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Club Introduction 

Club Introduction Club Officers Flying Field Membership Application

 

Club Information

The WMAA was founded in 1968, and is a chartered club of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), the International Miniature Aircraft Association, and the International Miniature Aerobatic Club.

Our club’s objective, as stated in the by-laws, is “...to promote and develop radio control aeromodeling as a hobby and recreational activity…”

The majority of WMAA members fly radio controlled (R/C) model airplanes.  Some fly R/C gliders (sailplanes) and some fly R/C helicopters.  Glow-ignition engines predominate, but with recent advances in motor, electronic speed control and battery technology, electric-powered models are growing in popularity.

Club officers are the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Safety Officer, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster.

Business meetings are held the 2nd Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m.  May through September, the meetings are at Dinneen Field, and October through April, at the First Presbyterian Church on College Ave. in Westerville.

Our monthly newsletter, The Center of Gravity, provides information on club events and activities, and invites input from all members.

Dinneen Field

Our flying field is located at 6590 Africa Rd., 1/4 mile east of the Alum Creek Dam in Delaware County.

In 1987, the WMAA leased this ten acre site from the US Army Corps of Engineers.  No public money is spent on this field.  We started  with an undeveloped parcel of land, and have installed:

A 900 foot long grass runway.
Protective fencing.
Five concrete pad flying stations
A concrete paved pilot preparation area including workbenches and setup/engine starting stands.
A frequency control board with slots for each channel to hold pilots’ AMA cards.
A shelter house with several picnic tables.
A paved parking lot.
Secure equipment storage sheds.
A portable toilet.
A windsock and flagpole.
Extensive landscaping.

AMA and club rules are prominently posted.

As this field is public land, anyone with a valid AMA license can fly, whether they are a WMAA member or not.  Considering
the money, time, and effort that members have spent developing and maintaining this property, we feel it is only fair to encourage
pilots who fly here to join the club.

In fact, membership perks easily pay back the annual $35 regular, and $5 family member dues.

Club Events

A typical year will start on January 1st with our annual Freeze-Fly.  The club provides hot coffee and donuts, and the members bring their own ear-muffs and skis.  This is strictly a fun event.

In March, we hold our Annual Show at the Aladdin Shrine Temple on Stelzer Rd.  This is a major income producing event for the club, and an opportunity for members and guests to showcase their latest models and to pick up some needed supplies.  A grand raffle typically offers a fancy TV as first prize and a fully built trainer as second prize.

Other club events held in a typical year:

Club IMAC is a fun/practice event for members to try their hand at precision aerobatic flying.  This is followed in a few weeks by the IMAC Challenge, a popular two-day regional competition sponsored by the club.
Pylon Races are normally held once, sometimes twice a year.  Races are held for trainer pilots and for serious piston-heads.  Fun to watch; exciting to fly.  Plenty of close-quarters competition.
Kids Fly at Library Day is a very popular public outreach event.  Throngs of kids of all ages come out to the field and fly R/C trainers using buddy-boxes (dual controls) watched over by experienced WMAA pilots.  Everyone enjoys a free lunch of soft drinks, hot dogs and chips supplied by the club.
Our Fun Fly Challenge has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.  Pilots of all skill levels perform a variety of on-the-runway and in-the-air maneuvers.  Teams are set up to effectively handicap everyone from novice to expert.  There is good friendly competition, and some laughs also.
Family Picnic & Night Fly.  This is a great early autumn event.  Your dues pay for your picnic, and when dusk turns to dark, models of many colored lights take off and brighten the sky.  They provide quite a show, and, as with other club events, there are always experienced pilots ready and eager to help the rest of us get started.
Family Banquet. Every November, members and guests enjoy fried chicken and beverages provided by the club, accompanied by side-dishes, salads and desserts that they bring to share.  Held at the church.

Getting Started

While experienced pilots may fly highly complex and expensive models controlled by sophisticated computer radio transmitters, virtually everyone starts with a simple trainer and a basic transmitter. Where to start?

The AMA website, www.modelaircraft.org, offers excellent guidance for beginners.
Your R/C hobby shop folks can show you a variety of ways to get started, depending on your interests (and funds).
Sophisticated computer simulators offer very realistic flying of both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. These are excellent training tools used by both novice and expert pilots.
WMAA club members will be happy to offer buddy-box (dual control) flying lessons, as well as help in setting up and trimming your model.
 

 

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Last modified: August 05, 2007