Southwest Zone Members
May 18,2005



I do not take lightly making this report to you. I have given a lot of consideration as to what action to take, and I’ve sought counsel from members in the zone whose opinions I greatly respect. In the end I have realized that, as a Director of MAAC, it is my responsibility to inform my zone members when there is a situation that may place them at risk, or otherwise have a direct negative impact on them.

On May 11, 2005 I was informed by Chuck Smith that, due to wording in our insurance policy, MAAC members are only covered under the insurance policy for their activities “at events sanctioned by the association”. This deficiency of coverage has existed for the last 4 ½ months, and applies to most of our activities (sport flying).

This information was forwarded to the President of MAAC. What follows is an excerpt from our insurance chair, Richard Barlow, to the board on May 15.
“Chuck did find problems with the policies, especially one clause that could be interpreted as restricting our coverage to sanctioned events. I would like to go on record as thanking him for his diligence and giving full credit to him for his efforts.”

This error in our policy is being taken seriously, and Richard further reported:
“Carl has issued a sanction for all modelling activity in the interim, and Paul Baldwin [MAAC’s insuarance agent] has promised to get the relevant wording changed and the other discrepancies investigated”

As you can see, there is a problem with the wording of the policy. President Carl Layden has attempted a stopgap measure by declaring all member activities to be “sanctioned”. However, although well intentioned, I have serious concerns on whether or not this is a valid action that will extend blanket coverage to non-sanctioned events (sport flying).

Also, since we cannot provide sanctions for activities outside of Canada, MAAC members do not have insurance outside of Canada. This will especially effect anyone traveling to the US or abroad.

Other wording in the Policy indicates that coverage for volunteer activities and demonstration flights with buddy boxes may have reduced coverage, or may not be covered at all.
In closing my belief is that, until a written endorsement is received from the insurance carrier, MAAC members are not covered by insurance for their sport flying and related activities.

Until this matter is completely resolved, please consider this information when and if you decide to fly.


Gerry Shaw

Southwest Zone Director.

Posted 19 May 2005.
H. Barr.

Quote:Usetobechair wrote:
PLEASE BE CAREFULL UNTIL WRITTEN VARIFICATION IS RECEIVED.


For the sake of the future of the association, please be careful at all times when you are flying models, PARTICULARLY if your activities ARE covered by our insurance policy.

[removed after clarificatin by Mr. Smith]

The ease with which the policy is being re-written suggests that the intent was to cover all activities and that, as the broker SAYS, coverage was in force.

Remember that sanctioning can be as simple as being told it is OK. By its very nature the association sanctions events such as ad-hoc (Add Hawks) flying sessions If they are held at a registered field and adhering to the safety code. A sanction does not HAVE To be a piece of paper approved by the association.


_________________
Keith Morison
Morison Communications
Publishers of Model Aviation Canada
and C-ing Magazine www.C-ingMagazine.ca

Dave Plank wrote:

and they don't deserve to be castigated or villified for asking legitimate questions.

Dave no one minds the questions it’s the tactics and wording used to disseminate the information in question, in fact the way it was done is reminiscent of the posts of Marc Sharpe and Ken Kalniuk during an earlier time on this forum. That the same people who are now posting this information fought tooth and nail against these type of tactics at a previous time and are now willing to use the same does indeed make me question their motives.

That the insurance company doesn’t dance to your tune and provide instant gratification and you are unwilling to accept anything but a hard copy of the re-written insurance policy then you have every right to advise your members to cease any and all club activities until you get it in writing.

Dennis Pratt

Cliff please relay your thoughts on this to Chuck Smith as Chairman of the Scale Committee as I have had no communications from him in regard to the status of the upcoming Nats. I am on the Scale Committee and as a member have been trying to promote a first time Scale Event at a new club for the introductory category Open or Fun Scale. This was to drum up interest and support for the new introductory class at the Nats. He refuses to answer any inquiries about support for this new scale event. He has made it plain that he feels it more important to attend a local area fun fly than attend or support this new event.

Dennis Pratt

dennis

I do not have any specific requests from you to include any items of promotion in the maac mag. I did not receive any such promotional letters from you to put in my column. Did you expect me to write something about an event you are controlling and have not included me in any of the planning. If you had of sent something, a write up etc, I would have put it in as I would any members request.

