HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Originally Posted by ira d
I think the idea of changing the club rules so that your club membership is only effect when your AMA is in effect is the way to go.


Every one of the 5 R/C clubs I belong to (3 in Wisconsin 2 in Arizona) Requires U to have a current AMA membership to Fly at the respective field. One club places a club sticker on your current AMA card as proof of membership in both the AMA and the club. While Flying your AMA card must be prominently displayed ... Hard to know everyone when a club has over 300 members.

ira d

I think what people want is what they think is a foolproof way to stop non AMA members from operating at their site, Unfortunately there is no way to100% block access to non AMA members unless you
post a full time guard at your site with a way to verify each persons card.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

The large Arizona club does just that. AMA cards with the club sticker must be displayed while flying and any club member is authorized and supposed to ask anyone that they don't recognize to produce an AMA card with the club sticker. If they have an AMA they can fly for 3 different times by filling out a card and putting it in a box used to collect the $10 daily flying fee charged after a person has used up his/hers 3 free days. This club is very expensive to operate. example over
$52 grand to top the 760' x 100' runway with just 1-1/2" of asphalt. Because of 3 past years of bad weather during many of our 6 / year events causing poor attendance and poor parking donations as a result the dues were raised from $75 to $100 / year where the extra $25 per member is expressly to be used for any runway maintenance.

If a club wants to run a tight ship it can be done if all members must cooperate.

Jennifer Curtis

Has anyone besides me considered that the AMA is us,
and that if we don't want this change, we don't have to
allow it? All it will take is someone to champion the cause,
and make out leaders aware of our wishes.

Jenny

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

That's why we elect our representatives to make these decisions for us. When has any politicians changed their minds because U wanted something different than they wanted or how the others wanted them to vote?

rcmiket

My thoughts exactly. The problem is most just want to fly and belong to the AMA because it is the only option and is what most clubs require. My biggest concern today with the AMA is how this money is being spent. It's OUR organization and if you want to get involved make your thoughts known to your District VP, ask how they voted at EC meeting hold them accountable.

Mike

ira d

Sounds like you belong to a very nice and well run club there in Arizona, However these days a AMA card can easily be counterfeited so just because they have a card does not necessarily mean
they have AMA insurance especially if they are flying as a guest. Bottom line a club sure needs to do what is reasonable to insure their members are AMA members and once you have don't worry
to much about the rest, I for one just don't think it will be a big deal if the AMA goes to a year around renewal.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Not to hijack this thread.....but it is "drifting".....why does your club ( assuming yours do) charge a visitor $xx.xx a day for flying WITH you....do they use up the air or something?

jerry

Chris P. Bacon

My Feedback: (4)

Better yet, why not? Some clubs have many expenses, why not charge non-members to use the facility the members pay for. Seems only fair.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

I know the 'host' club put a lot of time and money in their facilities.....and then a visitor shows up.......BUT (think along with me) ....when a visitor comes to my house, I don't charge them to eat and drink with me.......OK, I will accept they ( the visitors) were invited by me to come over....but doesn't your club "Welcome" visitors ( sort of like 'inviting' them to fly with you?

now I can see the problem when the 'visitor' becomes a frequent visitor.....but someone just passing through........I say "welcome"!

Chris P. Bacon

My Feedback: (4)

The club I belong to has high expenses, but we don't charger for visitors. However, we also don't have many visitors so it's never been an issue. However, it's easy to see how some folks could become permanent visitors in order to circumvent paying to become a member which is usually the reason behind these types of trivial fees.

Duncman

Our club you are not a member in good standing unless you belong to AMA as well as paid up club dues and if you are not in good standing you can't fly at our field. When members renew every year they are supposed to provide a copy of current AMA with their renewal application, not all do, but I have their AMA# so I go to the website and do a member verification, if verified that is the end of it, if not they get a phone call and are not allowed to use the field until they comply, makes for a busy time right around the first of the year. New members are handled much the same way but they come in year round in a trickle so it is not a large effort at the time of year you'd rather be at the field flying rather than cooped up in the house running numbers. It is easy to say enter the renewals in outlook and notify them when delinquent, but when you are tracking those dates and verifying AMA memberships, you are doing a lot of unnecessary babysitting. You collect club dues on the first of the year and then you hope they send a copy of their AMA to you or you react to a notification from "Outlook", do a verification, then a phone call and now you have to do a follow-up, maybe another one, yuk. Auto insurance has renewal dates based on entry but you are paying for that service, RC clubs are volunteer, we should be looking at ways to make it easier on those that are going the extra mile for nothing to make their club work, not making the effort more difficult.

Duncman

The policy is sound, the enforcement, not so much.

[email protected]

My Feedback: (1)

i dont care what they do iam 83 and will not be able to afford the ama so once a mont ill go to the desert iam ony 40 miles from it been there a lot very good place to fly

[email protected]

My Feedback: (1)

tell the ama to stop sending the magazines>>i throw mine away nothing in them worth while reading

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Jerry: The Arizona Model Aviators is a very expensive club to run. It' is on county Park property and they have a hefty yearly rent that increases every year. The cost to maintain the Facility are High, compared to clubs that fly off the desert dirt with carpet under the shaded area (witch is small compared to ours). Our covered area is 250' x 20' with about 30 5' x 10' setup tables under the shade shelter. And a pit area and pilot starting and flight areas of 80' x 200' with 2 16' x 150' safety century fence and bleachers for the spectators. Also 3 bunkers for storage and large parking area that has to be maintained. p.s. the $10.00 / day has been changed to $0 /day for 3 times if U have not been a regular member before. Plus we have 15 Intro Pilot Instructors and many New student pilots that can fly free with an instructor for 60 days from their first flight. After that they need to Join the AMA and the Club In order to fly or continue with free instruction.

place this in google maps. https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4430...!3m1!1e3?hl=en

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

Hound Dog, do they still have a policy that allows you to pay by the day??? Sounds like a great place and who knows, I might want to go there and fly for a week or two and certainly wouldn't mind paying for multiple days... Alternately, do you guys offer memberships to guys that live over a certain distance from the flying site? I know of a few clubs that do...

