I am a new Contest Director who will be helping another fairly new Contest Director, organize and put on our club's 8th or 9th AMA Sanctioned Fun Fly. I have a question:

Are landing fees or some other registration fee, charged for attending a FUN FLY, normal? I have been lead to believe charging a fee for attending a fun fly is not the norm. We have drawings and raffles and other expenses we need to pay for and these "Landing Fees" as we call them, defray these costs. The whole idea behind having a fun fly, which is a bunch of work for many members of the club, is to build up the clubs bank account! Why would we go through this work, to put on an event that then is only hard work, with no monitary gain?

I have attended very few events: Mall Show, Contest, Fun Fly etc. where some type of fee hasn't been charged. Are events without fees more normal then with?

It is your decision on weather or not to have landing fees. Most events I go to have a landing fees. The pilots know this is one way to raise money for the club and don't mind paying them. Dennis

Landing fees are the norm in N. Central Florida, regardless of what kind of meet or fly-in it is. Exceptions might be "Air Shows" hosted by a club for the purpose of demonstrating modeling to the public.

We charge from 10 to 20 dollars for landing fees depending on the event, I've been to some that are higher but I try to keep it at or under 20.


For example our annual helicopter fly in that averages 50 to 70 pilots is 20 dollars for both days and that includes lunch on Friday

Everybody knows the big money is in food and drinks sold at your event. I think we charge $10 landing fees.

just generally speaking, landing fees are for non competition events, get togethers(like the full scallers do), fly-ins. fun flys or other competition type events have entry fees.

Hey Mode
Way to go on getting your CD, good job
I would say congatulations, but I dont know how to spell it

I've been involved with organizing a Fun Fly from 1982 until around 1996. It was a very laid back event and had more to do with eating and B.S.ing than anything else. I don't know if Fun Flys were considered contests; or, if they were supposed to be organized by CDs back then. If they were, then we were surely rule breakers back then!

We usually charge a small fee and have a poker game with the money. For each event you fly in, you get one playing card. If you win first second or third in that event you get another card. Upon the completion of 5 events, whoever has the best hand wins half the pot and the rest goes to the club. It's a lot of fun. Good Luck, Dave

You and your other are the C.D.s. You will set the fee arrangements according to whatever your club wishes, won't you? Generally, a Fun Fly or a Fly-In, whatever you are doing has some "landing fee" or entry fee or whatever you call it. In discussion with your club hierarchy, you figure out what your market will bear. Generally when I do a competitive Fun Fly, there is an entry fee with a free lunch for registered pilots and workers. My club has a night-fly in Nov. each year and they do better with Donations than with a stated fee. The guy that runs it figures his "hard work" is satisfied with the fun everyone has.

I have the club's Annual Anniversary Celebration each year (Mar. 28 this year). It is a Class C Sanctioned Fly-In. Pilots, and Workers eat and fly free. No Fees. There will be a raffle to supplement the expense. It's our good-will offering to celebrate our club-owned field. 13 years on site this April 1st and that ain't no foolin' [sm=thumbs_up.gif]

So, Mode One, IMO, you can't be wrong or off-key however you choose to do it. You are doing all this work to promote the hobby-sport, to display your fine club, and maybe help the club's balance sheet. It's your show to present, so present it however you think will make you a Star, yet being a safe and fun event.

Best of Luck to YOU.

The reason I have asked this question is: I was told by my District V.P. that charging a fee, was not normal. He also alluded to it being "required" that all advertizements for Fun Flys include that they are an AMA Sanctioned event! I have looked through the AMA Rules and referance materials to find information on the above and found none. I finally "Ask(ed) AMA" and was told there are no guidlines covering anything I was lead to believe existed as rules by my District V.P. Needless to say I haven't found Mr. Oberdieck to be helpful to either my club; or, myself! I have changed; or, requested changes to any advertizements I have listed, to include that the event is an AMA Sanctioned Class C Event. This was easy enough to do and maybe helpful in attracting flyers.

