ORIGINAL: pitts M 12
I think I might end up joining just so i could fly at the gimili model fest.
JM
To offer another good reason to join MAAC (while off topic kind of from this thread).....
We are currently facing issues in the RC hobby, most recently, the incident involving an RC helicopter near YVR (Vancouver airport) at approximately 2000' presumably being flown via FPV. According to flight crew, it came within 100' of a 777 on approach and was also seen by 3 or 4 other aircraft on approach.
Couple that with all the other smaller (but they all accumulate) issues of people flying in public parks, FPV incidents etc, and we in the RC hobby are walking an incredibly slippery slope.
It is only a matter of time before Transport Canada and the Federal Government become highly involved in RC and place restrictions and further regulations on the hobby.
MAAC has always been very proactive in regards to being our "Voice" with Transport Canada and I believe it to be a respected organization in the eyes of the Gov't and it's varied organizations.
By following MAAC rules and regulations, and flying in a safe and proper manner (which if you follow MAAC rules and regs you will be doing) we limit the potential for Gov't intervention. Unfortunately there is a huge group who view MAAC only as an insurance policy and don't want to pay for that.
Once the Gov't gets involved further, MAAC will be our voice, we need to support that voice if we want any chance of this hobby remaining free as it is today. We don't want to see RC become regulated like full scale aviation, and we sure don't want to try to take on the gov't as individuals. Having a national organization in good standing is more important today than it's ever been. People seem to progress with stupidity as years go by, we need a voice of experience with good statistics to back up why it's sitll a safe hobby.
Even if you don't want to fly at a MAAC field, or attend events, for the $75 per year it costs to belong to MAAC, it's worth supporting them simply for the fact that they are the ones that will have the biggest voice for US, the modeler at the end of the day.
Just my 2 cents.