’s largest and most anticipated drone racing events, returns to Muncie, Indiana, at the International Aeromodeling Center, June 10 – 14. 200 Drone Pilots from across the globe compete head-to-head in a thrilling showcase of speed, skill, and technology, while spectators enjoy an action-packed festival atmosphere. Whether you’re a longtime drone enthusiast or seeing FPV racing for the first time, the International Open offers an exciting, family-friendly atmosphere featuring world-class competition, interactive exhibits, industry vendors, food trucks, and opportunities to meet the sport’s top pilots. Be sure to come out and join the fun!
2026 Nats – (25:37)
The 2026 National Aeromodeling Championships is next month! This summer’s Nats will mark the 100th running of the event; you won’t want to miss this historic moment! Check the Nats schedule online to see when your favorite discipline is competing. Be on the lookout for Matt, Lee and Terry Dunn who will be out on site during the competition getting coverage of the event. To stay up to date on the Nats and join the conversation, check out the Nats Facebook page. We look forward to seeing you all out there in just a couple of weeks!
For more information on the above topics and more, be sure to watch the full episode of AMA Air!