Fees are normal here too. If you are passing out fliers it's good form to have as much info as possible. Food, raffle, prizes, fees, beneficiaries, etc. That way people coming from out of town know what to expect. Also if you take a flier with a sanction number on it to a hobby shop most of the time they will donate some prizes for the event. They pass the flier on to their suppliers for the freebies.
Other than to generate funds for the club you can use the money or a portion of it as a donation to a charity if you are interested in getting the club recognized under the "leader club" program.
Last year we sent the registration fees to Hospice, that was the last action item we needed to be recognized as a Gold Leader club. The LHS got a goodie bag from Horizon and kicked in a few things on his own for mention on the flier and at the event itself.
We also do some events where the pilots have an option of donating a non-perishable food item or cash as the landing fee. We then pass that on to a local foodbank.

Unless you are doing a rulebook event I'm not aware of any AMA restrictions regarding info on the flier.

We have also donated to chartible causes. It caused some ill will in the club by some, so it maybe won't happen again. Finding things needed by the club to sepend the money it makes, by hosting the Fun Fly, is never a problem.

We had the same issues about donating to charities in our club. We lost our field due to housing encroachment. All the Charitable work we have done in the past is now helping us get the funds and needed help we need to accomplish our goal of a new field. Don't let a few stop your community involvement. As far as landing fees they are the norm everywhere I've ever been. You Doric VP doesn't get out very much I guess. Good Luck with your Fly In . Mike

that particular VP probably thinks that the club is going to try to charge a fee for every landing made at the event<G>.

Can I avoid the per landing fee if I ditch it in the bushes instead of bringing it in for a Landing?

Your kidding right? Mike

Mongo's <G> denoted a grin or kidding. However as it was stated by someone much much much greater than me, Every kidding (or words to that effect) contains a bit of truth. [>:]
In 2008 that VP ran unopposed in Mode One's district.
>>>>
District Vice President 7
Bill Oberdieck 1,477
Other 165
<<<<

No one in that AMA District, other than perhaps the 165, has a right to complain. Even the 165 failed to field anyone to run against that DVP. IMO, the membership there knew what they were getting and were satisfied as no one stood up to be counted for something else. OTOH, those outside that district can complain because that district sent someone else to be a national policy setter which those of other districts may not support. When one really thinks about it, the right to vote is one "L" of a responsibility, and such responsibility is shared by everyone concerned. AMA Even Districts, are you ready to shoulder your responsibilities this year?

Edited to add: You could make one "BIG FUN FLY!!!" if you do. [X(]

At least those who voted stated their opinions, yea; or, neigh. It's the vast majority who didn't take a side that I have a problem with.

So am I correct that Mr. Oberdieck will be limited to only 9 more years, or will there be some prorating?

Actually the apathy in District VII is reflective of the apathy in all the other districts which had elections this year. The truth is Mr. Oberdieck won more votes than all the other districts having elections! Not knowing the total membership of each district, determining how much apathy there is, is a number I don't know!

The exact wording of the proposed bylaw changes has been posted on the AMA website and I've pasted it into a new message at the end of the thread on the topic that was started here a couple of weeks ago.

It sounds to me as if those currently serving who are in their third consecutive term will be allowed to stand for re-election one more time before sitting out. Those that are currently in their first or second term will be limited to three, and then have to sit out. At least that's they way I read it.

Nay, not so. Oberdieck received more votes than EACH (or ANY) of the other DVP candidates in districts having elections, not "all".
Edited to add: Districts 2 and 3 each had more votes cast, but then they also had more candidates.

If you asked, I'm sure AMA will provide you the number of the elgible voters in each such district. Dist. VII contains Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin, each of those states having a large RC and CL population. Minnesota is also in there, but I don't have a clue about the modeling population there.

Somewhat dated, but based on present membership being about the same total, you can probably use these as a good estimate for the number of members in each district today.

I 7638
II 13675
III 14931
IV 8036
V 22213
VI 15093
VII 13299
VIII 14907
IX 6378
X 25279
XI 8515
Total 149994

I did not say combined so I think your splitting hairs. I looked over what I'd said before I posted it and felt It described my meaning adequatly.

I'll investigate the depth of apathy in my district, if you will do the same for yours. You get to start first, Hoss!

I guess Red did our work for us. Thanks Red!

Ok guys, let's get the coversation back on track about Fun Fly events and not the results of elections in a District.

Ken