blikseme300

My Feedback: (118)

There is no "free" option on this poll so I could not choose one.

The facility we fly at is an active crop dusting operation. The field manager keeps the grass short at all times and we don't need to pay anything. He actually refuses any kind of compensation. All he expects in return is that we fly every weekend.

The only complaint we have is about the heat this time of year. Even el Diablo said today, "I'm outta here, back to hades as it is cooler."

Thanks goes to Moad Aviation for having us.

Bliksem

dreamwever

Hello we pay $80 a year but that covers 600' runway 140' e-runway six flight stations water & power and about 20 acers to fly in.with coverd pits.

RCER88

My Feedback: (25)

For $40.00 a year I fly adjacent to an active grass runway in Gladwin Mi at the Gladwin airport. Our field is grass we have a pavilion with storage for the lawnmower and porta potties Our runway is over 800 feet long by 200 feet wide. We mow it. Every Monday from May to September we have "training night" so we can teach anyone who is interested and we are there from 5pm to dark. We have 3-5 people under the AMA program so we can teach non-AMA members.

No initiation fees or anything like that current membership about 30. Many people who show up at our field really enjoy the open unobstructed flying we have. On occasion we have to land all birds so a "full scale" can land but anymore those are rare. I fly there on average 3 days a week.

cbh82v

My Feedback: (2)

Your not kidding!!! My job takes me all over the US. The Orlandoarea is way over priced. Mostclubs in the area are over $300 to join. I have been to clubs with everything you listed for less thanhalf the price.

$100 a year with a $50 initiation is fair for a Premium club with apaved runway,club house, work and startbenches, and electricity.Anything more is a rip off.

Mr Ammo

Three types of members, Doers, Flyer's and those who join for camaraderi. The more a member pays the less they feel motivated to help out, the flyers support the hobby and bring the hobby to new people, the kibitzing crew, well they bring experience or obloviate their past. The best dues are to sign a new flyer up!

straitnickel

I pay $50 I used to belong to two clubs, each has it.s own plus. after I got layed off I only stayed with one.

straitnickel

There are also to many variables to say that one fee fits all. I think that was already said thou.

straitnickel

And again I think of how lucky I am to have the time place and money to enjoy flying my planes.

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

What's wrong with a grass runway? That is how flying started.

straitnickel

We have blacktop, and rolled grass. Most of us fly off the grass. Nothing wrong with having grass.

tfowen53

Here in North GA the closest clubs fees are $ 250 the first year, $ 200 there after plus AMA. Wanted to get back into flying after I retired....But not at those prices....I'm not one of those rich Atlanta folks.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Well heck and here I thought it was sand at Kitty Hawk.

Oberst

Well, the owner of any private property will pay the same amount of tax if they have a field for us to use or not. It doesn't take me more than $40 to cut the grass and maintain a grass runway because I donate my time and equipment. Not to say if fuel prices keep going up, then I'll one day have to retract that statement.

But when prices go up higher than $50 then I think clubs are taking advantage of people. At times I feel like I'm just throwing my money in the wind because not once have I needed to claim anything from the AMA, but I'm required to keep my AMA membership up to date just to be able to fly anywhere. Add that to club cost and it's a price of another kit or ARF!

Unless a club has about 4 picnics a year, door & cash prizes for its own members when they have shows, then it's just taking advantage because they all think we're made of money. Because one becomes disabled or becomes unemployed, they shouldn't be pushed out of enjoying this hobby. I don't think seniors or students should be the only ones to get discounts, but that's another subject.

To be fair, the owner of the private field should only charge to cover the tax on that part of that field, not to cover his whole property! The more members of a club, the more the cost for all its members should come down. I haven't seen one club ever have a problem with someone wanting to donate equipment or time to make the flying area nice. This is my opinion and I'm entitled to share.

Another thing, since the AMA refuses to give discounts for safe flying, or eliminate the magazine for a additional discounts- I think it's up to the president or owners of flying fields to give us a little slack and keep the prices around $40 or less.

In this economy we all have to tighten our belts, why not clubs and the AMA? I thought club and the AMA like promoting this hobby? Can't do it by ripping us off so we can't enjoy flying are planes. To me $140 is a chunk a change for just to be able to fly his models. Not everyone can afford it without sacrificing something. I'm just thinking of the guy who's having a rough time, got a wife and kids and likes to fly his planes a few times a month, just so he can enjoy aviation and relax- or get away from it all for a while.


Pete

billd76

My Feedback: (3)

I belong to a couple of clubs. One is 35.00 a year, and the other is 45.00 with a 45 initiation fee for first time joiners. I don't mind paying the money. Always good poeple at either field. I have learned more about RC at the field than anywhere else. There are times that I'll just stop by one of them after work, just to see who's flying what and take a gander at how they have things set up. Everytime I go I learn something new.

Admiral052

My club is a beautiful field about 15 minutes from my house. It is 300$ to join and 100$ a year. The field is open year round, has paved 800ft runways, taxi areas, benches, covered spectator area, charging stations for electrics. The best part of the initial fee though is the free flight instruction. I figure this will pay for the inital fee since I have already learned some valuable lessons in a flight from the intructors. Plus all the usual people there are very helpful.

eddieC

My Feedback: (2)

A club I had been a member of is now $75 plus $20 initiation fee. They are on a bumpy, lumpylandfill with no utilitiesthat only costs $100 per year for the lease, but pay contract mowing ($2,000 avg) and grub control ($500-$700 annually - paranoia!!) . Fees were $30 not so long ago with no initiation, and the members did the mowing. My late brother and I even volunteered to mow, but were voted down.

