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AMA's Web site has
become the front door
to our organization for many.
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My column in the February
2009 MA was a recap of AMA activities that took place
in 2008. Much of what we did last year was an effort to work
toward accomplishing the goals and objectives that we've
begun to define as part of our long-range strategic plan.
The response I received from that column was far
greater than any other in the past year. The overwhelming
majority of comments were extremely positive, which I think
is a good indicator that many of you feel that we are moving
AMA in a positive direction. During 2009, we will add a
number of new goals to the list while continuing to build on
the work that we started in 2008.
In the past I've written about the value of good
communication between an association and its members being
the key to success for any membership organization such as
AMA. Improving that level of communication is one of the
areas on which we will be focusing in the coming year.
As a first step in achieving that goal, those of you
who are club contacts found a CD included with your club
charter materials that you received from AMA. The CD, titled
2009 Information for Chartered Clubs, contains a
wealth of information about various programs and support
that we provide to all of our members.
Included is information about all of our benefit
programs including Take off And Grow (TAG), the Charles H.
Grant Scholarship program, the AMA Flying Site Development
and Improvement Grant, our Club Disaster Assistance Program,
as well as the AMA Club Recognition and Rewards Program.
Also included is information concerning our various
insurance programs and suggestions for creating
public-relations efforts that will benefit your club.
All of the information on this CD is intended to help
our members and make them aware of all that we offer as
benefits of membership in AMA.
Another area on which we will be focusing this year
is the AMA Web site and our online presence. In today's
"Internet society," it has become obvious that a first-class
Web presence has become a necessity to support our current
membership as well as attract new people to both model
aviation and the AMA.
To support our current membership, we will be
developing new Web features that in the past could only be
accomplished through the tedious process of using paper
forms and the US Postal Service. Things such as renewing a
club charter online, applying for an AMA sanction online,
and giving club officers the ability to update their club
rosters and other information with AMA online are in our
future.
However, as we move in a direction that technology
takes us, we realize that we still have members who either
do not have Internet capability or who prefer to continue to
do things as they have in the past. Being able to continue
to do that won't change.
Many today use the Internet as a research tool, and a
large percentage of those who are interested in learning
more about model aviation or the AMA will look first to the
Internet to begin their research.
As with most other associations, AMA's Web site has
become the front door to our organization for many. That
front door needs to be visually attractive and easy to
enter. Once inside, a visitor needs to easily and quickly
find his or her way around. Additionally, the content the
site contains needs to be perceived as valuable and of
enough interest to make that visitor want to return often.
As we move through 2009, look for changes and
improvements to our Web site that will move us in this
direction.
While we're on the topic of AMA's online presence and
benefits of membership, have you had a chance to visit our
online e-zine: Model Aviation's Sport Aviator at
www.masportaviator.com?
Sport Aviator is primarily designed for the new
modeler but contains information that even many longtime
modelers find useful. The primary focus of the site is
entry-level modeling and it contains a number of kit
reviews, radio reviews, and how-to articles appropriate for
someone just getting involved in aeromodeling. Other areas
of the site include articles on flight training and how to
do some basic maneuvers.
In Sport Aviator Editor Frank Granelli's words:
"Sport Aviator presents a mix of basic and mid-level
technical information, piloting how-tos, aircraft reviews,
and some event coverage, just to let newer pilots know how
varied and deep model aviation truly is. The aircraft
reviewed and technical information presented is about an
even mix between glow power and electric propulsion.
"The aircraft range from RTF basic trainers to aircraft
suitable for second, or at most, third aircraft. Helicopters
reviewed have been from the beginner level, twin-rotor
versions to the next step up: small, single-blade,
electric-powered basic machines. The piloting information
varies from how to land to performing advanced maneuvers."
Sport Aviator has already helped a tremendous number of
new modelers become successful. Mentioning Sport Aviator to
your friends new to modeling may help them as well. MA
See you next time ...
Dave Mathewson, AMA president
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