Gremlin Castle

My Feedback: (14)

That is how you get to be a full bird and higher, you listen to what people have to say and do not give off the cuff answers without looking at the full scope of the endeavor.
Also declining to keyboard wrangle with those that frequent this forum is not hiding out it is just a prudent use of time.
The AMA magazine has not reached all of the membership so it would be premature to start discussions about platforms and ideas before everyone has had a chance to read the campaign statements.

Hossfly

In all fairness, a candidate should not be expected to reveal his strategy. That places him in the position of the pilots in Vietnam when Lyndon Johnson made them fly the same routes each day for their bombing missions. The enemy has a direct knowledge of where you are coming from and where you are going so getting you in their sights is no big job. BOOM, you're done for. []

On the other hand the candidate should have some good objectives that he could lay out. So that then designates the target, but the route to the target better be kept confidential and should be very flexible if the target objectives are to be accomplished.

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

Hmmm...if not telling potential voters about what he intends to do for them is a strategic move, only idiots would vote for him.

In this case though it is more likely that Jim cannot be sure exactly what will be needed, since real insight comes from being 'in' or he is happy with AMA and merely intends to maintain the status quo.

JoelP

My Feedback: (20)

I'm one of those idiots who'll be voting for Jim!

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

JoelP


You may have taken my post wrong. I do not believe Jim’s strategy is to withhold information about the direction he will take as per Hossfly. In all likelihood I will be voting for him also.

Sorry if what I said came out wrong but if a candidate thinks withholding info about a direction he will take is viable, yes, only an idiot would vote for him.


Hossfly apparently subscribes to that belief system. Hence, I would not vote for him (Hossfly).

YNOT

Blast? Blast who? I didn't blast.

I met the guy. Nice guy. This thread is about D8 VP, I met one of the guys. I told you of the conversation.

If I am gonna blast, you will know it.

abel_pranger

LCS-

Does that mean you will be happy with someone that "is happy with AMA and merely intends to maintain the status quo?" Somehow, I have doubts about that. Status quo is clearly a downhill path, and I think you know that.

Abel

brn2fly

My Feedback: (190)

I talked to Jim and you took his answers to your questions out of text. Jim will make a fine district VP. If anybody can fix whats wrong he can.

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

Maybe you can elaborate on the reasons why you believe that.

JorLRice

To E3Drvr: Thanks for trying to defend me but I am able to do that for myself Captain. I will give you the same advice I have given local friends and strong supporters. This is only the beginning and if I am elected it will get worse. There will always be criticism regardless of your actions or intentions. We all need to get thick skinned and be prepared to accept the fact that seldom will everyone agree on anything and each is entitled to his or her opinion. There are those who will support me when I am wrong because they feel the need to; and there are those who will disagree when I am right because they feel the need to. I know that these facts come with the territory. Unfortunately, the position is volunteer so that is not why you get the big bucks.

To all: I have watched this issue develop and die several times on this forum. I hoped that it would die and let things take a natural course but now feel compelled to make a statement. I do not want to, and I will not, defend what I say today for the next 2 months or write more input every night to satisfy everyone's curiosity. Please know that I will read what you post after mine, but will not respond here again. I have a business to run, good honest work to do, and a family to love. Time just simply does not permit that I do those as well as I should/must and keep answering questions here.

I am a dedicated, life long modeler who has little time to spare but a desire to serve the AMA and this District on a higher level. I have no axes to grind with anyone at AMA HQ or on the EC. I have some ideas about things I would like to improve but I lack the knowledge of the inner workings of the Executive Council so I am unsure as to what I can influence or do. Only time and actual experience on council will prove my effectiveness there. The same will hold true for any of the three candidates that will appear on this fall's election ballot. Therefore, I am making no campaign promises that I have no idea whether I can fulfill. I am not a politician and don't really want to be. Horace has the experience and knowledge of the operation of the EC and, at this point, can offer a better insight as to what power, if any a VP has. Regardless, no one EC member vote carries any more weight than any of the other 12. My intention, as I told Tony (Whynot) is to get elected, learn the job and see how I can influence things positively across the district and the AMA. I do not have all of the answers, and for that matter, I don't even know what all of the questions are. I am trainable; I am a quick study; and I am a volunteer to do it for the District. I expect that much the same as a head football coach in the NFL, I will need help and will seek input from throughout the district to advise and assist me in the position IF I am fortunate enough to be elected.

I am really interested in trying to grow youth membership and overall membership as well. I don't have a perfect plan but would like to see more club flying days for youth groups such as scouts or after school clubs. Maybe try to provide trainer aircraft and videos for use by the local club during these activities. I have done several school classes, demonstrating indoor RC, building AMA Cub rubber powered airplanes and giving talks. Aviation explorers are a good place to capture youngsters who have already shown an interest in aviation.