I now fly at a nice little field with a great bunch who don't mind pitching in to help. $40, no initiation fee.

Scar

My Feedback: (3)

Didn't they use a wooden rail, at Kitty Hawk?

I always wondered how they landed on that darn thing...

Dave lson

hiTmanhiT

I pay about 90$ a year.
The club got about 30 members. And we don't have our own field or anything, we just fly at some spots which everyone is invited to fly at.
Though do we rent a indoorarena about once a month. And we got a portable racing "track".

Welcome to norway

stevenmax50

My Feedback: (1)

My club is 30 bucks.  Plus AMA membership.  Our field is grass and we keep it mowed.  We have a large awning with about 6 tables under it.  We have 4 flight stations and a gorgous view of Lookout Mountain righ in front of us.  The mountain is about a mile away.  Not Rockies kinda stuff...but 3000 ft.  Very scenic.  A great bargain.  Much less money than my golf club dues.

stevenmax50

My Feedback: (1)

[quote]ORIGINAL: Oberst


I lost control of a plane and it flew into the parking lot and hit a car. AMAdid NOTHING for me. I had to claim it on my homeowners, which went up because of the claim. I am no fan of the AMAor the requirment to have it.

stevenmax50

My Feedback: (1)

We are about 45 minutes from Rome if thats not too far for you. See my previous post about how much it costs.

ArcticCatRider

My Feedback: (6)

I pay AMA, a county permit, and Club dues (more than one)

I am well over $100 a year.....there's a club that has shelters and paved runway that would cost me more, but I don't really need those acoutrements.

The nicer clubs cost more. It's no different than anything else....you get what you pay for.

drbenz

My Feedback: (11)

I pay $210 per year. we have a 50x500 concrete runway, electricity, water and about a dozen shelters with concrete floors. Cost is high but we own the land. not sure what the mortgage payment is on 29 acres. Its nice that we can make our own rules, we dont need to ask anyones permission to do anything, we just have a club vote and its done.

Ken Kehlet

My Feedback: (89)

This R/C Flying is MY Hobby, a Hobby that I have enjoyed for well Over 70 years, with over 50 years of flying R/C. Back then, we didn't need any R/C Clubs, we really needed R/C intelligence and designers/builders of models that could carry those heavy batteries. A flying field was any High School Football Field for Control Line and the occasional R/C Attempt.

Then we got chased off by the Police due to the neighbor’s complaints and "Anti Noise" laws. The R/C guys started installing Mufflers but, if a resident heard any model airplane engine, R/C or Control Line, out came the Police.[]

Hence the need for Model Airplane Flying Fields. Where land was plentiful and you could get a City Councilman on your side, some cities put in Control Line circles. As R/C became more popular, some cities expanded their areas to include enough area to safely fly R/C. The cities had to protect themselves, so why not require this AMA Insurance for anyone using the facility.

If you couldn't get support and backing from the City that you lived in, then it was the search of the farmlands and open pastures, asking for permission to fly your model airplane. At first it was just you and your model airplane buddy, then a few more guys found out where you were flying, now there had to be some control before you all lost the PRIVLAGE of using the farmer’s property.

We needed a place to FLY and time to enjoy our hobby.

So, you formed a club, wrote the By-Laws, Safety Rules and Field Regulations. If arrangements had been made with the landowner, you took care of the Runway area and respected his rules.

Modelers came around, not because we were such great guys to be with, but because we had a Flying Field and they needed a place to fly. The same reason most modelers join any club.

R/C Flying Fields and Airports are being closed because of new Housing, Golf Courses, Highways, and disgruntled Homeowners due to the noise.

In Southern California, I drove 55 miles to get to Mile Square, (Now Closed) or 60 miles to Sepulveda Basin, or 45 miles to Whittier Narrows. (I was informed that you must pay a fee each time you use this park.)

In Oklahoma City, I drive 1.3 miles to our flying field and I'm proud to be part of our club.

If you are using a R/C Flying Field, you should be Thankful that someone took the initiative to procure that piece of land that you are now using. No matter what the cost, if it’s not good enough for you, make a plan, get involved, and be part of the improvements.

Or, attempt to find a new place to put in a R/C Flying Field, Parking lot, Shelter, Outhouse and Storage building. See what reaction you get from the landowners.

$40.00/Year Dues is Cheap for the use of any Flying Field. That’s less than $0.11/Day.

Our Port-O-Potty cost us $65.00/Month, $780.00/year, (~$2.13/day) and anyone can use it.

Ken

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

[quote][/quote] Pete: you are certinally entitled to your opuion but get real. First of all if you think someone should not be compinsated for there land ownership, then you go uot and buy 40 or so acers and donate it to your flying club for free. Also if a person is laid Off and has no income maybe they aut to be out looking for a job and not wasting their families rent and food money on an expensive hobby. I have always said if you can't afford the hobby go find something you can afford, and stop whining about not being able
to get it for free,.