What do you like/dislike about your RC club?

[TiredIronGRB]

I would like to hear from you guys about what you like/dislike about your clubs, what type events to like or would like to see and any other ideas you have that would make RC clubs better.

Thanks,

George

[HANGER FIFTYONE]

To many safety rules at some clubs
I've been flying for 44 years and for you new guys that don't know what a transmitter impound and frequency clips are, it was a pain in the butt. Back then we only had about 17 frequencies so there was a pretty good chance someone else was going to be on yours so you had to wait your turn. Now we can fly hundreds of planes at the same time and yet some clubs still limit only 4 planes in the air at once or even only one plane in the air at a time. that's just nuts.:Confused: Have to put on a safety vest and have a spotter and I'm the only plane in the air. They have taken the fun right out of the hobby in the name of safety. Yes you can be to safe. I choose not to fly at these clubs and then get asked "why don't you come out to our field and fly?" just my $.02 worth and probably not even worth that ..:Silly:

Kenny

[xviper]

To many safety rules at some clubs
I've been flying for 44 years and for you new guys that don't know what a transmitter impound and frequency clips are, it was a pain in the butt. Back then we only had about 17 frequencies so there was a pretty good chance someone else was going to be on yours so you had to wait your turn. Now we can fly hundreds of planes at the same time and yet some clubs still limit only 4 planes in the air at once or even only one plane in the air at a time. that's just nuts.:Confused: Have to put on a safety vest and have a spotter and I'm the only plane in the air. They have taken the fun right out of the hobby in the name of safety. Yes you can be to safe. I choose not to fly at these clubs and then get asked "why don't you come out to our field and fly?" just my $.02 worth and probably not even worth that ..:Silly:

Kenny

I agree with you. I had 4 paragraphs of why I don't like "clubs" but decided to delete it all as it will likely tick some people off, especially AMA and MAAC devotees.

[TiredIronGRB]

Just looking for constructive ideas to help make our clubs the best they can be.

[doctormike]

We just go by "common sense". If someone gets crazy (which never really happens), we have a talk. Sadly, we never have newcomers to train. Doc

[HANGER FIFTYONE]

Just looking for constructive ideas to help make our clubs the best they can be.

make sure to focus on keeping it welcoming and inviting to everyone especially new comers and not to over load them on what they can't do. Make it all about fellowship and fun!

Kenny

[F106DeltaDart]

What I like to see in a club is simple. Open minded-ness, a fairly informal group. Minimal procedure-maximum fun. My current club loves to bogged down in rules and procedures and maintenance in the meetings to an excessive degree. I felt so terrible for the new 11 year old member who came to our meeting to listen to a bunch of old guys ramble on for 2 hours about mowing the lawn (seriously!). I don't know if we'll ever see him again.. Another one would just be acceptance of anything that flies, a lot of clubs get really bitter when forced to "tolerate" FPV, quads, or Helis. And then ramble on about how there's never any young pilots :Silly:. Although, I can confidently say that this is absolutely not a problem you have to worry about!

On a more positive note, I really like it when clubs have a separate landing pad for choppers and quads to fly from. It lets everyone keep flying at once without worrying about a rotary vs fixed wing incursion! There are plenty of videos out there showing that fixed wing and Helis in the same pattern don't mix well..

[Grossman56]

We have a very informal club, no monthly meetings as most of us meet at the field and talk between flights. Members are very respectful of others when flying, when someone is doing 3D, we sit back and watch rather than trying to buzz the field at the same time. On the other hand, the 3Ders do the same for sport flyers, heck they strap on their favorite plane and join in the mayhem!!
Always a good time at our field.
The down side is that we don't own our field, we lease from the BLM, so anyone can fly there and there's not much we can do about it, so it's hard to fill the coffers for improvements, still, we press on..........

Grossman56

[jobinseattle]

What I like about our club:
We have three fields to choose from. 2 grass and 1 paved
Very informal and not obsessed with rules.
Everyone gets along.
Only $40 a year

I would like to see more sport flying and 3D.

[TiredIronGRB]

What I like about our club:
We have three fields to choose from. 2 grass and 1 paved
Very informal and not obsessed with rules.
Everyone gets along.
Only $40 a year

I would like to see more sport flying and 3D.

Does your club have a web page?

[wvrailfan]

What I like, I like that our club is pretty easy going and not overly regulated. We are an AMA club and have the basic safety rules posted, we even have an actual safety officer. But unless someone does something that is obviously a safety hazard, folks are left to their own devices.

I like that we are a small club, currently 28 members, so members get to know each other. We don't have any limits on how many can fly at one time, but since we are small there is rarely more than two or three planes in the air at one time. I've never had to "wait my turn" to fly.

I like that we are located in the middle of a large field that is owned by the county parks commission, we pay $1.00 a year to use. Most of the field is used to grow hay and a farmer cuts it twice a year. The only cutting and maintaining we do is our runway, parking and break area and shelter. We maintain a 500 foot by 35 foot grass runway. We even get free advice and help from the head grounds keeper at a nearby county golf course.

