What do you like/dislike about your RC club?

[Hoomi]

If a club is collecting dues, but the bills are not being paid, the board is falling down on the job.

Many years ago, we lived out in the High Desert in Southern California. We had wonderful, dark nights, and I bought a telescope to enjoy the dark sky sights. I got involved in an Astronomy club near where I worked, and in short order, got asked if I was willing to help out by being on the Board as Treasurer (I thought it was rather risky to ask a relatively new member to such a position, but I've always been willing to help out). When I took over the club treasury, we had member magazine subscriptions which had been paid for, but never sent to the magazine publishers, outstanding bills that hadn't been paid, member dues checks that hadn't been deposited in several months, etc. I don't know if the previous treasurer had become too busy, or just lost interest, but it took me quite a while to get everything straightened out again, including writing a lot of apologetic letters to members for the delays.

It shouldn't happen that way, but when dealing with essentially an all-volunteer board, it can get too easy to start looking at club duties as more or less optional chores, to be gotten to whenever. When members are paying dues with certain expectations, though, that isn't acceptable. When people are doing work for the club on a for-pay basis, they should be paid promptly, just as we all expect to receive our paychecks promptly for the work we perform.

[Grossman56]

You should expect some bang for your buck for sure!
Our dues are minimal but we have a great bunch of guys who get together in the Spring and clean and preen the field. Got the runway repaved last year and although there are still some small issues with it, it's a lot better than it was.
Instead of demanding money from people, they should present a plan of action so people could see what the intend to do, at least that way you're more inclined to pay dues and join clubs.

Grossman56

[Grady.c]

That it doesnt exist......:( Anyone want to come fly at Jeffco Aeromodelers, the closest actually club. My club is just me and my dog.

[Hoomi]

That it doesnt exist......:( Anyone want to come fly at Jeffco Aeromodelers, the closest actually club. My club is just me and my dog.

I think it'd be a rather long drive, but Colorado is a beautiful place to visit.

My last time in Colorado, I pretty much just blew through on the way to and from the eclipse last year, and mostly in the dark, so I didn't even get to see much along the road.

[Grady.c]

I think it'd be a rather long drive, but Colorado is a beautiful place to visit.

My last time in Colorado, I pretty much just blew through on the way to and from the eclipse last year, and mostly in the dark, so I didn't even get to see much along the road.

Bummer. It is really nice here to fly when it is not snowing and there are not elk or deer on the field.

[crankestein]

Grossman;

there is another club, the deal is it adds about 25 to 30 minutes of my drive while the abandoned one is 5 minutes.

The longer drive will be justified by one grassy smooth field and a paved one usually used for jets. They own the property, so the moment I pay the club fees its a hassle free deal, no landlord surprises etc, just follow the rules and thats it.
It has picnic tables w power outlets on each one of them, nice shaded areas by trees and a main building w restrooms and a lounge area.

Besides the drive, the one thing I dont like is one section of the field is too close to the road for my taste, and there is lots of traffic. Flew once a few days ago and I was a little stressed out about it. Well, it somewhat close, but the possibility is there of hitting a car.

[Woodcock]

Wow, I actually really like all three clubs I joined, great people, great times. But ya ask and you will receive. "WE AINT GOT NO GRASS"! That's the thing I hate, not dislike, I actually hate this about SoCa, San Diego Area. No grass. So if you have a mishap, or have to make a belly landing, it's tumble weeds, rocks, trees, asphalt, concrete, or any number of plane killing Obstacles. Have you ever seen what a well cured tumbleweed can do to a foam plane?

[Hoomi]

Have you ever seen what a well cured tumbleweed can do to a foam plane?

I see your tumbleweeds and raise you cholla and mesquite trees!

EVERYTHING in the Sonoran Desert has thorns!

[Hoomi]

Cholla... one of the reasons that I do not go anywhere in Arizona without a multitool.

[Gilatrout]

We have two amazing flying sites, maintained and paid for by the city.

Balloon Fiesta Park is a huge grass field with roads we can use as runways. The park is large enough for 3 meter sailplanes to share with electrics including EDFs and room left over for a group of guys flying old timers and a hell buzzing around.

The second site is one of the oldest aeromodeling flying sites in the country. Beautiful paved runway running N-S and covered tables in the pit. There are separate areas reserved for control line and multimotor craft. The city has even agreed to run an E-W runway as soon as budget is available. All types of RC from giant turbines to mini micros fly here.

Also the climate means we can pretty much fly year round.

Complaints. A cross wind usually picks up in the afternoon. Events scheduled at BFP can close the park on weekends. The lake for float planes is 45+ minutes away. Finally, there is a notable lack of cold beverage attendants and massuses to help relax while waiting for batteries to charge.

[Woodcock]

We have two amazing flying sites, maintained and paid for by the city.

Balloon Fiesta Park is a huge grass field with roads we can use as runways. The park is large enough for 3 meter sailplanes to share with electrics including EDFs and room left over for a group of guys flying old timers and a hell buzzing around.

The second site is one of the oldest aeromodeling flying sites in the country. Beautiful paved runway running N-S and covered tables in the pit. There are separate areas reserved for control line and multimotor craft. The city has even agreed to run an E-W runway as soon as budget is available. All types of RC from giant turbines to mini micros fly here.