I think we need to get our arms around the huge Park Flyer group that is currently flying all over the country and, for the most part, are not AMA members. Their activities influence public opinion about our hobby and can affect our future attempts with local officials and land owners to obtain or retain sanctioned flying sites. How to do that is currently beyond me, but I am willing to get into it and exchange ideas inside and outside the AMA to try to figure out how to capture this new and growing piece of our hobby that is mainly operating outside of our organization.

I accepted the position of Safety Coordinator for the district because I believe safety is more important than any other thing in the continuation of our hobby. The monthly safety note that I write is available for viewing on the DVIII web site.
http://www.ama-dist-8.org/Safety/index.html

I promise nothing other than my commitment to the District and my personal attempt to represent the heart and soul of our membership. I intend to earn your trust and confidence and will seek input to help develop and resolve issues.

BTW, I am a retired Army, not Air Force, Colonel but I did attend the US Air Force Air War College in Montgomery, Al. While some were flying the same routes in and out of Vietnam, I was an Infantryman on the ground wishing I was up there in the clouds.

I have refused to enter this forum because I firmly believe that the best that can happen is that you don't look totally ignorant to everyone, and the worst is that everyone picks at your every word and thought until you do look totally ignorant. I believe all 3 of your candidates for VP are qualified for the position and each brings a different perspective to the position....None would do it the same and likely none would be wrong--Just Different. We are all 3 volunteers and are hoping to serve the District and AMA in important ways. None of us needs the job and, I for one, am going to have to make sacrifices in business and family to do the job the way I think it should be done. Traveling to events every month may adversely affect my business but I don't think it can damage my marriage of 36 years. However, I am still willing to serve. Please give all 3 candidates a serious look, call or email the candidates and get a feel for them. Then vote and encourage all around you to vote. Too few vote in the AMA and it is a serious decision affecting our 5 state district for the next 3 years. If you can't run for the office then at least decide who is going to serve in it.

Thanks for your time! See you on the Flight Line!!!

mongo

My Feedback: (15)

well, that is one that has earned some respect points, from me, anyway.
2 more to go.

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

[sm=thumbs_up.gif]

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

Abel,

Sorry, I missed your question. You have me pegged but after reading Jim's post and his Safety notes on AMA DIII web site I can not find anything other than an honest and sincere desire for a safe hobby. I found nothing to indicate neither the “Barney Fife� syndrome nor anything that appears self-important. I don't feel from what I read he will be the type to compete for the rule of the month award but will take every opportunity to instill common sense wherever possible. As for as other aspects of the DVP position, he laid that out as I truly believe it to be. In this instance, right now, I don't perceive Jim as the status quo. He is on top for my vote.

YNOT

Great job Jim![sm=thumbs_up.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

Ken Bryant

My Feedback: (10)

Jim,

Thanks for posting and providing some incite into your beliefs and life. I for one and truly gratful to you for your dedication to our country and our hobby.

THANK YOU!

abel_pranger

LCS-

I fully agree with you and mongo. Jim comes across like a real stand up guy, and I doubt he'll get anywhere near the flak from the guys in this forum that he has been led to expect. I'm glad he posted and hope he is too.

Abel

Brave Gary

My Feedback: (1)

What topics would you like each of these candidates to discuss. I am sure that each has his own idea of what the need to center a campaign around but if we give them ideas on what the common flyer needs then maybe they can center on thoughts as well. As a contest director and a flyer that does every part of the hobby I think safety is the main focus. Gaining youth is important as is maintaining the interest of the current AMA members. I would like to see other topics brought up for these guys to discuss.

Gary

KidEpoxy

Jim-
Thanx for coming in and saying a few things.

Lets hope we can stay civil and maybe the other two guys will join Jim's example and type a few paragraphs for us.

Quadrapowerforflight

Vote for Lawreence -- hes a GSW member By the way GSW your gas days will soon be over.

A noise petion was mailed to your mayor on friday.

And you fly over school grounds see pic

One down and 3 to go!

abel_pranger

Within 500' of a noise sensitive site (residential housing). Ouch!

Go electric or go home. Sorry.

Abel

Hossfly

Well here are some questions that I sent to Mr. Rice. He did reply.

Now since I have no addresses for the other two gentlemen, maybe they could answer these questions if someone pointed them out to the gents. If they wish to reply privately, I will also keep such replies private. I simply wish to know their ideas concerning these issues.
In my opinion safety is highly important, yet the business and longevity of AMA and its core functions supersede local safety issues.


>>>>>>
1. Model Aviation costs AMA well over a million dollars each year, in direct audited expense. When factoring in the bureaucratic MA staff, accounted for under AMA staff, that figure has to be a minimum of 1.65 million cost for the magazine.
MA advertising just barely covers the cost of reproducing the advertising. In layman's terms the magazine could be published in its "text informative" portion without advertising, at no additional cost to the parent company (AMA), AMA.
MA seriously undercuts the ad. rates charged by free-market commercial modeling media, because MA has no need to profit from such advertising, therefore the other magazines no longer support AMA as an organization. The other media are the only ones that move their products outside the choir (news stands) to promote the modeling sport. In reality MA policies and methods contribute to AMA being the big time loser.

