Submitted and/or written by WP (08/2002) and MA magazine (02/2000), transcribed & edited by SS (09/2002), updated by JS (09/2006, 10/2007, 02/2020)
Career
- 1960s-1970s: Stunt competitor
- Helped coach his sons to success in model competition; his wife and daughter were also involved
- 1967: Contest director in the Detroit, Michigan area
- 1968: Co-event director with his wife, Better, at the Nationals (Nats)
- 1983, 1985, 1987: U.S. FAI Team Trials Event Director
- 1984: Event director for the FAI F2B World Championships held in the U.S.
- Chief judge for the 1994, 1996 and 1998 FAI F2B World Championships
- Conducted numerous judging and flying clinics throughout the U.S. and abroad
- Served as event director for the FAI Combat Team Trials
- Reworked hundreds of OS Max 35 stunt engines and others
- Made thousands of mufflers for model plane engines and sold them to individuals and distributors
- Worked in tool and die for 32 years
- Served as an administrator in numerous local, regional, national and international stunt contests
Honors
- 1978: AMA Superior Service Award
- 1991: Life Achievement Award from the Cloud Busters Club in Detroit
- 1998: Precision Aerobatics Model Pilot Association Hall of Fame
- 1999: Model Aviation Hall of Fame
Wynn Paul, historian of the Precision Aerobatics Model Pilot Association (PAMPA) submitted the following biography that PAMPA had on file about Arthur Adamisin.
As the patriarch of the Adamisin family, referred to by many in the stunt world as “the first family of stunt,” Art Adamisin was himself a stunt competitor for many years in the 1960s and 1970s.
According to Dennis Adamisin, “Dad was originally into little leagues, but then thought that he could spend more time with his family rather than with other kids by getting the family involved in model airplanes, which he had been building since the 1940s.”
And get involved he did, encouraging, coaching and motivating his family: Arch (1960s and 1970s including the Nationals [Nats]), David (Nats 1965 to 1969), Alan (Nats 1970 to 1974 with firsts in senior in 1973 and 1974), Dennis (Nats and FAIs from 1965 to 1985 with first in junior in 1969 and the Walker Cup winner as a senior in 1972) and, of course, one of the princesses of stunt, Marie, who worked tabulation at the Nats and kept things in proper perspective as she married a stunt flyer, Pete Bergstrom. Art also co-coached Arch’s son, Archie III, who flew in the Nats from 1986 to 1993, winning junior in 1988 and placing second four straight times in senior.
Wherever you might find “Big Art,” you will also find his wife, Betty, who has been right there for all the events. In fact, they were the co-event directors at the 1986 Nats in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
It is in the area of service to stunt that Art has made his presence known. And anything that Art is involved with, he will definitely make his presence known. A contest director since 1967 in the Detroit, Michigan area (that’s Taylor, Michigan, Bub!); he received a Life Achievement Award in 1991 from the Cloud Busters Club in Detroit, Michigan. The number of contests he has directed for stunt and many other events is lost in infinity.
He was the United States FAI Team Trials event director in 1983 then was chosen as the event director for the FAI F2B World Championships held in the U.S. in 1984. He was again the event director for the FAI Team Trials in 1985 and 1987.
Art was chosen as chief judge for the 1994 FAI F2B World Championships in China, and again for the 1996 Championships in Sweden. He will also serve as chief judge for the 1998 World Championships in Kiev, Russia.
Long a supporter of the Precision Aerobatics Model Pilot Association (PAMPA), Art has conducted countless judging and flying clinics all over the United States and abroad, including Europe, Australia, and Africa. He has also served as the event director for the FAI Combat Team Trials.
In addition to his contest administration, utilizing his experience as a tool and die maker with Cadillac for 32 years, Art has reworked hundreds of OS Max 35 stunt engines – the engines of choice of the Adamisin family – for stunt flyers all over the world. His Max 35 stunt engines have been the workhorse of many a successful stunt pilot. He also has worked on about every other kind of engine including HPs, SuperTigers and on and on.
In 1971 when the FAI rules required mufflers, he again called upon his machining skills and began making mufflers. Since then he has made thousands of mufflers selling them worldwide to individuals and distributors.
Art Adamisin’s contribution to the stunt world has been long and zestful service in the administration of local, regional, national, and international stunt contests, as well as directing countless stunt clinics throughout the U.S.
Arthur’s biography appeared in the “Hall of Fame Inductees” section of the February 2000 issue of Model Aviation magazine, p. 140.
“Arthur Adamisin, age 71, is recognized worldwide as “Big Art.” For 59 years, he has actively competed and judged in various Control Line events, including Goodyear, Rat Racer, Carrier, Combat, and Precision Aerobatics (Stunt).
Recent years have found Art deeply involved in serving as an F2B (Control Line Aerobatics) judge and event director on the international level. After performing as the Events Director in the 1974 Chicopee World Championships, he has served as F2B Chief Judge in China in 1994, Sweden in 1996, and Kiev in 1998. Art also directed the United States team selection programs in F2B and F2C (Combat) a number of times between 1983 and 1997.
Since 1970, Art has been active in presenting clinics and symposiums on Control Line Aerobatics. In some cases, these were held in countries such as France, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.
An important part of Art’s involvement has centered on the promotion of aeromodeling. His own family is evidence of that in that his four sons and daughter have all joined Art in flying in many contests, including the AMA National Aeromodeling Championships (Nats).
Art’s wife, Betty, is also extremely active in the hobby/sport. Together, they present programs at local schools and community celebrations and teach aeromodeling at a local community center. Art has served as a club officer on numerous occasions and has established clubs. He has designed various models used by others in competitions, as well as providing experimental research in aerodynamics, engines, mufflers, and bell cranks.”
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