Initiation Fee?
 

Does your club charge a new member an initiation fee on top on club dues? If so, what is the reason for the initiation fee and is the amount of the initiation fee a token amount or a significant amount?

The fee covers what the older members know what a typical new member costs them. The new member who forgets to lock the gate after he leaves, the new member who uses the club garbage drum as his personal landfill, the new member who needs a back ground check performed on him, the new member who typically sees the club as just a "Drive In" type place like Burger Knig where you rush in to flip the ON switch on your latest electric RTF plane, get in an exhilirating flight, then rush off to grab dinner for your family at the nearest fast food palace.
The new member who evades payment of next year's dues like the Roadrunner VS Wiley Coyote.....
The club is nothing more than a facility that "other people" are responsible for keeping in working order, so the initiation fee is just chump change in exchange for that.

One of my 'former' clubs charged $150 PLUS the $50 for the new member.....I guess that $100 went into the 'fund' that was used to build the place at the original time - improvements, etc.....many clubs use regular dues for year-to-year expenses and those initiation fees help the savings account.

My current club 'lives and breathes' on our $50/yr ($25 for snow birds)....if we don't have it in the bank, it doesn't get spent. In fact we are adding some 'shade' (~20') for about $600 this week.

No initiation fee. The club officers do not get special perks like some of the bigger clubs.

After the membership voted in the officers, I suggested the officers get to have their planes retrieved by the general membership, cleaned and returned to the flight line fully filled with fuel and a cold drink so the 'elected' could continue with their flying....but that got voted down for some reason :(.

Initiation fee of $100 goes directly into the Runway Maintenance fund, which is separate from the general operating fund and used to oil and patch the runway.

That's pretty much the rationale of clubs that I belong to. Existing members have a considerable investment in improvements like providing for a paved runway, and initiation fees are seen as new members contributing some partial measure of their fair share in the investment. It isn't a one time investment as the need for maintenance is continuing, but the rationale is not a constant, depending on changes in priorities......one of the clubs has seen a fairly dramatic fall in membership over the past few years, and the initiation fee has been waived in the interest of attracting new members.

My last club added an initiation fee to try and stem the tide of members dropping in and out. Harder to manage the operation that way. You drop out, you have to pay the initiation to re-join. It was there to help stabilize the membership count. I wasn't there long enough to find out whether it accomplished it's intent.

Bedford

$25 here, and you have to pay if again if your membership expires (I think the deadline is march but we almost never enforce it)

Helps pay for field improvements, our dues are extremely reasonable at $50 for the facilities we have.

That's the rationale for our initiation fee, which is $55. It has been that amount since before I joined in '98. It's seen as a combination of the assessments on the memberships over the past 35+ years, one of which was when our bridge washed away during a flood and we paid to have it replaced.

Absolutely 100% EXCELLENT post CP. Likewise here at Jetero. Old guys are leaving and the new ones want everything free and clear. My club OWNS 50 flat acres.
Highway frontage, air conditioned kitchen, and table area, commercial garbage pick-up, and paid mowing. They like all of that but P&M about $150.00 a year dues.
"L", I just financed (paid for) our last event, trophies, event equipment, pilot's gifts and did all the paper-work, plus being the CD. The only thing I did not pay for was the club's free food for the pilot-lunches. Several younger new members think that they should all have the field to themselves when they fly their choppers. NA' me big daddy!
They can't fly with me at same time, then that is THEIR problem. I can and do avoid them, so I expect same from them. :mad:

The club I belong to maintains a 20 x 200 runway purchased by members contributions, provides 2 shaded picnic tables, 4 plane prep stands. A new member has access to 2 evenings a week where buddy box training flights have flight priority, and to inspection services on every new plane. The $100 one time initiation fee is pretty cheap for the newbie. Most of the more experienced new members that have several planes and a couple of radios don't balk at the initiation fee - one or two downed planes it the outlying woods generally see a half dozen guys searching. After initiation, dues are about $45 a year.

Like Hoss. I will throw in with CB. It is surprising what new members preconceived ideas of what the club flying field is supposed to be. Our club is like most. We do have many wonderful things for making the flying experience enjoyable. As nice as the facilities are, they have to be maintained. The trash is picked up by members, the rest rooms are cleaned by members, the club house is taken care of by the members.and kept in good order by the members. There is no flying site ferry to take care of the site. There is no government agency to take care of the flying site. The paper in the restroom does not just appear. The stove in the kitchen does not clean itself. It is refreshing when a person joins in and understands we are all in this together. Our club membership has been constant for many years. The fees are all accounted for including the initiation fee. The answer, we charge a initiation fee.

Never have never will. We make out just fine. We don't charge our military guys dues either.

Mike
Horizon City Flyers

For initiation we just make our new members push a penny five feet with their nose...

