Written & Submitted by SF (01/2001); Transcribed by NR (04/2001); Edited & Formatted by SS (10/2002), Reformatted by JS (08/2009)
Career
- Joined the AMA in 1957
- Donated over 200 aeromodeling awards and trophies to local model clubs for recycling
- Founding president of the Weatherford (Texas) Aero Modeling Society
- Originated the Weatherford Aero Modeling Society’s biannual swap meet and auction
- Contest Coordinator District VIII during the 1970s
- Leader Member/Contest Director of the AMA
- Associate vice president to George Aldrich, District VIII
- AMA District VIII vice president since 1998
Honors
- 2001: AMA Exemplary Award
Dr. Frank wrote the following information and submitted it to the AMA Executive Council in January 2000.
Aeromodeling Experience
I can never remember a time when I was not interested in aeromodeling.
My father, Murry Frank, [AMA Fellow #5633 and AMA District VII vice president from 1970 to 1978] was an aircraft repair technician during and after World War II and at the time of my birth and until his retirement he was employed with the U.S. Air Force in Wichita Falls, Texas, as an A&P aircraft technician. When I first learned to speak the vocabulary of aviation was a native language.
Sometime in the early 1950s we (my father and I) bought both Free Flight and Control Line models. It was not until we associated with an AMA chartered club in 1957 that I experienced what anyone would consider as a successful model flight.
From then until now I have had the addiction that the late Johnny Clemens (a mentor and friend) called “Hobby Pox.”
If you have experienced it you know what it is – if you have never experienced it I cannot tell you in words the experience and joy that aeromodeling has given me throughout my life.
I joined the AMA in 1957 and have been a member ever since.
Though my level of modeling activity has ebbed and flowed as other things have crowded my life, I have been an aeromodeler for as long as I can remember.
At times the lure of professional aviation and piloting full-scale and even aerospace engineering was sampled, but that for me was an outgrowth of my love and addiction to aeromodeling. I soon learned that the attraction of larger aircraft flying was only an adjunct to my true and basic interest in flying models.
Aeromodeling has been an enriching and fulfilling sport/hobby for all of my life. I started sport model flying as a beginner in the mid 1950s. I learned about contests at the local and regional levels in the late 1950s. When I cleaned house some 25 years later (late 1970s) I donated over 200 aeromodeling awards and trophies to local model clubs for recycling. I had attended as a contestant meets from south Florida (did well in Control Line speed there) to New York City (flew Control Line combat over concrete parking lots on Randalls Island), to the Tri-Cities in southwest Washington State (Radio Controlled – RC – slope soared at possibly the worlds best cliffs) to Taft, California (I did not place but was bested by most of the Free Flight FAI team who were the competition) and flew at many meets in between.
I attended my first Nationals Meet (Nats) at NAS Dallas in 1960; and, with the exception of twice when doctoral faculty committees said that I could not leave my classes and research on campus, I have attended as contestant, official, volunteer, helper/mechanic or spectator at 39 of the last 41 Nats. (I have volunteered as events director, category director and/or manager for over 25 Nats.)
For the past 15 years the attraction of competition has lessened. I fly mostly for sport, recreation and leisure. Within the past 10 years and as a personal challenge I have confronted and succeeded in flying all categories and types of aeromodels (with the exception of true turbines there does not exist a category or sub-specialty of aeromodeling which I have not flown). I enjoy the camaraderie of the association with others who have the aeromodeling addiction. I attend modeling gatherings at any and every chance possible (30 to 40 per year). I originated the Weatherford (Texas) Aero Modeling Society’s biannual swap meet and auction (a mini-Toledo, though not a trade show, it is a gathering of aeromodelers that twice yearly is regularly attended by 500 to 1,000 AMA members).
During the past years I have organized an Internet-based electronic interactive e-mailing list of AMA members within the five-state District VIII region. This district-wide e-mailing list (on a daily basis) provides for the two-way exchange of aeromodeling information to over 1,000 modelers in the Southwest.
I am semi-retired and I establish my own flexible working schedule.
I feel that it is now time to compensate in part to the organization, which has given so much to me for the past 43 years. I have the time, inclination, experience and desire to represent the 16,000 AMA members of District VIII. I will devote the time and effort needed to be fully involved in representing my district. I wish to assist the AMA to prosper and to grow and to transition into the 21st century. (Respectfully) H. Sanford (Sandy) Frank Ph.D.
January 2000
AMA Membership since 1957 (continuous)
Life Membership (1981) AMA L69 Contest Coordinator Dist. 8 (during the 1970s) Charter Builder Member, Leader Member / Contest Director, Museum Patron, Charter member and Founding President of the Weatherford (Texas) Aero Modeling Society and previously Associate VP to George Aldrich District 8.
AMA District VIII Vice-President 1998 to present.
Education High School:
S. H. Rider Public High School, High School Degree, 1965, Wichita Falls, Texas
Undergraduate
The University of Texas at Arlington, Aerospace Engineering, Arlington, Texas, Studies, 1966 to 1968
Midwestern University, BA 1970; Majors: History and Psychology, Wichita Falls, Texas
Graduate
University of Texas at El Paso, MA 1972
General
El Paso, Texas, Experimental Psychology
Postgraduate
The University of Southern Mississippi, Ph.D.1978, Psychology, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Licenses, Certification and Memberships FCC Amateur radio license FAA Private Pilot license Texas Certified Welder (gas & electric) Texas Education Agency - Licensed Psychologist
Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists - Licensed Psychologist Texas Dept. of Highways and Public Transportation - Motor Vehicle Dealer Bonded by the State of Texas for the collection of Taxes ($250,000) Member American Psychological Association Member Texas Psychological Association
Member the Dallas/Ft. Worth Regional Psychological Association
Work History
Undergraduate
As a high school student and as my earliest job I worked part-time in retail sales at a local hobby shop in Wichita Falls, Texas.
