MAAA Wingspan - Quarterly Magazine

held there on a regular basis. Many of the local West Wyalong community attended the events. Registrations commenced on Sunday, April 22 and continued throughout the week. Most venues were conveniently within a five- minute driving distance of each other- the greatest distance being to the Adrian Bryant Field, which was 15 kilometers from the town. A huge lamb roast was provided at the AB Field on the Saturday night and 250 of the 267 competitors attended. This night was a roaring success and provided an opportunity for all to catch up with old friends. The major discussions on the night were about the current flying activities, the very successful night free flight scramble and, of course, “old war stories”. A closing dinner was held at the West Wyalong RSL Club where 150 members and guests were in attendance. I had the privilege of hosting the President of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Mr. Rich Hanson and his wife Anne during the event. Rich flew out from his home base in Arizona to especially attend. Rich and Anne visited all the events and were impressed by the standard of organisation and flying ability. The countryside was an eye-opener to them and the sight of kangaroos in the wild, a highlight. All competitors appreciated Rich and Anne making the effort to attend and the friendly Australian tradition prevailed. During my time with Rich, I had the opportunity to discuss aeromodelling trends in America, the structure and function of the AMA and many other topics of common concern, including drones. On behalf of the MAAA, I thank Rich and Anne for attending. In my discussions with members who attended, there was overwhelming support for the 70th MAAA Nationals, many commenting that it has been the best for many years. Many also appreciated the short travel distances between the various flying locations and expressed the view that the next Nationals should be held at West Wyalong. All enjoyed the camaraderie and friendly competitions. As with all events, problems occur, and I am pleased to say that there were few. As this was the first event held in West Wyalong, teething problems were expected. These will be corrected overtime and some of the venues could be made more “user friendly.” I am sure, with the support of the MAAA and the West Wyalong Council, much can be achieved. Soon a survey will be conducted amongst all who attended to determine where improvements can be made, what people liked and what they didn’t like. It is my belief that for the MAAA Nationals to be successful, we need to establish a permanent venue, held at the same time and place each year or so. This way we can establish a venue which is world standard and an event which is attractive to all. The MAAA Nationals is not just about competition, it is about aeromodelling, friendship and the social interaction of people with the same interests. Friendly competition only improves one’s aeromodelling skills- competitions must be structured for all levels of ability. It is my view, as an organisation, we should work to attract more members to attend these events, even if we break with tradition and provide an area for visiting members to fly on a non-competition basis. This will provide an opportunity to participate, observe the competitions and realise they too can compete. Perhaps, a Nationals Competition and Jamboree is an option. Neil Tank President 04 president’s report CONTINUED...