I've been flying solo for over a year, I recently moved to a new area. I promptly joined the local flying club, but...

They required pilot "qualification", according to the web site, it wasn't hard, take-off, race-track, landing AND taxi back, plus a simulated dead stick. However, if you read the club rules, ALL unqualified pilots are classed as students and can only fly on a buddy box WITH an instructor.

The first time I made it to the field, there was no one with JR radios, so I had to go home. :-(

Eventually, someone told me you are supposed to go to the members only part of the web site, find an instructor (by random email) and arrange to meet them. That would have been find if it had been found on the web site, rather than an accidental conversation at the field.

They also don't have an organized training night, or dedicated training session, although on instructor told me he had trained more than 10 students.

When I finally met up with an instructor, he was great, and let me demonstrate my flying skills without a buddy box.

In my opinion, and its hard to voice that opinion as a new member of a club. they are making it too hard to attract new members.

Does anyone else agree?

When you joined weren't you provided with a list of club polies and practices.. Did you think to ask? Did someone talk to you about how to get certified to fly unassisted.. did you ask?

Today we tend to reley on impersonal communication mediums like web sites and forums and email when a good old fashion faced to face conversation will save many misunderstandings.

When I joined a new club last year I asked many questions before making a commitment to join. Seems like the club might be at fault for be unorganized and you might be at fault for not asking these questions prior to joining. Since you were a member of another club assumptions could be made that you are not a total newbie and would ask someone if unsure of a policy.

Again just an opinion. When in doubt I try to find out.

ghostbear,

Perhaps the club has had problems in the past that have prompted them to have this policy. As a member of a club new or old, your opinion does matter and if you feel that something should be improved by all means you should step up and let it be known. The last club I flew with had about 45 members but if you went to the meetings maybe only 8 people would show up. Therefore we had 8 people setting all the rules and guidelines for the club.

Mike

Sounds like your club is a bit on the disorganized side.

Which, all in all, is about normal. It's worth keeping in mind that, for the most part, this is an all-volunteer system, where people work as long as they feel like it, then drift off to do other things. It's not at all uncommon for clubs to go though cycles of organization.

For example, a club might have a dynamic, active, organized leader-type who whips the instruction program in to shape, sets guidlines like you describe, and really works hard to train students. 3 years later, they are a bit burned out, or move out of the area, but generally can't maintain the effort. It wouldn't surprise me if the club had a "beginners night" in the past, but doesn't now. The club is left with the rules for being "soloed", but the spark of organization has left the building, and for whatever reason no one else picks it up with the same energy. So things go to a more disorganized "call and make your own arragements" way of things. Maybe sometime in the future another "organizer" will come along and "fix it". Maybe that's you. .

Anyway, it does suck for a student to come in at that point, but don't take it too hard, and don't take it out on the club or it's current members. All small clubs/organizations live and die on a small core of dedicated individuals going the extra mile, but they universally can only do it for a limited period of time.

As a follow on to what BigSky said, don't just "step up and let it be known", Do something about it. If you want something changed in your club, change it, don't just talk about how other's should do what you want them to do. I know it's not that simple, people don't have the time, and it is good to make suggestions, just don't be offended or upset if someone answers a suggestion with a "good idea, when can you start making it happen because I don't have time".

And you'd be surprised how many people that statement will piss off. (Or maybe not.)
I've been on the BOD of one club for about seven years. We are constantly asking the members for help with projects, committees, or ideas for programs at meetings. We have about 120 members; how many offers or suggestions do you think we receive per year? (Try one or two if we're lucky.)

We get about 20 to 25 people at any given meeting, so your 8 is about the same ratio. Just so you know, I've belonged to quite a few organizations, professional and otherwise; active participation is 5 to 10%, meeting attendance average is 10%! So our RC affiliated clubs pulling 20% attendance is pretty good.
Dennis-

I've been in three clubs, one lost its field, then I moved. I really wasn't trying to complain, but to put forth to any club leaders out there that they may not be making their club as accessible as they might think.

Dennis, you said...

Now, this isn't directed at you personally, but it's striking that you've been on the BOD for 7 years and in ALL three clubs I've been in, the club leadership has also been ensconced for many years.

Doesn't it strike you that if the board and leadership never changes, that eventually the rest of the club will give up and feel disenfranchised.

Obviously, there may be situations where no one runs for an office, but in all three of the clubs I've been in, there simply wasn't any competition. I would've liked to have run for an office, but since there was no competition, I kept my mouth shut.

I've been in a lot of organizations, committees, etc. Most of the time the leadership would love to have some new blood in front. Granted, egos can get in the way, but a little dipomacy goes a long way. The previous person in the position can be very helpful, approached in the right way. A bit of respect to what has gone in the past is proper, a bit of new stuff can be worked in. Everyone's feelings have to be honored, but a lot of people are spending a lot of time managing that they'd like to spend flying. Just listen to what has happened in the past, a lot of times your new idea was tried two years ago and didn't work.

My club consists of about 140 members (I think) I am one of the newest and only female member, and although I am not a great pilot (never soloed yet) I am an orginizational freak, hard worker and a willing to voulunteer person with some time on my hands. I think it took a bit of time for the "guys" to accept me but I have a pretty good sense of humor and show up for the "work parties" and jump right in a pound stakes or whatever it takes. After a couple of months I think with little protest I have been welcomed.

At my club, we never seem to have anyone who even wants to be an officer, never mind an entrenched group that's been there forever. Now, there have been a few guys that were in one job or another for a long time in the past. These things just run in cycles.

Dennis, I agree that if it's said exaclty as I typed it, with out proper inflection, it can piss people off. I'd assume that someone would be more diplomatic about it. My point was that the #1 way to make something happen in a club is to get involved and help it happen. We all understand that sometimes that's not possible, so if a suggestion is what you have, then you should make it. But as you must know, somtimes the guys getting stuff done are pressed for time, so when someone else has a good idea, it might not happen just because there isn't time to make it happen, not because people disagree. I've seen people "suggest" things, then get TO'd when no one else does what they suggested. They somehow think that the club officers are just going to jump up and make every suggestion just happen. One thing that drives me crazy are all the guys who go around *****ing about how things aren't good enough yet they never lift a finger to try to make things better in any way. They think their club dues somehow entitle them to having a perfect field with out them ever doing anyting themselves. As you know, someone has to do the work, and if there aren't enough "someones" to go around, it doesn't get done.

Teresa, I don't think there is a club around that won't accept someone who does what you did. Certianly, pitching in and making things happen is the way to go, and will always make friends in a hurry.

I agree with the rough percentages you guys are quoting for who shows up and who actually works on stuff. It's the ole 80-20 rule in action.

Outside of RC, I've actually had quite a bit of experience running large, all volunteer groups, with plenty of large egos to work around, and alot of work to be done. It's never easy, that's for sure. At one time or another, I've run in to all kinds of issues.