Seriously, there may be many reasons for initiation fees but sometimes it stems from nothing more than "I had to pay it so should everyone else"...all the way from the days when the club needed additional revenue to acquire and fund the flying site...but to be really fair that line of reasoning likely needs adjusting for todays dollars LOL

Bottom line, regardless of most club fees, it is probably the best money spent in our hobby. Most clubs do an outstanding job of keeping those costs to very insignificant levels. Just go Fly!

If a club has made significant investments in facilities, runway, clubhouse, etc. that have been paid for by the current members by dues, donations and hard work then it is only fair that new members contribute via an initiation fee, If a club is simply a field without improvements than the justification is not as strong. However CP's observations sure do apply in either case.

Yea, I love how he characterized the electric flyers. That mindset could never apply to the little glow engine flying guys...they are way above that and are always so supportive of the club and club activities. LOL

I just joined a club that has a $100 initiation fee, plus $50 for the first year.I have no complaints about paying it. New members, particularly members who are new to to the hobby, require a lot of care and feeding from experienced members. The aforementioned "inspection service" is invaluable, and can easily save a plane that costs well more than $150. The first airplane I built 20 years ago had negative dihedral, because I installed the spar upside down. I would have tried to fly it, if some of the more experienced models had not talked me out of it. The flight training and advice that a new modeler gets in the first few months is priceless. The experienced members who provide this mentorship do not get paid a dime for their time, but at least they know that the club has some more funds to keep things running.

When I joined my new club, I already had several years of experience under my belt. However was returning after a 20 years hiatus, I was therefore rusty, and lost with many of the changes that have taken place (2,4 Ghz radios and LiPo batteries were not even an idea back then.) I therefore benefited a great deal from one of the officers who got me back up to speed.

I also agree with combatpigg's comments, above and beyond the points I mentioned!

Sounds like a bunch of BULL to me. Just trying to increase the club income. Fees like this hurt membership.

Reply to combatpig
This sounds like an excuse to charge more. Keeping the initial cost down is important to help attract new members. I am surprised others agree with your reply. Helping a newbie is something that is done in friendship and not charged for.

In the two clubs I belong to the original club members each threw in $35 at one $50 at the other for the purchase of a lawnmower. Since lawnmowers wear out all new members must pay an initiation fee matching the original amount. If you think about it you’re getting off cheap with the rate of inflation. One club it’s a one time fee you can rejoin any time as long as someone can vouch for you or there is a record of your previous membership. The other club has a grace period of a number of years before you pay it again. If you have a problem with the initiation fee when all others have paid it perhaps you might consider joining another club. I am certain the entitlement club is always looking for new members. They will be easy to recognize they are the ones sitting waiting for someone else to do all the work and pay for the privilege of your company. Good luck!!!!!!

On the other hand there is one club where members don't have to do anything except fly. The runways are cut, garbage is picked up, all repairs are done for you, and there are not even meetings you have to attend. No elections for executives and no one has to hold office. Its a complete carefree no responsibility club BUT!!!!!!! there is a long waiting list to join and when you do get in the door the yearly dues are $450. You do not have any say in how the club is run or how the money is spent.

Dennis

In memory of Robert Heinlein "tanstaafl"

I guess you and I are the only ones here that see it differently...Of course finding out that clubs compensate club members and some officers monetarily for their work was something I hoped to put forward at the next club meeting...as the club treasurer for many years along with all the training and help I give newcomers... as well as others, I think I deserve some serious back pay... I hope the club has the same sentiments Combutpig has when I put this rational forward.

Oh God...there really is no help for us! We are screwed.

The olde saying used to be, "It's a free country, so do as you see fit........" not sure if that can be said any longer.
Regardless, do what works best for the club that YOU run.

Sounds like some want to turn their club membership into a business looking for compensation . A club or any flying field where some gather should be an example of friendly ,helpful relationships . To me that is a big part of this hobby. If you are asking to be compensated to do this I think you have lost sight of what this hobby is all about.

This makes for an interesting topic. We certainly are re-defining "Pay it forward." From some of the posts I get the thoughts that basically we should charge a fee to "deal" with new folks. What is wrong with the cost of club membership covering the cost of operating the club? New folks should actually get a discount for joining.

So how is that fee applied to those of us that are actually dealing with the new folks when they come out? It appears that most of the folks that initiated the fee and benefit most from the fee are never around when new folks come out and the rest of us wind up helping them.

In my observation, I don't recall any of that money every making it into the hands of those that help new members. Trainers are donated, time is donated, supplies are donated, what happened to that new member fee? Did it ever even buy fuel for the instructor that took his time out to help the new guy? Sort of takes the friendly helpful relationship aspect out of the equation doesn't it?

I am currently in two clubs, one charges the new member fee the other does not. The one that charges the fee operates more by the modern "business" model and the other more by the "golden rule". Guess which club has the fewest issues?

One of the largest false assumptions being made here is that new club members are beginners and need assistance.

