Giant Scale Flyers in IMAA?
I have been an IMAA member since 1982 and still am. I guess the main reason that I stay a member is for the magazine. It's pretty good and worth $20 to me.
In the early days of the IMAA, High Flight was about the only place you could get the latest information on giant scale. Now that info is everywhere. I participate in about 6 or 7 giant scale flyins a season here in Texas. Maybe 1 out of 6 or 7 events is IMAA sanctioned.
In my opinion the IMAA almost fatally shot it's self in the foot many years ago by insisting that any clubs putting on an IMAA sanctioned event not give any trophies or plaques other than for something as silly as "Longest Distance Traveled". I have been to several IMAA events that did give out trophies for "Pilots Choice", "Best Civilian", "Best Warbird", etc. These were not competition awards but rather recognition of the efforts by some of the participants and were voted on by the pilots. The club simply did not advertise that they were doing this. I saw a photo once in a High Flight event report of someone proudly holding up a plaque with the sarcastic caption to the effect "What's Wrong With This Picture?". Only in the last few High Flight magazines have I noticed that the tide may be starting to turn on the issue.
I am sure that some if not most of the IMAA officers are reading this thread and I challange them to respond and tell us what the IMAA is doing for us today and why giant scale modelers should join.
Ken
IMAA2589