As an undergraduate college student I worked for Sears, Roebuck & Co. and was trained and employed as a general repair and service technician (small engines, appliances and refrigeration). While there I earned state certification in welding.
As an undergraduate I worked for the university campus newspaper at Midwestern University, Wichita Falls, Texas as a staff photojournalist/photographer.
Professional
While a graduate student at UTEP, El Paso, Texas, I taught high school science and psychology at Coronado High School.
Post MA
Licensed Associate Psychologist – I provided direct services of psychodiagnostices and psychological counseling to faculty, staff and students.
Texas Education Agency - Educational Services Centers in Wichita Falls and Victoria, Texas Photo Journalist/Photographer
Part-time staff photographer and photojournalist for the Daily Newspaper in Victoria, Texas
Gulf Coast Mental Health Center – Staff Psychologist; direct services to parents and children Gulfport – Biloxi, Mississippi
McDonalds – Hattiesburg, Mississippi, fry cook (Big Macs) – (This taught me humility) while a post-graduate student/doctoral candidate.
Post-Doctoral
Multi County Educational Cooperative; School Psychology Supervisor for 23 independent school districts within an area of 80 by 90 miles in west central Texas. Supervised a teaching and support staff of about 100. Meridian , Texas Pecan Valley Mental Health Center; Clinical Director - Supervised a professional staff of 70. (Five counties including Stephenville, Granbury, Glenn Rose, Mineral Wells and Weatherford Texas)
Clinic owner and director of private practice psychology outpatient clinic. Supervised the running of a successful business (18 years). Many dealings with professional and liability and 3rd party payment of insurance claims and contracts. (1979 till present) Weatherford, TX.
Weatherford Junior College Part time Social Sciences Instructor; Teaching of undergraduate Psychology classes (limited course load between zero and 2 classes per term) Contractual consulting to: o Hospitals (Mental Health and Chemical Dependency) o School Districts o Forensics and Courts appearances
Collection and sales of Antique and Specialty Automobiles, H. S. F. Autos P17-513, Texas Licensed motor vehicle dealer.
Aeromodeling Experience
I can never remember a time when I was not interested in aeromodeling.
My father, Murry Frank, [AMA Fellow #5633 and AMA District 8 VP from 1970-78] was an aircraft repair technician during and after WW2 and at the time of my birth. Until his retirement, he was employed with the USAF in Wichita Falls, TX as an A&P aircraft technician. When I first learned to speak, the vocabulary of aviation was a native language.
Sometime in the early 1950s, we (my father and I) bought both free flight and control line models. It was not until we associated with an AMA chartered club in 1957 that I experienced what anyone would consider as a successful model flight.
From then until now I have had the addiction, which the late Johnny Clemens (a mentor and friend) called HOBBY POX.
If you have experienced it you KNOW what it is...if you have never experienced it, I cannot tell you in words the experience and joy that aeromodeling has given me throughout my life. I joined the AMA in 1957 and have been a member ever since. Though my level of modeling activity has ebbed and flowed as other things have crowded my life...I have been an aeromodeler for as long as I can remember.
At times, the lure of professional aviation and piloting full scale and even aerospace engineering was sampled...but that for me was an outgrowth of my love and addiction to aeromodeling. I soon learned that the attraction of larger aircraft flying was only an adjunct to my true and basic interest in flying models.
Aeromodeling has been an enriching and fulfilling sport / hobby for all of my life. Sport model flying as a beginner...dating back to the mid 1950s.
Contests were learned of at the local and regional level in the late 1950s... When I cleaned house some 25 years later (late 1970s), I donated over 200 aeromodeling awards and trophies to local model clubs for recycling. I had attended, as a contestant, meets from south Florida (did well in C/L Speed there) to New York City (flew C/L Combat over concrete parking lots on Randalls Island), to the Tri-Cities in SW Washington State (R/C Slope soared at possibly the worlds best cliffs) to Taft CA (did not place but was bested by most of the F/F FAI team who were the competition) and flew at many meets in between. I attended my first Nationals Meet (NAS Dallas) in 1960. And, with the exception of twice when doctoral faculty committees said that I could not leave my classes and research on campus, I have attended as contestant, official, volunteer, helper / mechanic or spectator at 39 of the last 41 NATS. (I have volunteered as events director, category director and/or manager for over 25 NATS.)
For the past 15 years, the attraction of competition has lessened... I fly mostly for sport, recreation and leisure. Within the past ten years, and as a personal challenge, I have confronted and succeeded in flying ALL categories and types of aeromodels (with the exception of true turbines, there does not exist a category or subspecialty of aeromodeling which I have not flown). I enjoy the camaraderie of the association with others who have the aeromodeling addiction. I attend modeling gatherings at any and every chance possible (30 to 40 per year). I originated the Weatherford (Texas) Aero Modeling Societies biannual swap meet and auction (a mini-Toledo, though not a trade show, it is a gathering of aeromodelers that twice yearly is regularly attended by from 500 to 1000 AMA members). During the past years I have organized an Internet based electronic interactive emailing list of AMA members within the five state District 8 region. This District-wide emailing list (on a daily basis) provides for the two-way exchange of aeromodeling information to over a thousand modelers in the southwest.
I am semi-retired and I establish my own flexible working schedule.
I feel that it is now time to compensate in part to the organization, which has given so much to me for the past 43 years. I have the time, inclination, experience and desire to represent the 16,000 AMA members of District 8. I will devote the TIME and EFFORT needed to be fully involved in representing my district. I wish to assist the AMA to prosper and to grow and to transition into the 21st century.
H.Sanford (Sandy) Frank Ph.D.
AMA - L69
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