AHA news

[robgt]

Hi Everyone,
The AHA committee has been very busy sorting lots of things out and I'm pleased to announce that the new website is now live for you all to go and check out.

The Association For Helicopter Aerosports

There is more work to be done (as ever) and comments and suggestions are always welcomed.

I would like to ask that an AHA forum be created on here in order for us to discuss things and for people to ask questions etc.

Here is an open letter from our Chairman, Mark Christy.

The Assocation for Helicopter Aerosports (AHA) is a voluntary non-profit charity run by the members for the members. We are the specialist body within the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) representing all Radio Control Helicopter disciplines and pilots.

The AHA is predominately known as being responsible for organising the FAI (F3C, F3N, Sportsmans & Clubmans) and Scale Helicopter Nationals in England.

However as the specialist body for model helicopters within the BMFA we are also responsible for providing technical support on all matters of helicopter operation and safety. We also strive to promote model helicopter flying through attendance at major UK shows, school fetes and by organising fun fly events.

We present a united voice to the BMFA on behalf of all model helicopter pilots in the UK. We are here to support you and make your hobby what you want it to be.

For 2011 we have a number of new and exciting initiatives to try and make it an even better year for the UK RC Helicopter hobby and AHA members:

· The Charmouth helicopter fun fly is probably the UK's largest RC Helicopter gathering for all pilots no matter what ability level. To make it bigger and better than ever we are now offering free entry to all AHA members. We are also bringing back the fun events such as the Timed Hover and the Autorotation Spot Landing. Newlands, the accommodation hosts, are also offering free accommodation for the next event to whoever wins the Saturday night micro helicopter challenge in the conservatory area. Watch this space for more details!

· The Grand Raffle is back for another year. Raising funds to support the British Team we have an excellent prize in the shape of a Next-D Rave ENV and flight equipment setup by the British team. This will again be drawn and presented at the BMFA Nationals on August Bank Holiday Monday.

· AllMyRC have kindly donated free hosting of a UK AHA section on their forum. Come and tells us what we're doing right, and what we're doing wrong! Publicise your event and get technical support from some of the top 3D and F3C pilots in the country.

· We're on Facebook. Yes we've finally arrived in the 21st Century. Get reminders of the latest news and events as well as pictures of events through the year.

· For those interested in getting started in competitive flying we have new Sportsmans and Clubmans schedules.

· New website. Hopefully you'll find this easier to navigate with a URL that is easier to remember.

· … and there is more to come in early 2011!

May I take this time to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and hope to see familiar, and new, faces down the flying sites in 2011.


Mark Christy.
AHA Chairman.

Here's looking forward to lots of helicopter activity on 2011!
All the best
Cheers,
Rob

[waveydavey]

Nice site Rob, especially the videos on the F3N part of the sets.

Are there any plans to have a league rather than just the one comp at the Nationals.

[robgt]

Plans are being formulated for more than one F3N competition in 2011 - how many is undecided as yet.
The problem being that we don't want to over saturate the competition "market" - and there are already several comps lined up through the year.

The long term goal for F3N though, is to have enough competitions in a year to get a league score, that will then allow us to select a UK Team which can be sent "wherever" to compete internationally, representing our country - just the same as with F3C currently

International F3N events are already being talked about in several countries around the world, so hopefully the timing is right to get this all sorted in the UK so we can not only take part, but help shape the future of F3N in general.

If anybody would like to help with this stuff, please feel free to volunteer - many hands make light work and all that!
Cheers,
Rob

[waveydavey]

What sort of volunteering Rob. What kind of tasks?

[robgt]

As you know, there's a fair bit of work goes in to running an event and F3N events are no different to any other.

Outside of competition(s), I am hoping to be able to organise a training day for both pilots and judges, so that everyone can familiarise themselves with the minor changes the Set Manoeuvres round introduces (the music and freestyle rounds are the same as everyone already knows, so no training required ).

The training day, and one or two F3N events (outside of the BMFA Nationals) need a place to be held and a date to hold them on.
Possible on site facilities organising (though not absolutely required).
Contacting people who would be willing to judge the competition. If the training day happens then hopefully the judging training will get us a few people who are also willing to get to the competition(s) and judge them.

That's the sort of thing
Cheers,
Rob