oh, I still need my daily Coffe & Lil ChocoDonut fix to make the shakes stop,
but that is not what I am OWED by folks.
As an adult I have to secure my own donuts whereas I am ENTITLED the Ruben Sandwich

kid,
i'll take a mothers poor boy with a side of red beans and rice, with boudan, of course, over the ruben or the muffalatta any day.

but where will you outlaws fly on the side of the road to get a ticket

Wow.....I just read almost the whole thread and was amazed. Lots of good observations. Our club here in Northern VT has been here for 21 years. Our membership is now about 75 people, we started with 5 people in 1988. In those years we have had periods of growth and periods of decline. About 4 years ago we got on the wagon and joined the AMA's Intro pilot instructor program with three instructors. We have added between 4 and 5 new members a year for the last 4 years. Intro pilot has really worked for us but there are some other components that need to be in the front seat for any club looking to grow. 1st the club has to have a desire to increase its membership. If the drive isnt there, you are wasting your time. 2nd, as with any club there needs to be "do-ers". Those are the folks who are willing to lean into the plate and take one for the club. They are the folks who are the "magic" in your organization. Not the guys who talk about it but never get in there and do it, these folks donate time to training and look for ways to finance it. Our club charges ZERO for training and we have come up with ways to 100% finance our training program. We provide the equipment, the fuel and the time. This is key to bringing in new members. 3rd I would say is exposure. Trust me there are people in your area who would love to fly model airplanes but have no idea your club even exists or that you are taking new members. We put bi-weekly write ups in the local paper about our club. This takes time and is another one of those "do-er" positions that is key. The AMA has provided tools for us to increase membership. Clubs will have to learn how to use those tools and then put them to use. Two clubs around us died last year and didnt even keep their charter. They didnt have any "do-ers". What they did have were members who were focused on their own world and in both cases failed to see the bigger picture. They were more worried about their tree than the health of the forrest around them. In our case we figure you need about 5 members who are real go getters, thats what seems to have worked out in our case anyway. Each year we try to get some of the new members who show promise as "do-ers" involved as a club officer. For the most part its worked. If it doesnt then you need to stand up again, dust yourself off and try it all over again. Keep trying and keep working towards your goal............

103/17

12 guys flying RC planes & helis in an industrial area giant vacant field/fields.
3 copcars and a couple copcicles show up.

Cops say they want to use the street for Radar Calibration on & off this morning.
Flyers all land & get off street, cops zoom back & forth.
Cops come by and let us know they will be doing paperwork, we can fly about 30mins.
Like a Battle Of Britain scramble we get 5 planes up.
Half hour latter cops say they need the street again, so we repeat the Scramble & Grounding a few times.
Cops leave, one stays a bit to watch the cool planes fly.

kinda surprised the didn't want to check out their freshly calibrated radar guns on yall's airplanes.

I stumbled on to this treads by accident, and it's interesting. In my 30+ years with AMA I have brought several new Members which are good Friends by now to this Hobby. I could recruit probably several more, especially younger ones, but the PRICE to be a Member is way out of reach for them and many others. I personally think even $ 25.00 for yearly dues should be enough to cover all expenses, then again, I will not pay anything to go see a Ballgame, Golf etc., I think if they want me to come to see them, they need to pay me for my time.
Just my 3 cents worth.

If you've got the burning desire to put a plane together like you show in your avatar [$1000+?], you either need to be a millionaire to have the facilities to fly it on your own property, know a millionaire with the facilities to let you fly it on his property, or spend roughly $160 for AMA and club dues to fly it.
....but of course you would need to fend of the legions of grumpy old men who only allow flying counter-clockwise circles at the AMA field.....

I can barely see that it's a plane in his avatar , much less what kind of plane .

is there a trick to viewing an avatar without having to save it and alter it ? or am i just turning into an old blind man ?

yeah, that WH Edge ran about 1800, by not paying those very inflated dues to so called political issues and the folks who create these I may be able to afford my Hobby a little while longer. Oh yes, I do fall in the Category of grumpy old man which go in circles.

Heads Up-Today, tomorrow and Sunday is Bomber Field's B-17 Fly-In and Scale Big Bird Fly-In.

For anybody in the area this is a meet not to be missed.

