Horizon Hobby Flight School
 

Well, a member of the industry finally stepped up to the plate to help grow the hobby/sport.
RC Flight School HorizonHobby

That's actually a pretty good idea. They are just connecting people with what clubs have been providing already for years, but it's free advertising for the club and discounts for those who so deserve it for instructing. Kudos to Horizon for putting resources into this. I hope it takes off.

Hopefully other industry members will finally see the forest for the trees and take advantage of their own financial resources to help the cause. The fixed wing portion of the industry has lost millions as a result of quads and foamy S.A.F.E technology. Maybe the Hobby Town franchise will be next to come up with a hands-on promotion plan. There were so many industry members who went under, but the building of wood airplane kits kept many related industry members in business. Could be the start of something big.

I suggested that AMA list club instructors on AMA's website many years ago. I guess they didn't quite understand and listed commercial RC flight instruction schools.
I wanted them to list individual club instructors in every club. Some clubs don't have a website and it's not easy to find instructors on clubs that do have a website. If some clubs have a problem with that, the listing is voluntary.

With at least one local Hobby Town , the precedent for this had already been set around 50 years ago . Back in the 1970s there was a control line club operating in Braintree Ma. named "The Flying Goombas" which flew on the grounds of Braintree High School (Goomba being the Italian word for friend , the club's founders were of course of Italian heritage) . The local Hobby Town which was located in Braintree's "South Shore Plaza" right down the street from the school , sponsored the club , donating a whole bunch of products for contest prizes each year and giving a 5% discount on all purchases by club members . Time passed , control line all but effectively died (I think the club ended before the 1970s did) , and the Hobby Town eventually relocated to Quincy with it's focus being model trains & plastic Revell models before going out of business itself sometime in the 1990s .

:) One year I won a nice trophy and a Jetco Shark 35 kit as the first place winner in the "Balloon Bust" event , God Bless Hobby Town ....

I don't agree at all that the airplane portion of the hobby has lost sales due to foamies and quads. The hobby in general has declined, and younger people have shifted toward those easier to get in the air products. If anything, I'd say those products have saved the hobby (ARFs also) due to so many hobbyists taking an interest but not having workshop skills, tools, or space for builds.
The concept is sound though. Most successful companies see the importance of building up the community that uses their products. Horizon isn't really spending much money on this, and everyone benefits with the connections made.

I got the original mailing soliciting AMA instructors several months ago. Still on the fence about putting my name out there...

One of my clubs has a robust training program....
As a beginner, I would be p***ed to find out I just paid $20 to Horizon for a 3 month membership in the AMA, when the club offers a FREE 2 month Intro Pilot membership sponsored by the AMA. Who gets the $20??? Did Horizon just make more money...or the AMA?
As an Instructor, I'm not keen on having to keep track of two different training standards. Sure, the subject matter is generally the same, but the courses of instruction will have their differences....
By putting my name out for the Horizon program, I'm effectively endorsing/promoting their products. And committing a block of time to doing it. For a 15% discount off of MSRP?

Now, if Horizon used their program to offer students a free 2 or 3 month AMA membership...perhaps even kicking in a small donation to the AMA for each beginner that signed up...
And if I as an Instructor have to attest that I will cover prescribed topics, but can do it in the way I (or my clubs training program) sees fit....
And if Horizon had a program to have instructors earn a free Apprentice (or whatever) for their club to use as a club trainer.....
THEN I would be all in to participate!

This has all the hallmarks of an eager young marketing intern...coupled with likely inattention by the AMA over the integration of the program into their other initiatives. Not well thought out....
But, it might have a small advantage of me promoting my other club, that has no defined training program....hence my being on the fence.

Although this program does have some problems, at least an industry member got directly involved. Maybe HobbyTown USA or some other industry member would enter into the picture and iron out all of Hoizon's wrinkles. Competition is good for everyone. What I suggested and still do is offer anyone a free fly before you buy 20 minute "test drive" on my trainer. They don't have to buy a thing and it doesn't cost them a dime. Imagine if an auto dealer demanded that all of his customers had to buy a car that was on the lot before they got a chance to drive it? lol

EAA Young Eagles Build and Fly Program

At least someone is trying. Think this might help the hobby to survive?

It certainly can`t hurt. Preferable to the latest video game console under the Christmas tree, in my opinion.

ARF's certainly helped but I don't think many rotor drone hobbyists move to fixed wing aircraft. Those that start off with the Apprentice type planes at most move to more advanced electrics but probably not to ICE powered planes. Anyways, great idea from Horizon. Takes the legwork out looking for a club and instructor. This should have been so years ago.

"Tis where I fault AMA severely. They should have done something like this decades ago! It would seem to be core to their name - being an Academy.

One should wonder why AMA and/or clubs never placed ads on TV. How many local small local businesses have ads on local channels. Since AMA is a non profit, they could've placed free ads on TV, whether local cable or otherwise. Then again, many years ago, past AMA president explained that if a influx of a large number of newbies were to be dropped off in many clubs, who would be ready, willing and able to provide sufficient flight training? Apparently quad racing in really big on TV, why couldn't AMA get a mention. Traxxas had/has ads on TV.

It has been said that TV are too expensive for AMA. How much money has AMA lost via their magazine, lobbying and consulting fees over the years?

NRHSA - Home

I've said for a long time that the AMA should sponsor a reality show or some kind of instructional series. I'm thinking of something like Top Shot or Forged in Fire. I do realized we would be talking about a boatload of money, but between the cable stations and all the pay services there is a constant desire for new angles and new shows.

I remember that show. The production values were pretty low, but it actually kindled an interest in me. I think one of the competition type shows would be a hit. Participants could do pylon racing one week, pattern another, detail a scale model the next, etc. Maybe every other episode could be a how to mixed in along with some new product showcases.

I remember that. I saw Chris Chianelli from Model Airplane News assemble an ARF on one episode.