Originally Posted by init4fun

Hi Ira ,

I just wanted to point out here , that as a new member , in order to join any RC club I've ever joined , I and every other new member had to fly a demonstration flight to prove having the skills to fly without endangering the other members . At each club it wasn't treated like a big deal , no 100 question written test , just one of the club officers watching the new member(S) fly one flight and it usually only took less than a minute to know who could fly VS who needed a bit more work on the buddy box before they were turned loose . Someone with skills is easy to spot . So is someone who still needs a bit of practice on those skills . I'm happy that the clubs in my area have training programs in place for people who have no previous RC experience but who want to take up the hobby . And sure , for every 10 or 15 recruits they may only get one new member , but any new members are better than the net loss most clubs seem to have faced over the past 20 years or so .

So I gotta ask , do clubs in your area do a check flight for new members , or do they just join , pay their dues , and fly without being observed by a club officer first ?