Clubs on public land charging club fees to fly

[serpentracer]

Now what about clubs that chain off the entrance? Because the AMA says the fields are supposed to let visitors/non members fly at their fields as guests. I found one place in Kentucky that had its parking lot and field wide open for visitors. But of the ones by my house all chain off the entrance. Isnt that against the AMA guidelines? Even the fields with gates say visitors welcome but seem to purposely keep visitors out😢

[kallend]

I think it is way more than fair what we pay. Bottom line is if some one doesn't they don't need to fly there. We occasionally get people that say their taxes go to the park and they can walk their dogs down the runway while we fly, fly kites, picnic on the approach, etc. It's a dedicated park just like the soccer fields, baseball fields or other dedicated areas, you should see how bent out of shape they can get if we ask them to move while we fly.

Would these same people expect to picnic on 1st base during a baseball game on a public park?

[Evan D]

Ours is a dedicated county park. The agreement we made with the county to use it as such had a number of things like who would do the grass cutting, provide the porta potty, maintain a covered structure, fences, etc. (they do that). It's our cost to lay and upkeep the control line circles, paved runway and a solar charging station/ conex storage. We charge a $40/ year park pass fee.

There are also two clubs that call the park home. One control line and one RC. The clubs maintain their individual things like the frequency/ bulletin board, flight stations and work tables. The RC club costs $20 a year to join.

Both the park pass and club have AMA registration, the park pass group as a chapter and the club as a club.

I think it is way more than fair what we pay. Bottom line is if some one doesn't they don't need to fly there. We occasionally get people that say their taxes go to the park and they can walk their dogs down the runway while we fly, fly kites, picnic on the approach, etc. It's a dedicated park just like the soccer fields, baseball fields or other dedicated areas, you should see how bent out of shape they can get if we ask them to move while we fly.

[RRHandy]

I agree with LB on that our club is on state land and we pay for electricity, port a pee, trash pickup, grass cutting and Insurance, thou we carry insurance with AMA there is still other factors to what people today will try to get from an organization thru insurance fraud.

RR.

[Elbee]

I know of at least 2 local flying clubs who are utilizing public land and charging club fees. One of these fields is in a state park. The other is in a city park. Neither park charges admission to get it and use the park facilities like the baseball fields or the skate park and playgrounds picnic areas.

So does anyone else think it's absurd these 2 clubs charge tax payers to use a tax payer funded flying site a membership and to be able to rope off its parking lot?

ST, too many variables to give an opinion, although if the club(s) have other real expenses to cover, i.e., mowing, asphalt maintenance, restrooms/porta-poddies, some kind of fee structure would be needed, Id think. Don't know. Best, LB

[serpentracer]

I know of at least 2 local flying clubs who are utilizing public land and charging club fees. One of these fields is in a state park. The other is in a city park. Neither park charges admission to get it and use the park facilities like the baseball fields or the skate park and playgrounds picnic areas.

So does anyone else think it's absurd these 2 clubs charge tax payers to use a tax payer funded flying site a membership and to be able to rope off its parking lot?