You do not have to pay a penny nor do you have to be a member of anything. Just get a farmer that allows you to use the land, find a suitable spot and play with your toy plane as long as you want...

Now if you want to be a member of an organized RC club, it is a different story they have the right to ask you whatever they want. They even might ask you to help at the field, cut the grass from time to time or whatever. Again, they are even allowed to force you to attend meetings, etc. Private clubs, that is what they are. They can charge yearly fees, and they can charge you just to become a member. They even can limit the number of members. Heck, they can do a lot of stuff.

But you do not need that to play with your toys... all you need is toys and a place to play with them.

Gerry