President’s Perspective
By Rich Hanson, AMA President | [email protected]
As seen in the June 2025 issue of Model Aviation.
YOUTH PROGRAMMING is an integral part of the AMA’s fabric. Quite honestly, the organization was a youth program at its inception. In the 1930s and ‘40s, the average age of an AMA member was less than 30 years old.
The first model airplane club in America was formed by a woman named E. Lillian Todd and was called the Junior Aero Club of the United States (later, Junior Aero Club of America). Founded in 1908, this club was formed to foster the education of future aviators.
Although there were true aeromodeling pioneers in the years following the Wright brothers’ successful powered flight in 1903, the youth of the early ‘30s grew up during the Golden Age of Aviation and saw firsthand the achievements of legends such as Charles Lindbergh, Glenn Curtiss, and Amelia Earhart. The early youth of AMA became our country’s Greatest Generation, serving as airmen, gunners, mechanics, and aviation ground crew during World War II, in an era in which advancements in aeronautics brought aviation to the forefront of society.
The 1950s and ‘60s brought a new generation of aviation enthusiasts, the baby boomers. This generation regaled in the exploits of the heroes of WW II, saw the emergence of the jet era, and looked beyond the contrails to the edge of the universe as the world raced to put a man on the moon.
The youth of the ‘70s continued to see advancements in aerospace science with NASA’s Space Shuttle program and the building of Skylab; however, as we entered the ‘80s and ‘90s, the emphasis on aerospace advancement began to wane. The gloss began to fade in the Golden Age of Aviation, and the geopolitical arena eroded our national enthusiasm.
The years preceding the arrival of the 21st century brought with them myriad modern technologies through advancements in microelectronics, the dawn of the internet, heightened personal and social communications, and, most recently, the advent of robotics and artificial intelligence. The draw for the attention and interests of our youth is profound, and the need for a renewed focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is ever increasing.
The days of seeing youngsters hanging on the club fence and enthralled with the aeromodeling activity is likely a thing of the past; nevertheless, the need for AMA clubs to reach out to our youth, to provide an outlet for STEM education, and to engage youth in wholesome aeromodeling activity, is greater than ever.
I want to recognize two AMA clubs that have stepped up to the challenge and have created exemplary youth programs: the Greater Cincinnati Radio Control Club (GCRCC) and the North Georgia Model Aviators (NGMA).
In 2024, a group of junior club members formed the Jet Stars, a youth-focused model aviation club within the GCRCC. They envisioned a community that combined elements of a Boy Scout troop with model aviation. It has since flourished with support from the GCRCC. This collaborative environment has fostered friendships and allowed young members to easily coordinate flying and building sessions.
The Jet Stars’ aim, with the support of the club, is to "get kids flying" and to educate young enthusiasts about various aspects of model aviation. The GCRCC Jet Stars youth group is active and growing! More information about the Jet Stars is available in the AMA Blogs at https://amablog.modelaircraft.org.
In the April 2025 edition of Model Aviation, you will find an excellent article about the Junior Flight Program in the NGMA club. They started with making program presentations to the local rotary club, which opened doors to the local school system’s STEM programs and educators. The club also partnered with a Horizon Hobby manager who helped acquire scratch-and-dent aircraft that club members made flyable and available to junior members for free. New junior members can join the NGMA at a reduced rate and participate in a flight training system that standardizes training and quickly builds success with instructors and students. The NGMA Junior Flight Program is also active and growing!
Both the GCRCC and NGMA encourage clubs from across the country to reach out and gain insights into how their youth programs work. They will provide those insights and methodology for how to implement your own youth programs.
If your club has a youth program that you would like to share, please let AMA know!
Keep ‘em safe, keep ‘em flying, and continue to enjoy this great hobby!
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