Club Rules
 

Does your club have any rules that you disagree with?

RE: Club Rules
 

The rules in our club are voted on by the membership. Of course there are those that vote against the proposed rule so you could say they disagree with the rule. The rules usually are in place to protect the membership and the field and yes there are some that seem to make little or no sense, however if the membership approved them, then that is the way it is. Good Luck, Dave

RE: Club Rules
 

No none - What local rule are you in disagreement with?

RE: Club Rules
 

Sure. There are times I'd like to fly when alone at the field. That's a no no.

Other than that, I can't say I disagree with any . . . and I understand the safety concerns of that one, too.

RE: Club Rules
 

My club recently implimented a new rule. It states that should a member let his/her membership laps (for any reason) and return at a later date they will be charged an additional $25 on top of the $50 annual membership for reinstatement. I feel this sends a message that "we don't want you back". We all know that some people, especialy those that have been doing this for a while, will take a hiettis from the hobby. Sometimes for a year or more. So when this guy comes back he has to pay an extra $25 because he took a break? I have no intention of letting my membership laps but this rule is effecting freinds of mine that I would like to fly with again.[:'(]

RE: Club Rules
 

Do they call that a punitive charge might just as well. I suppose some big city country club style flyng club with a membership waiting list may get away with that but here in the wilds of Northern Arizona anybody that would dare suggest punitive dues would be forcibly carted off a quarter mile north of the flightline to the Santa Fe mainline and secured to the tracks to await the next of a hundred plus a day eastbound frieghts filled to the gunnels with new arfs for ya all:D

RE: Club Rules
 

First, I am an officer in our club. We have an unusual arrangement for the use of our field. First, we are the guest of the college who owns the field we fly on. In order to build an use this field, we signed a Document of Understanding with the college. This document balances the usage of the field and fly over area between the Ag department of the college, the Aerospace department, and our club. Notice that we are last on the list. Safety concerns and insurance are a prime part of this agreement. Being underwritten by the AMA and their insurance umbrella are a key part of the DOU. Also included here is the amount of time and the hours we are using the field. This clause prevents us from having open contest or events including outside of the club precipitants. The DOU is cast in concrete. Changing it would be like trying to change the wording in the Decoration of Independence. It just isn't going to happen.

The next level of "rules" for our club is the club constitution. That spells out how the club will operate and organize. It establishes rules which govern the duties of the officers and committees. One of the things our constitution spells out is that the board, the officers and committee chairs, will determine the daily operation of the club, including safety issues. Changing the constitution requires a vote of all club members.

That leaves the board with the duties of paying the bills for maintenance of the field, collecting dues to fund the maintenance, organizing any community events and watching over the safe operation of the field. Foremost in our mind is not to cause or allow an issue that would be in violation of the DOU as this could cost us our flying field. We lost one before and as a result almost lost the club. The potential of loosing our field is still fresh in our minds as board members.

The day to day operations are mostly routine. Once in a while an issue comes up like the protocol of making low passes down the runway. We had a couple guys who liked to make low, high speed runs at the flight line, and we nixed that. Smoking at the field was another issue that popped up. We are in ranch lands and for the great part of the year, a fire could lead to a great loss of property, livestock and last, our field. These are the type of things we police. We monitor the hours of usage at the field, which is spelled out in our DOU. We keep new members from trying to float fly off the ponds that border our field, again a DOU consideration. Basically though, it is just a common sense approach to keeping order. Each member has the authority to challenge an unsafe practice at the field.

That is the way our club and field works. Any challenges or changes to operations must first be allowed under the DOU, then the constitution, an finally a review by the board with input from the members. Your club may operate under a different set of rules and agreements. Try to understand why the rule is there. If it does seem to be a dumb or restrictive rule, bring it up at the club meetings and request a review, change, or dropping of the rule. If it is something that needs to be changed, and can be changed, the board will likely agree. Some things though are cast in stone and the board has little leeway in those areas.

I for one, actually one of many, would like to fly float plane off the two ponds. Unfortunately we just have the right to recover any floating debris from the ponds after unexpected landings.

Last, be an active member in the club. Not only flying but be active in the operation of the club. Be willing to spend the time required to keep the club viable. Our last “vote” for officers was preceded by a search for someone willing to put his name up for nomination. If the members aren’t willing to be an active part of the club, but want to just rent flying space by paying dues, they should be willing to accept the rules as they stand. Be active and keep fresh blood in the organization and you will have a good, long lasting club. Set on the sidelines and grumble and offer nothing to the club and you and the rest of the club may be looking for a place to fly some day. Keep involved.

