By David Cook
My interest in model aviation appears to have begun well before I was born. I can trace it back to my father’s attendance at the 1934 Cleveland Air Races in Ohio as a young boy. Growing up, my father and I spent many hours building and attempting to fly RC aircraft. We fought through single-channel escapement and Galloping Ghosts. I still have a working Mule system tucked away in the shop somewhere.
I became a radio builder and completed a number of ControlAir, Ace, and HeathKit systems. At the 1964 Toledo Expo in Ohio, I saw a demo of a Taurus with a Bonner reed system fly a pattern, and I was determined to fly like that. I flew my first Pattern event in 1985 with a Curare 20. Since then, I have progressed, slowly, to flying competitively in D4. In addition, I am the secretary for the Westlake RC Club, a 25-year gold Leader Club outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and then volunteered for media on the committee for the RC Warbirds over Port Clinton fun-fly and show in Port Clinton, Ohio.
A project then appeared that led to volunteering with the Elyria, Ohio, school system’s STE(A)M program. The teacher there has been fortunate to have the school system’s support for the acquisition of foamcore kits and builds for 3-channel-powered aircraft. The trip was sponsored by the Lorain County RC Club in Elyria. I’ve additionally aided Build and Fly programs through the EAA.
In each of these cases, the opportunity to lead was placed in front of me. All that was required was to let the opportunity unfold with only the slightest effort on my part. It’s amazing how so little effort can bring a greater reward for me by just coaching the best out of others. Don’t be afraid.
Professionally, I have recently retired from teaching in the post-secondary school market. I taught CAD drafting, among many other classes, including AutoCAD, 3Ds max, and Inventor, as well as the full Adobe suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and After Effects. Prior to that, I had my own business as a manufacturing representative selling library and school furniture. Before that, I came out of computer systems and project management.
David Cook
AMA 68703
TIMES . . . . THEY ARE A CHANGIN. Young people these days have so many options on how to use their time and other resources that they are often lost in all of the very valuable opportunities that they have access to because they never know about them. I believe that is why many turn to drugs and other harmful lifestyles.
Has the AMA ever considered a program to involve Public School Councilors with information on how young people getting aviation modeling experience can lead to extremely good career opportunities in the aviation world as adults? A few years ago the AMA became involved with the AIRCRAFT OWNERS and PILOTS ASSOCIATION (AOPA) and the EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION (EAA). I am a retired professional pilot and member of both of these. The EAA and some other aviation groups are now involved with high school programs that involve high school classes building full size homebuilt aircraft. The AMA should be actively getting involved with public schools to get students interested in aviation related subjects.
I live in Oklahoma, the state’s largest business is energy, but the second largest business is aviation in many forms. My own small town high school recently inaugurated an aviation class. With a lifetime in aviation, I volunteered to help with that class, but, sadly, the instructor sees no value in what I could offer.
I became an AMA member about 1970. I have been an AMA Leader Member for about 50 years. I looked into becoming a PAID FOR LIFE AMA MEMBER many years ago and because I could not afford the cost at that time, I never applied for that status. Now I am 81 years old and I am still a very active modeler. I can now afford the cost of PAID FOR LIFE AMA MEMBERSHIP. However, at this age I believe it is very cost effective to just renew my AMA membership each year as a Senior Member and Leader Member. I believe it would be in the best interest of the AMA to make the PAID FOR LIFE MEMBERSHIP more affordable. After all, one of the big political talking points these days is AFFORDABILITY. The AMA should review the PAID FOR LIFE MEMBERSHIP program and make it more AFFORDABLE by making age a factor in the cost.
As a LEADER MEMBER I am seldom asked for my opinion about any current AMA issues. I do value my LEADER MEMBER STATUS, but I feel that the AMA management team fails to use LEADER MEMBER assets for their great potential. Many members have lifetime aviation experiences that could be of great value in management decisions. I believe that quite a few of the senior Leader Members could offer some valuable management suggestions. Yes, I know that there will always be some useless input, however, I do believe that a lot of great potential suggestions are never even being recognized or requested.
James Kale, A very long time AMA member and Leader Member
I can vouch for Dave’s accomplishments. We’re the same age, had fathers who taught us the hooby from galloping ghosts, escapements, tube receivers, build your own Heath kit 6 meter Ham Band GD-19 transmitter…and the like!
Thanks, Dave, for continuing to share your knowledge with the high school kids in Ohio.
Tom Riley