Chuck smith
Scale chair

I sent the information to you twice via email. I included the links to the GSM site:
http://www.greatersudburymodelers.com/index.php

Links to the rules and the event posted on my site:
http://www.greatersudburymodelers.com/index.php
http://home.cogeco.ca/~denpratt/Noose3.html

I explained that the event was being held by the Greater Sudbury Modelers and it was to be a Scale Event using the Open Scale rules as a trial prior to the NATS and would take place on the long weekend at the beginning of July. In my email I also stated it would be a first time event for this club and it was imperative that it be supported to show interest in a growth of scale contests. You did not answer either of the requests. Truth of the mater Chuck is since I have started to disagree with you none of my emails have been answered and I have recieved no updates from the Scale Chairman on the upcoming NATS.

Dennis Pratt

When all is said and done,the issue is really a non issue as it was an error and no coverage was lost.
However,there is a much bigger issue here.That being that a DIRECTOR chose upon discovery of the error in the policy,not to seek advice form his fellow directors,the insurance chairman or MAAC legal,he seeks advice from members he trusts.That looks to me like an individual who cannot follow protocall,chain of command and has no respect for his fellow directors of the organization.
Instead,he chooses to yell the shy is falling routine. Could it be that this zone director has been one for to long and needs a break?
Stop pannicing guys and go flying.
Ian Gunn
MAAC 25307

Ian

With all do respect, the zone director had the information verified by the insurance bureau of Canada. It was prudent to warn the membership and I can tell you, he thought long and hard about doing so.

A MAAC Sanctioned event is a very specific thing. It is not day to day flying. The policy coverage was and for all I know still remains, for that specific event. until written confirmation is received I remain skeptical.

the zone director, with 25 years of experience, recognized the problem and warned the membership. It is very easy to state their was no lapse in coverage since no claim was attempted.


This insurance coverage, so I am told, is one of the most important reason members join this organization. Therefore lets make sure we are covered to the full extent we were last year.
It is not a crime to be sure.

Chuck

Chuck, you missed the point.He showed great disrespect to the other directors,the insurance chairman,the president and executive of MAAC and to us buy not following protocall and allowing the system to work.There by creating much undo stress and contraversy with 10 cent opions being offered by those not in the industry.With 25 years experience,he is showing poor judgement and an attitude that is detremental to a good working board of directors and executive.
I do not disagree that the matter was serious but perpously panicing people needlesly rather than trying to act like a solo artist is not the way to make this organization work well and grow.No wounder no one wants to run for zone directrs spots anymore.
Ian Gunn
MAAC 25307

I have never in my life seen anything like you people. You beat up on a man because he after alot of thought he decides he has to inform the MAAC members in his zone that there is a problem with one of the basic functions of MAAC. That is to provide use with insurance. THANK YOU GERRY for keeping me informed because I suspect I would have never know how close I was to losing everything I own had you not told me.
I know Gerry very well and I really doubt that he did this with out first talking to someone on the insurance committee and/or the executive.
Its all well and good to say that we meant the coverage to be there and don't worry because we just declared all flying in Canada to be a sanctioned event. I think we should all be very worried about this insurance thing until we see the paper from the insurer not what some broker says. I do a considerable amount of flying in the USA and apparently I have not been covered while over there, boy does that scare the bejabbers out of me. I have visions of my savings being sucked into a dark legal pit. Thankfully it did not happen.
Please do not lecture me or anyone else on the form on what they wish to discuss, again if you do not like this topic then stay out of it.


_________________
Cliff Russell
MAAC 3971L
Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and responsibility for all your actions.

I promised I wouldn't say anymore, but I really have to set some insurance facts out for you guys, being I am an insurance broker. In fact if your insurance broker tells you that you are covered you are. Insurance brokers are given the power to bind coverage. Here's a little known fact amoung the public: Insurance brokers carry errors and omissions insurance, usually a minimum of $1,000,000 by law, up to $10,000,000, to protect themselves about "errors" they may make, or "omissions" that are inadvertantley missed or left out of coverage. In fact most E&O insurance that Brokers carry is included to cover intentional fraud or misrepresentation by the broker. This E&O covers the insurance carrier in the event of mistake or misrepresentation, but in fact covers the person, business, or group to which that mistake, ommission, or fraud was committed.

This is done to protect the public from dangerous misinformation that floats around newspapers, televison, flyers, coffee shops and web threads.

In fact, if you have been told you are covered by a licensed professional, you are.

Can we let people do their jobs and just get on with some flying. I saw somw red at sunset tonight, tomorrow is going to be a great day - be grateful if you wake up, some won't.

Jason please wrap this up it's going no where and I think that people have demonstrated that they have opinions, but too much misinformation about the facts are floating around. It's also getting pretty personal.


_________________
John Kovats

aka Johnny Versatile
MAAC 65460

Hespeler Model Aviators Inc.
Brant Flyers
Cambridge Float Flyers