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

I know a lot of people say that...I guess I am one of the few that like the mag...especially like ready about things I don't do or do often.

The advertisement is fine IMO and I think that is one of its greatest attractions as MA makes it possible, due to the relatively low cost, for small cottage type businesses to show their wares... I Know, I know, many think the mag should charge more for the advertising to make it more financially self sufficient but I see the mag as one of our biggest tools in promoting the hobby... I would like to see it move even further in that direction... FWIW, when it comes to stuff like that, I am more than happy to pay for it or even more... FWIW they could cut some of the organizational political posturing crapola IMO... But turning up the volume on promoting the hobby would be great.

Duncman

The Arizona Model Aviators certainly have a nice facility, I believe ours does also. We have a 61ft X 620ft. paved runway with a 9300 s.f. paved apron (apron in dire need of replacement, runway sound), a 2500 s.f. pit area with awning, tables, start up stands, flush toilets and it takes $$$$ to make it all work and the dues just cover a portion of it, events are a huge help but careful budgeting and planning saves the day. We do not charge visitors anything to fly at our field, just AMA, if they become regular they are encouraged to join. Should we charge a use fee, maybe, we don't have that need yet but I can certainly see the need with a club field like the Arizona Model Aviators have would be in order. For someone to make the comment "do they use up the air or something" does not really understand what it takes to make these facilities what they are, the nicer they are, the larger the cost, simple. No club should be dinged for charging visitors, but all clubs that don't charge should be commended. There are no free lunches.

Duncman

littlecrankshaf, I enjoy MA also and find it very informative for a SIG publication. [email protected]" is an elderly that is disgruntled about a dues increase thread from another forum.

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

Sounds like a great club! FWIW if I use another club's facility...especially if they are really cool, I give a donation to someone I can trust to get it to the proper person. But as you said, those clubs that doesn't "charge" gets an especially large appreciation...read donation... Our club' motto is "be our guest" and that means as often and as much as you like...we might even be talked into given out a free membership...LOL

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

I've flown at the AMA field (only 51 miles away from my house!) a couple of times and yes, you do have an excellent facility - and it appears to have a lot of nice guys there also. I wonder how much additional funds are brought into any club from 'visitors' and I guess each club has to evaluate that and ask 'is it worth it?'..Their call for sure.

Our club (http://www.amcrc.us/) is a little different because of where we are located and what we fly off of (dirt!) but all visitors are welcome as many times as they wish. Our 'SnowBird' special is $25 for half year membership - BUT before you can join you have to fly with us for a month or two (free of course) and then , if they wish, can join. Yes, we are an AMA club and have two rules: Fly Safely and NO BITC*EN about club politics at the field. The result is a bunch of guys who just seem to get along and enjoy flying everything from Micro to giant scale (one time we even had a turbine flying!). Our biggest problem is we usually can't fly on the weekends as soccer rules the day! The result is a lot of 'gray headed warriors' who sure do enjoy each other.

IF AMA does change the time frame for membership, it won't effect us very much but I do feel for the large clubs like the Arizona Model Aviators (I love their 'AMA' call letters).

No one has ventured a guess as to WHY AMA is thinking of changing it's renewal policy.....I say it is to relieve the 'rush' and corresponding effect on the staff.....

Jerry

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Yes we allow 3 times free then ask $10/day. No special member ship for say Snow Birds of witch I am. 6 months there and 6 months in Wisconsin. I Hate Cold and Snow. Don't think I could the summers at well over 100 degrees for 4 or 5 mounts straight. The break even point would be 16 days. Yearly dues are #135 the first year and $100 / year after that. Come spend a month or two U will never spend winters in a cold climate again. Been doing this for 13 years or so.

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Yes we allow 3 times free then ask $10/day. No special member ship for say Snow Birds of witch I am. 6 months there and 6 months in Wisconsin. I Hate Cold and Snow. Don't think I could the summers at well over 100 degrees for 4 or 5 mounts straight. The break even point would be 16 days. Yearly dues are #135 the first year and $100 / year after that. Come spend a month or two U will never spend winters in a cold climate again. Been doing this for 13 years or so.

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

I used to belong to the Arizona Model Aviators. During the year I belonged, I had to pay $50 to the county for parking. I mistakenly believed that would cover my parking for the year. However when i arrived for one of the events I was charged another $10. I never rejoined.
The club I belong to now also has about 300 members.It also has a large covered,carpeted space for assembling your A/C. The runway is dirt. I actually like dirt better than asphalt. Since I am blind in one eye and sometimes I miss judge the runway its a lot easier on props.
Since it is in the desert, there are no noise restrictions. On the weekends, there are usually a large number of IMAC fliers that fly with very large A/C. Some of those fliers have national ratings. During the week, old fts and snowbirds fly (in the winter that is)
Since we have no expensive asphalt runway to maintain, our dues are about 1/2 the AMA's
You can fly there 3 times then you have to join to fly