I am not aware of any club compensating the executive or instructors. Every club I am familiar with have a hard enough time maintaining the facilities with maybe in a good year having enough left over for a few improvements. The last riding mower we purchased was near $8000 used in good shape. It takes over $800 a year just in minor maintenance such as oil and filter and blade changes along with fuel. We bought a porta potty (handicap accessible) and it costs about $300 per season to pump it out once a week. A long way from the days of a couple of push mowers attempting to keep the grass cut short enough to fly off of. We have built a secure shed, a shelter, installed fencing, improved the state of the lane in and parking lot, installed petro mat for runways, built elevated starting stands so you don’t have to work on your plane on the ground. The list goes on all for the benefit of every member if you choose to use the facilities. The cost, $35 initiation fee and $75 a year dues. This also includes an indoor venue for the winter months with the use of a quad gym in a brand new high school. Don’t want to pay up your welcome to join a different club we do just fine with around 80 to 100 members.
Dennis

CP you have it right again.........................

"It's a free country"-

Get five AMA Members together and pay $30.00. then go out and do what the established clubs did. Find a field, negotiate a lease, pay AMA another $60.00 for site insurance, clear and level a runway, build any other structures you want, keep it mowed, carry out the trash, grow your membership

and

"It's a free country"

Established clubs have the freedom to establish local rules and what it costs to be a member of the club.

I see over and over again liberals justifying increased regulation and control over us by the justification "It's for the children" ............... well here we have the RC equivalent "It's for the beginner".............. Helping another person should be an individual choice not a regulated or mandated choice................. I guess I will always be a Libertarian.

Who is John Gault?

My club charges $75.00 a year for dues, and a $75.00 initiation fee. Over 65 the dues are $50.00 with the same initiation. Under 18 it's $5.00 to join. We are not the cheapest nor the most expensive club in the area. The porta potty takes $1000.00 per year alone. The other big hit is mowers and the upkeep of them. Also being on a landfill, we can't penetrate the ground so tents are another big concern. It's tough to mount them without digging down. A lot of times they end up being disposable. Having 75 members we are able to do what we need to, but the club isn't wealthy. But we have a great place to fly and if we did need a new mower in a pinch, the membership would have no problem with an assessment if it was needed. I think the key is to put the needs of the club first. Flying sites are in short supply around here and we do our best to keep ours in good shape.

As the treasurer of our club, I can tell you we are not "swimming in it" by any means. We sock away 10% of our yearly dues income in a CD as an emergency fund in case of flood, damage to the field or the ultimate end, loss of our flying site. It gives us tha ability to handle a situation without holding the membership hostage with an assessment. None of our officers get any sort of compensation or consideration for the work they do, not even a free or reduced membership. We all pay just like everyone else.


We get about 50/50 these days. In years past, it was mostly newbies. The most difficult part of the new guys is getting someone to organize the training program. Lots will train, no one wants to do the organizational side.

Give the man a cigar! Spot on observation.

Training program...organize...oversight is fun...for some...Have you volunteered???

I guess our club is different...have some need for help, ask around a little and you'll find it. So far no one has billed the club for any of those "extras".

Clubs provide two things. #1-A place to fly and #2-A place to BS.

I think you got it right...but some clubs BSing is #1 LOL

Amen and also some do a lot of whining along the way.

If I remember the last treasury report at one of the clubs I am in was around 8000 cash on hand and I think membership is around 70-80. This club is in an area that is not super "high-end" on operational costs and has many well abled folks to help with things. Both clubs have been around for a very long time and are well established.

Not too long ago at one of the meetings of the club that charges a "new member fee" they discussed dropping the membership fee from 100 down to 75. It was voted to keep it at 100 just because.

As far as helping newbies, I think most will extend a helping hand if they can, yet some simply won't for whatever reasons. If there is one thing I have learned that seems to go accross many boundaries is that 20% of the people do 80% of the work and RC clubs fit that mold quite well.

..

sounds like a pretty good club...a vote was taken and the club spoke. infinitely better than a board of dictators making the call LOL

My club doesn't charge new members any "initiation fee." Our dues are $80/year and we seem to get along just fine. There are five or six people that volunteer to be club instructors, so newcomers can just call them and arrange to have them help them. We also have a few club trainers, so people can get a feel for flying for a few times before they have to make the investment to the hobby.

We had problems with helicopter flyers in the past, stuff like hovering over the runway, interfering with landing aircraft, ect, but they eventually got out of the club and formed their own club and found their own flying site. It was a win-win for everyone I think.

I think it all depends on the club, but in my club everyone pitches in to help when needed and we always work things out democratically. It's a really nice club, with a great group of guys.

Brian

Our Club did charge an initiation fee of $50, but at the last club meeting this was voted out.

Thumbs up for your club! Sounds like a club that really understands what it is all about.