Since we are small and have very little financial burden we are able to keep our dues low, $40.00 per year, just enough to cover our AMA obligation, lawnmower upkeep, gas and our solar powered battery charging station.

Our club does have a web site www.Mountaineer-RC-Club.com and a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Mountaineer...6849362176177/ We try to both, keep our members in the loop and invite potential new members. The web presence does allow us to let folks know that even though we are a small club, we are active and there is stuff going on. In fact, the Facebook page has generated a few new members.

And last, I like that our club, even though it is small, is diverse in our membership. We have cops, engineers, retired guys, handicapped members, female flyers and even a couple of middle school age youngsters just getting started. We have members that fly multi rotors, helicopters, 3D and aerobatics, some that are into war birds and some that just want to fly slow relaxing planes, and everyone seems to appreciate what everyone else is flying! Most of our members are flying electric, but we have a couple still flying fuel. Everything is welcome short of large turbines, simply because our field is too small for them to fly safely. It makes the flying field a place you want to hang out at.

What I dislike, not much. A lot of what I like about our club is a detriment to some things I'd like to see happen. With a small club comes small finances which makes it hard to make improvements, like paving a runway or upgrading facilities. This in turn can make it hard to attract new members since the club can appear stagnant. Additionally, being in a rural state means finding new members can be problematic.

Over all, I am content with my little club. It is about ten minutes from my house. There are two other clubs within 30 minutes of my house, both are larger clubs, one has a nice paved runway and I have visited both of them. Neither felt as inviting as the one I fly at.

[wrongroad]

G'day wvrailfan,
Sir, you just summed it up with one word. Inviting.
If people think that a club is too overbearing they will soon look for other club's or other things to do.
My club has seven rules that we do need to obey and none of them stop us from having fun.
One rule, that seems to bug a couple of our pilots is the 400 foot rule, yet those who complain about the rule never even get close to the ceiling. We are very close to our district airport. We are within the 3 nautical mile limit but applied to our Federal Aviation group and received an exemption to fly as long as we hold to the 400 foot rule and have a radio scanner to monitor aircraft movements at the airport. The extended center line of the runway is just 900 metres to our east [behind us so to speak] and we fly to the west of our runway but it does keep us on our toes.
My club is on notams and we have been called directly from time to time. The fire fighting aircraft use the local airport right through out summer [right now until Easter] and we are almost on a first name basis with the pilots. They do call us directly and give us a ten minute heads up that they will be coming near us.
This brings in the next rule that we must have two people at the field whenever model flying is happening. One flying and one to monitor the radio.
No flying in fog. A distance of three hundred metres must be clear. That is easy for us as the nearest object to avoid are the trees. Three hundred metres away. If you can see them you can fly. Although we do have one pilot called Superman who thinks he can see through the fog. It took him two hours to find his model one day. Yes, he is still stupid enough to fly in poor conditions.
We can not do any night flying due to the airport but with mossies as big as 747's, no one has ever suggested that we fly at night.
The seven kilogram heavy model rule. If it is over the seven KG mark, it has the inspected and the pilot duly endorsed to fly it. Only one pilot has models over seven KG [soon to be three] and the only pilots who whinge have no intention of flying heavies.
All these rules are either CASA [Civil Aviation Safety Authority] or our governing body rules. Any rules made by The MAAA are endorsed by CASA even if CASA do not require the extra rules.
The last of the seven is a very strict rule for our club and some pilots can not bring themselves to obey it at all. Bring your sense of humor with you! Everyone is fair game in our club!! And at least one person will always see what you did!!
I am the PR officer for my club and I hand out a 'joining package' whenever a new member pops their head in for a look.
I make sure that I greet them, Identify myself, introduce them to the members present on the day, show them around, offer them a flight with out club trainer, and then, if they are looking like being interested, I give them a package with a membership form and prices, a business card with the club details on it, some facts on flying, the seven club rules and the reason why we have them, a dvd on model flying and an invitation to came back on club days with our registered instructor's names and contact details. And if we have the BBQ going, they get a free sausage sandwich and a soft drink.
Notice we have business cards. Much cheaper than fliers and more likely to stay in a wallet instead of being screwed up and thrown in the trash.
Also, if you noticed, I mention explaining the reason behind the rules we fly under.
Never say 'you can't!' Because most of the time you can. But you should not due to safety or other reasons. Make sure you understand why and explain the reasons to pilots. 'Because you can't!' is not a reason and this will upset more people than you think. If you can not give them the reason, it makes them think you are making up the rule to suit yourself or you do not have a clue. Either way is not a good start.
Be open about any rules and have the explanation ready as well and only relate the rules that they need to know. A new pilot does need to know about Jet Turbines, just yet.....
What is the saying, 'a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down.' Having an explanation is the sugar.
And please, do not charge new comers to your field a 'landing fee.'
I drove three hundred kilometres to be greeted with, not hello how are you, good to see you here but a very gruff, it is five dollars per flight for visitors mate and sign the F&*%îng visitors book as well, right?
Did I stay?
The next stop was another hour further on and a club that I have flown at many times and I am always made welcome and my visit gets in the next newsletter. Much more INVITING.