Also the climate means we can pretty much fly year round.

Complaints. A cross wind usually picks up in the afternoon. Events scheduled at BFP can close the park on weekends. The lake for float planes is 45+ minutes away. Finally, there is a notable lack of cold beverage attendants and massuses to help relax while waiting for batteries to charge.

Nice!

[crankestein]

The lawn was not cut for more than four months, and nothing was told to the maintenance guy and no plan B put in effect to resolve the issue. But I did have two club members breathing down my throat giving me a hard time to pay the club fees as I was caught twice flying w/o paying.

I did it on purpose to see what they were going to do and get their attention. I told them the same way you both are dedicated, and proactive about paying the fees, and implementing club policies, thats how you have to be w the guy who has not taken care of the field for more than four months. The guys were not happy and sounded like a broken record that if I did not pay I had to leave and I kept slamming it on their faces that the club is double standards as they know, and its a good friend of them club member who maintains the field. Kept saying he should be suspended as well, as I packed my stuff into the car. And beforw taking off to give them a final note to tbe awesome conversation, added that a partial refund should be given because of those five months and to pay me for the damaged landing gear due to the conditions of the landing grounds.

[TiredIronGRB]

I have found that most clubs have a couple guys that want to cause issues or don't want new members and new events, the best thing to do is ignore them and focus on getting more members that want to promote the hobby in a positive way to serve as officers and board members. When the majority of club members see improvements in field conditions and better events they will support those making the changes and the ones that were causing problems will fade away once they get voted out.

[Twowingtj]

That's exactly what we did in our club. The folks that want to move the club in a more positive direction have to step up to leadership positions. It's tough and you have to develope a thick skin. Once small changes start to happen, the word gets out. Then the type of people you want in the club start coming into the club. Now you've got the votes to really make things happen. It took us about three years.

Now it's a pleasure to come out to the field. A lot of people are flying very frequently. We hold several events and our big annual charity event draws large crowds and a lot of media coverage. We started an Intro Pilot Program and have picked up several new members including two new Youth Members.

[crankestein]

About wanting certain people, you got a point there because I have attended other club events and I see them all "the group" VIP front row, and its as if I dont exist. On the same event I saw one of the guys who was for a while a guest in our field, and he screamed my name from across the crowd and chatted for a while. Been a new member to the club and seeing they completely ignored me really pissed me off.

I later complained to the club, about not knowing about the current events and somehow my email got misplaced, that was the excuse. It took about three more tries talking to them until I was part of the bang email list.

Am very good on photography and web sites, and offered to maintain the club site for free, last site update about 4 yrs ago. Never heard back from them, and then they got someone else.

Some of the guys are cool with me, they taught me to fly, but it happens that if you want to be part of the "group" then they change as they dont want to be the soft friendly guy. I hate it when they look from the corner of the eye, although not all of them do so.

Finally the grass has been cut low, its a 5 minute commute for me. So if anything fly at different hours and if some of them show up pack up and leave for the day to minimize the drama.

[rifleman_btx]

Yeah when I was in a club there was one guy that would absolutely hog the field, and because he was the resident bad ass 3D pilot the other guys would just let him have it. Not me, when you fly pack after pack or fuel tank after fuel tank for 45 minutes straight not allowing anyone else to fly, that's a problem. After seeing the same maneuvers 100 times in a day that gets boring. Hovering dead center on the runway when someone attempts to bring their plane out, who are you kidding? So me and a couple of my warbird flying buddies deside enough of that, brought out our parkzone warbirds and took off. The club president drove up in the meantime so mr. Badass decides to complain to the president about us flying in his way. Really we were 150 ft up you were dang near tail touching the runway. Of course at the time I was still in my uniform and after our 5 minute flight was over the president called us over and asked us what happened. I basically said "for his 45+ minutes of nonstop flying, we took 5. It's not an event day and we were on our side of the field and up high away from him. He had all that space, no where near him, so tell me again how we were in the wrong?" And yes we announced or takeoffs. He had no answer just that hes such a good pilot we need to give him space. Mind you there are helli guys out there as well and we got along great no problems at all! Just this one punk who thought he owned any field he brought his plane to. So at that point I told the president it's about time to soldier up or its gonna be a bad day at the club. So at that he went to talk to the guy, and since then he wasn't as much of a problem, however he was still an ass and still did hog up the runway as he was flying. Just not as constant. So glad I got away from that, and this new group is so much better

[BluesDragon]

Cholla... one of the reasons that I do not go anywhere in Arizona without a multitool.

Especially the jumping Cholla's! Those are some nasty ones... I do love the looks of the Cholla's though. When I first came to AZ, after 28 years in the FL flat lands, I would say to the wife, "look at those cool lookin' fuzzy trees". I walked up to one and seen them for what they were. Then dug out my multitool! LOL

[rifleman_btx]

Oh yeah, those bushes look evil! We have the mesquite bushes and trees here. Ugh in general those things will rip a plane to shreds even balsa wood construction.

[BluesDragon]

No kiddin'... very happy to not see them around the flying fields. I got this pic just before diggin' out my multitool! They do look pretty cool... from a distance. :)

[rifleman_btx]

Yeah they do!