lorenzofgrs

My Feedback: (-1)

We have a club with 27 members.
We own the land which is 20 hectareas, however only two member are active.
Almost no one flies or builds or asists anymore. Only when someone dies, we get informed.
What surprises me is that no one is interested in selling the land either.
AWKWARD

vpresley

My Feedback: (162)

Wow that's 49 Acres of land! Why is no one flying? A lot of info left out of your post. What is the Club doing to try to attract new members if any thing?


Vince

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

The thread is awkward,, what's your point?

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Seems about right. We have around 140 members and about 20 fly regularly.
Edwin

jester_s1

It's a classic dead club. It only exists because at some point in the past it meant something to people. Now it stays around because it doesn't require any investment to keep. That, of course, doesn't mean that it can't become a good flying club again. If there are any younger pilots in the club who are willing to make some investments to build it up you could start doing some advertising and establish a training day for new pilots. Talk to some of the local youth organizations and schools to see if they are interested, and see what opportunities there are to market yourself to dads.

Flypaper 2

It is what your members make it. There are four of us that own the club property. The club is what makes it. We have always just under 100 members. Around 1965 we started it when we got kicked out of wherever we went to fly, so 6 of us got together and bought 35 acres of scrubland about 15 miles out of Kingston. The club looks after the property taxes and field maintainance is done by volunteer club members. Every spring we have a work party that cleans off brush, rolls the field and puts on grass seed and weed killer. We have a number of events over the summer that brings in a few bucks for club operations and a lot of fun for the club members. Last yr. we had the biggest turnout in Canada for the IMAA event. Very proud to be a member of the Kingston Radio Control Modelers. Here's a pic of our field..

vpresley

My Feedback: (162)

Nice field there Flypaper 2. Just goes to show what a little effort can accomplish!

carrellh

Our club had 45+ members ten years ago, and about 20 now. At least half flew regularly when we were big, now two or three are regular flyers. People lose interest, or have to quit, for many reasons. Some come back, others do not.

Kids do not seem to be fascinated with aircraft like I was, growing up in the 60s and 70s. My nephew, born in 1986, went to the field a few times with my brother and me but he really preferred hanging out with his friends versus hanging out with a bunch of 'old' men 40 miles from home.

pa_28r_200

My Feedback: (3)

What he said. I've got dirt bikes & go karts rotting in my car barn, as well. Kids and young adults have very little interest....but start talking XBox and Play Station and they won't shut the hell up about it.....

acerc

You can say that again!! Nauseating what they think of those little "magic" boxes..

karlik

Aren't there property taxes to be paid?

And yeah - I have kids want to "try" my heli until they find out it takes time and practice to learn. Instant gratification or no gratification seem to be the only choices

hookedonrc

I don't disagree with what has been stated here. The club I am in has a small core of members that do most of the flying. Our membership has gone from a top of 125 members with a wait list since we had a cap, to less than 80 now. I do a lot less flying now, but am over 30 miles from the field when it used to be less than 13 before we moved.

I have always wondered how much the economic situation has impacted our hobby. I think a lot of people have less discretionary income these days and that may part of it too. We sometimes forget how many have been affected, I know I was, but have been lucky and have recovered.

Flypaper 2

Our club pays the taxes. Us field owners don't pay for anything. Taxes aren't that much as it's out in the boonies. We have a great indoor venue in the winter time One of the members is in the armed forces and got a drill hall to rent for a reasnable price. Here are some of our up and coming replacement members.

[email protected]

My Feedback: (1)

my club has about 15 members from 140 in the last 2 yrs kids to day dont care for flying>>and our club dont have any poop to do anything we seem to like it the way it is all old men 65 to 85 same way with the swap meets here in california not many people go to them and then they want it for nothing >>

flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

Most people in this hobby are takers and not givers. By this I mean you have those that benefit by the labor of others and only join a club to use its amenities. The givers usually become resentful and leave. Happens all the time and there is nothing you can do about it. I don't worry about clubs anymore since I fly when our local club does not since we are on public property. Another thing I noticed about large clubs is they want you to join and once you do you are normally ignored.

fliers1

I continue to hear how kids allegedly aren't interested in flying RC airplanes. Last year I helped start a RC modeling program in the Grand Island, NY high school. I'm training 4 tech teachers how to fly and then become instructors. Those teachers signed up a couple dozen kids immediately. No interest?

This year I'm working with the Barker, NY high school and the tech teacher posted a notice for students to join the school's new RC flying club and we currently has a dozen or more names of students wanting to join, male and female. What I did was give a few students flying lessons during tech class. Word got around and many other kids got very interested. Twice a week I go to the school to give a very positive taste of the hobby/sport. BTW, last year's class built two LT-40 kits that we use for the flying class.

I think the clincher is that I have everyone land on their first flight, of course with very little help from me.

fliers1

stoneenforcer

My Feedback: (23)

well if anyone gets down to fl. I belong to this really awesome club. helis have a separate field to themselves. guests are always welcome!

http://ocalaflyingmodelclub.com/

lopflyers

My Feedback: (12)

Bad economy, discretionary income, man this is a hobby, people have priorities.
I belong to two cluns, one went from 290 members to 140, the other one from 60 to 40.
Fortunately there is enough $$ in both that the dues are not comming up this yr but maybe the next.
I agree is dificult for us to compete with those magical boxes, they provide instant gratification w/o effort and a reset button

lopflyers

My Feedback: (12)

WOW stoneenforcer, Im in Orlando, can I really go to Ocala and fly in your club as a guest? It looks awesome

skyarrow1

I am going to be in Ocala this weekend after the Warbirds over Ga event... Picking up a few planes that I really don't need. :-)

Very nice looking field.

Mike

rgburrill

Get your kids a RC flight simulator.  If there is one that works on Xbox, etc, even better.  If not see if your TV will take VGA input and connect you computer to it.  Get them hooked on playing the "game" and perhaps they will eventually want to play that "game" in the real world.[8D]

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I'll see you guys next weekend for the heli event.

And anyone in the area is welcome to hang out at our club in Jacksonville
www.jaxrc.com

jwrich

My Feedback: (17)

Last year, June 27, 12, we lost our flying of 35+ years. Member pulled together, leased a new site within day. The following weekend members took down our flight shack reassembled it on the new site and moved all club property. On our club web site (http://okbarnstormers.com/) click on Boomer Field page and you see what a club can do. Look at the dates on the pictures, you will see how fast we got the field up and flying. The before picture tells what we had to over come. Rich


[link]http://okbarnstormers.com/[/link]

[email protected]

My Feedback: (1)

is that a main highway beside you

jwrich

My Feedback: (17)

That is a dirt road beside the field. There is a four lane hi-way north of the field more than a 1/4 miles away. We had AMA district VP approve the site before we began the improvements.
Check out the web site. We are very proud of Boomer Field

Rich