Regards and respect
Daryl

[Pauly]

Our club is not to crazy with rules. We are just as Doc had said "use common sense". We allow 6 planes at a time and we do want a spotter with many in the air. Now if there are just say 2 of you out at time and on a normal its no big deal. And really don't want any taxing in the pit area. Other then that just use common sense on charging lipos and any other thing may apply. Tirediron, we do have a website, but its outdated and kinda a third party deal. Go to www.coastalplanes.com click on clubs and look for Kinston Aero-Modelers. I've been a member for three years and my name is not on the roster. But there you can see a list of things there.

[Ole-Timer]

Our long time still operating club founded in 1960 just got to the point that most members want annual fee’s to be next to nothing. That means no improvements, operate on a shoe string budget. What’s left of the older members also have become control freaks. They do not want helie’s, quads, or drones of any type. I decided as of this year to no longer be a member. If it isn’t in their description of fun, then go away... So I will. Very sad as my dear departed mentor from youth was a founding member of that club.

Those of of us who are deemed renegades by the old club members, get along marvelously well and share the passion of seeing the hobby evolve and embrace that. Seeing this coming three years back, I used my connections and worked with County Parks to establish an area to fly electric Rc at the “unused ball fields site” of one park. It’s the honor system, we are not an AMA sanctioned field, we are supposed to have AMA to fly there, we are supposed to obey AMA rules, and we do work with the park to stay clear of any other use of the site which is very rare. It’s a great place to go enjoy the camaraderie and freedom that Rc is all about. When we need to, we take turns, help others, fly a bunch of planes at once... It’s so nice to just get along and have fun. If the crowd gets too big, helie’s move left to the north ball field and leave the runway for the planes. Quads move right to the south ball field. We just adapt and use the ample space to provide for all. To avoid mid air’s when flying multiple models at the same time, we fly just like at the airport and designate the active runway by winds. If it’s a small crowd, maiden, or a new pilot, we take turns. It’s simple and it works.

[Pauly]

I hate to hear that! We due have club dues at $100 a year and have our fly-ins to raise money, but we use it 1, for paying a power bill monthly and we have a building and a big shelter and have cookouts at club expense usually at least once a year for that and are in the process of closing in a portion of our shelter for a club house. We do welcome all things that fly. Most of our members fly anything from quads, nitro, gas, electric and even some turbines. I hate to hear that a club would limit to only gas or one thing. It sounds like you have your own club started. Good Luck and Happy Flying

[Grossman56]

Our little club welcomes all types of flight, our members rang in age from the 20' s to the 70's and everyone gets along, we all have one common passion, R/C and perpetuating it.
Our dues are a whopping $15 annually ! Try to raise it, and they squawk, as if they can't afford an extra $5 per year. What do you do??

Clubs like OT's late club will whither and die because of their own stupidity while others, like the one he and his bud's are just starting, are the future.

Too bad, pretty sure they said the same about foamies not that long ago. I got the nickname "Foamie Dan" at the swap meet yesterday and I wear it with pride, especially if it helped swing the interest in a positive direction.

Good luck in the future endeavor and don't let the bastards get you down!!

Grossman56

[Pauly]

Yeah, wow a whole $5 and one complains. We have dues for things to use for improvements. I know just this past week we had to spray the usual herbicides and pesticides to make the field nice and green kill off weeds, ants and unwanted bugs. That alone costs and we are a AMA sanctioned club and dues aren't much for that, but it does cost..

[Grossman56]

Well, Herbicides and pesticides are something we don't worry too much about, we have Sagebrush and Rattlesnakes, deer and antelope (really!)
We did get our runway resurfaced last year FINALLY! as that was long overdue.
Some of us put in $20 per year anyway, with the wife and I both signing up, it was $40, big deal. Had a great lunch at the Swap meet and that was $20 per person. All with donations so it didn't cost to put it on and some raffles so we have some money in the bank.
Hopefully, we can get the membership numbers up this year as well, all the usual things that a club goes through. Here's some shots from last Fall, as you can see, not a lot of grass...






Grossman56

[rifleman_btx]

I like that mine isn't a club, but a great group of people who fly at a field. No fees no politics. Video of the flying site to come.

[Pauly]

Grossman, that's some beautiful country my friend. It's been a while since I've been across Wy. Wow, a hard surface would be nice. One of the guys in our club works with an equipment rental company and was able for them to bring out a heavy roller and rerolled and smoothed out the field the last week before we sprayed everything. When and if it ever warms up here our field pretty and green. Hopefully, spring will be here and I'm sure as we all love to complain about something we'll be complaining about it being to hot here. We none can seem to be satisfied can we. One the subject here though I love being a part of our club and yes hate to pay out a $100 a year, but we do use our dues for improvements and such things. As I had said earlier we just got electricity out at our field the past 6 months or so and I cant tell you how great it is to have that.