As an IRC 501 (c) (3) non-related business, wholly owned by AMA, MA could well be an income producer for AMA, if the ads were charged within the same cost ranges which the free-market magazines must subscribe to in order to remain in business.

QUESTION: As a DVP, a member of the AMA's Board of Directors, Where would you lobby the EC? Either for the status quo or strongly insist that MA becomes a profitable entity among other commercial magazines, along with being AMA's newsletter? Or possibly just be reduced to an AMA news letter along with some items of interest as now on-line, "The AMA Insider" ? OTHER? Please explain.

2. QUESTION: Do you and would you support the new AMA / MA ruling that a club will have to pay for a sanctioned event to be listed in the Event Listings in MA?

3. The EC fired (Yes, fired Joyce Hager as Ex. Director and hired another one) then fired him after one year. They kept JH on as second-in-command, however all the round table there worked against the new guy as he tried to get things moving forward.
QUESTION: Do you think that removing an easy-going long time friendly Boss from top-dog to second in command under a new Big Boss, with new ideas and demands for more production, really has a chance to actually get things moving forward? Could, in-your-opinion, a demoted person really be trusted for the support that a vice-commander should provide a new commander?

4. QUESTION: Would you just maintain the status quo among your District appointees or get some new more productive ones?
When I won over the incumbent in Dist VI, I sent a letter to each individual asking if they wanted to stay, and if so, just what they had done within the past year to promote the sport.
Some replied well and stayed.
Some replied smart-***** and some did not reply. Those all were replaced, without further ado.
Have you selected any potential replacements should you make the cut?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<


Hope this finds its way to to the other candidates.

Horrace Cain
AMA Leader L-93
Contest Director.

edit; replace ar with are.

Ken Bryant

My Feedback: (10)

I'd love to see the responces to those questions.

tlovett

My Feedback: (9)

Abel,
Don't take everything posted on line to be the truth. I can now see that someone doesn't know how to measure distance.....This was posted by a disgruntled member that somewhere in the back of his mind has decided if he could get the club field closed he could have a private flying site for gliders and electrics. I normally would not post, but feel compelled to do so since I am also viewing it as an attack against Lawrence Harville. As hard as flying sites are hard to come by, any AMA member that tries to purposefully get a site closed, should probably be taken out back and horsewhipped, but alas, that can't happen.

Now, as far as Lawrence Harville's position in the D8 race. I have known him for about 20 years. He is a member and past President of Greater Southwest Aeromodelers in Fort Worth, a current member of the Thunderbirds - Fort Worth also. He has always had a positive "Can do" attitude with dealings with flying models. Some of you may remeber Lawrence as the founder of the One Fifth Air Force in the 80's, a group similar to the One Eighth AF west of us. He is a scale competitor, been to numerous U.S. Scalemasters championships and was responsible for more scale contests in the area than anyone. If it flys, he loves it! If it is scale and flys, he adores it! I have seen him fly sport planes, scale planes, electric planes and gliders. I don't know if he has done helis, or not. He is also a private pilot with a plane that might possibly make reaching the ends of a rather large District more possible......I feel certain he would attend as many events as possible and be a VP that would become a face our District would recognize quickly. I am sure he would be out more than what has been happening in D8 the last years.

I also know that he was trying to give input and ideas to the outgoing officer and offered to help him with some duties that were going uncared for......Like I said, a "can do" attitude.

Lawrence will get my vote, but you probably already got that idea.

Tim Lovett
President, Greater Southwest Aeromodelers
Fort Worth

KidEpoxy

I like the way there is a <- 515 ft -> indicator, but he left the Yahoo Map scale on to show just how small 1000' is in that pic.

hmmm, I just did a Google Earth on that spot, 820 east of FtWorth.... looks like the clasic Build Houses 10' From Existing RC Park & Complain About Noise. Seems they put a street 574' from what I am guessing is the runway, may be wrong, haven't been there, I dont know the pattern there.

Gremlin Castle

My Feedback: (14)

You did not get to the rc park in your map pull up. If you look to the left of the large grey area you will see a brighter green rectangle of grass which is the runway for GSW. The yellow line that is shown points to the road leading to the ready mix plant, asphalt processor and now the new gas well.
For what it is worth this guy has been to a couple of other flying fields and gets upset when people point out that he is not flying in the designated areas. He is quick to tell you that he "cannot be controlled." The rest of the time he drives around in his old blue compact pickup possibly looking for a brick that fell off his load.
On the relevant part of the forum Lawrence Harville is a straight up guy and has worked hard for years to promote this hobby/sport or what ever you want to call it. He would be a good man for the position and is much more certain not to twist off and start reporting other districts events or leaving arcane messages.