Check out the site at: www.bomberfieldusa.com

I have NO financial interest in this operation but man if you like model airplanes and expecially BIG model airplanes, be there.

Sweet plane! I just picked up one the other day myself. Haven't had the chance to fly it yet though. I heard she's a real gem and easy in the air.

Frank

yes, she is a great flying Model with almost unlimited capabilities , with a good 50cc up front she'll make you look like a champ. Graduated now to a 35% Extra with a DA 100 in the Nose, even more fun. ( at a greater Price).
Happy Landings.

buchtes, where do you fly?

Jim

Kerrville Texas USA & Newport News, Va.( Langley Air Force Base)

In todays Austin Statesman, Metro & State section, there is an article, "Warning, Model planes can be addictive". It discusses a funfly being put on by the Hill Country AeroModelers. So one can, in fact, get local coverage. I do object to the comment, "Long gone are the days of balsawood . . . " but the article was otherwise very positive and might encourage some interested person to go out to the flying field and see what's happening. There was mention of available simulators and instructors. Should I take up RC, I will probably join that club.

Jim,

Good news that you're thinking about RC!

Don't let all the snarping and back-and-forth going on in here give you any reason for pause. Go to a field and experience it for yourself. Most fields have good people who will take the time to yack with you and show you all around things. Plenty to learn and lots of fun to be had!

If they don't you call me, I'll get you started out in it myself. I'm not even two hours from Austin.....

I'm attaching this link:

http://www.highlandlakesflyers.org/Events.html

They're having an event today, thought you would like to know about it!

Jimbo

yes, I'll ditto what Texasskypilot said, do not let anyone discourage you from getting involved in this great Hobby. I have been to several of the Fly Inn's in Austin , they are a great bunch of Guys
who put on a great show. But we both miss out on a really good one this weekend at Bomberfield,well, cant be everywhere.

Just returned from Bomber Field, see earlier post 807. What a show. RC Universe was there so we will have to keep a look-out.

BB Flew the Russian Bear 22' Windspan and some guy had a B29 with the Bell X-1 hung in the bomb bay, he climbs to about 400' releases the Bell X-1 it glides in and just before touchdwon lights off rocket motors that must that it tl 6/700 feet. The pilot put the B-29 in a flat spin and recovers about 100' up, he flys it inverted, rolls it, talls it, make unbeliveable high-speed low passes you have to again see to believe.


Gotta go 5:30 Dinner Engagement.

Max Hodges

Yes, and that goes to show that aeromodeling with scale models is still alive. Fantastic Turnout today. Great flying all day.

Well I finally got up enough nerve to fly at Bomber Field. Just one flight but old-slowpoke Eindecker almost got run over by those motivating warbirds zipping around the pattern.
Anyway I had a fantastic Young Person assisting me making final adjustments on Friday before I went out to get in another 3 trim flights before BF today. She is becoming interested in PaPa's workshop. I LOVE it!!

I have one thousand, eight hundred and 40 reasons a month why I agree with you!

That's 2 weeks pay for a lot of guys. How many households budget 1/2 their take home pay to cover 1 or 2 kids?

I'm sure a few would be AMAers have been lost or delayed joining as a result of being leeched by an ex-wife. By rights, you should be able to list her as a dependent, too.

I believe you can in that case.

Jim

No kidding? We gotta hook up next time you are in VA. Shoot me a PM with your email address or you can email directly through our website www.WAA-08.org.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Frank

To make a comment on my fly RC someday type comment. I've flown models for maybe 65 years; freeflight and control line. Recent years I've concentrated on CL precision aerobatics, and most recently Old Time Stunt. I've been having some leg problems which have kept me out of the circle much more than I like. I have not thought I would live for ever, and have been accumulating kits and plans for sport-type free fights. My idea to is to get into RC and fly them while stitting down and have them come back to me. I have friends who fly RC, so I won't have any problem getting the right stuff and building an airplane for a trainer. I have several Tower 40's and still have a couple of carbs in a box somewhere. I've had a couple of buddy box flights and I think I could learn OK. I recently accidentally built an OTS airplane flying clockwise (most fly counterclockwise) and have worked up to the point where I can fly the OTS pattern about as well going either way. Most folks cannot do that.