Aero-Linx!

Scouring the information super airways can sometimes be a tough, if educational, task for the Aero-News staff... but it also allows us to check out some truly neat and exciting sites, so it's not that bad a gig. On any given day, we may check dozens (and often hundreds) of different sources for story ideas, and facts confirmation. And, as is the nature of our business, much of this is done on the Internet.

The ANN gang decided we probably shouldn't keep some of the neat sites, info resources, and organizations we've discovered to ourselves... so we decided to bring you Aero-Linx. These are the sites that WE check out -- when we need added perspective, a new spin on a day's topic... or just want to escape into cyber-aero-space for awhile.

Look for some of our favorite sites, coming each day to ANN via Aero-Linx. Suggestions for future Aero-Linx segments are always welcome, as well.

Aero Linx: SAM - The Society of Antique Modelers

The Vintage models flown by SAM members are those designed, published or available as kits during the golden era of model aviation, the decade of the thirties to the beginning of WWII. A period following Lindberg's solo flight to Paris that ignited the aviation flame in so many of the World's youth. It was a period when practical model airplanes were developed and made available so anyone could build and fly one and hundreds of thousands did.

SAM calls models from the period prior to 1939, "antique", and prior to 1942, "old timer". They are the basis for good-natured competition in categories from free flight gas and rubber power, and gliders. For the RC enthusiast or for those whose flying field limits free flight there are categories for ignition and glow powered engines. Recently several electric powered classes have been introduced to allow flying of these models quietly from fields where glow and ignition engines are not allowed.

SAM encompasses the youth and modelers who are still young at heart, men and women ages 11 to 90. We have over 2200 members in Chapters from all fifty states and Canada, plus Chapters  worldwide from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Slovak Republic and Sweden. Many of these SAM Chapters sponsor competitions, flying for fun and probably a good deal of friendly discussion.

FMI: http://www.antiquemodeler.org/