Don

RE: Club Rules
 

I'll bet that there is a good reason for this. Our club has yearly dues. If you join mid year, then you pay a sliding scale of dues for the remainder of the year. We had guys who went south for the winter and woud come back in May and want to pay the reduced rate for the rest of the year. A clubs operating budget is based on club dues. It's our only source of income. Part time membership isn't an option when it comes to paying the bills. We dont have a Reinstatement fee, but I would be the first to vote for it. Other clubs in the area charge a "Field Improvement Fee" for new members which is close to a $100 in addition to the yearly membership fee. One is in the process of developing a new field after loosing their old one. They need the money. Someone who only wants to rent time when they feel like it should pay a premimum for that time. The guys who are regular customers and active in the field support it for the rest. As an aside, your $50 a year membership is quite reasonable. Ours is $65 and the other two clubs within 40 miles of us are closer to $100. We are the oldest club and have our field paid for and keep an operating balance which allows for unexpected things like an earth quake taking out our runway, or the Ag departments cow herd going nuts and wiping out our fencing. We keep a set reserve for those issues and then the dues are based on projected cost for routine maintance and expensed for the year. Sometime members really screw up the budget.

Don

RE: Club Rules
 

Yes they have reasons for the "rule" or "fine" depending upon interpritation. One of which is we have a small club with a membership cap of 35 persons. In the past persons have been held on the club roster even after several months of inactivity without having paid that years dues... I would say drop them from the roster after 30 days past the anual renewal date and if they return to find that we have reached the 35 member cap and we do not have a slot for them then they are just SOL. Our club offers new members membership for $25 if we are at least six months into the year. I would support a mandate that made returning members to pay the full $50 irregardless of the date of reinstatement. We are not some fancy pants flying club. We are proud members of the Redneck Model Aviation Association. We fly off of a sloping bumpy grass (Mosly weeds) runway over about 200 acres of soy bean feilds. Our club rents the feild for $500 a year (10 members dues) and has a $500 contact for a porta-pottie (another 10 members) we currently have 31 members with at least two "former" members that have expressed desire to return untill they were told about the extra $25.

RE: Club Rules
 

At our club if anyone is flying a 1/4 scale or larger plane all smaller planes must be grounded.

Looks like I'll be sitting out and watching the others fly on a nice sunny day since their pocket book is larger than mine! [:o]

RE: Club Rules
 

Now that won't happen at our club. We do have some other issues, but nothing like that. Some may ground themselves in order not to intefere with the large scale planes, but we take turns. Usually, though, we have 4 or 5 up at one time (max is 5 up at one time because we have 5 pilot stations and club safety rules dictate no more than 5 at one time).

Then the pattern guys get up and do their thing, so we watch for a while and then wait our turn. But, usually, everyone shares the air time pretty well.

That is for most of the time. We have a couple of renegade pilots that don't go by any rules and will stand there and argue with you if you try to enforce pilot stations, for instance. But, that does not happen often, and we usually just stop and let them do their thing and they leave fairly quickly. However, I've said something on occasion and have tried to enforce the rules.. usually a waste of time, though, for this type of person, and it just isn't worth the effort.

We have sensible rules, some of which were mandated by the State because we are on State property at one of our fields. So, we are rather stringent with those rules at that field. At times, though, it becomes a problem, but usually people just go with the flow and get along.

CGr.

RE: Club Rules
 

No low passes. And no one has defined a low pass. Some people think its below 40 feet.
Bad rules, or any additional rules beyond the AMA saftey code could be used to deny an insurance claim by the company holding the policy. For that reason, it is absolutely self defeating to create addition rules which may be used against the club to deny insurance claims.
Of course there are exceptions, ex: don't fly near the neighbors chicken coupe (or he will sue us). Rules that make you a good neighbor and avoid noise related confrontations are always helpful.

RE: Club Rules
 

Rather than a reinstatement penalty, the club could consider the following.
1) The prorated membership fee for late joiners is only available to new members.
2) Offer a slightly reduced fee for members who renew early, perhaps more than 1 month before membership expires.
3) Raise the regular fee slightly to compensate for the people who do take advantage of item 2.

This way, members who renew late aren't penalized, they just miss out on the early bird savings.

RE: Club Rules
 

That's pretty arrogant. Is there a corresponding rule that says if smaller planes are already flying that said 1/4 scale or larger planes aren't allowed to take off?

RE: Club Rules
 

I can understand how this one gets passed. I've seen people executing low passes when beginners are trying to learn, or when the flight line was fairly busy. It often freaks beginners out. I've also seen people execute low passes against the pattern when someone else had already called landing. It only takes a few people to do things when they shouldn't to ruin it for the rest.

RE: Club Rules
 

I don't belong to an AMA sanctioned club. We don't have an AMA sanctioned field. Anybody can join. $25 per year. Easy to remember rules.
1. Must have AMA open membership after 3 days of flying. (lets the newbies give it a try before committing)
2. Be safe, be nice, or be gone.

RE: Club Rules
 

No. Our rules are pretty much:
Follow the AMA Safety Code
No cigarette butts thrown on the ground
If you bring it, take it with you when you leave

RE: Club Rules
 

Haven't joined a club yet, but going to check a few out this w/end.

One that looks pretty cool has a once off joining fee of US$130, and annual subs of US$100.

How do these prices rate compared to what you guys pay in the States / elsewhere in the world?

I'm in Johannesburg South Africa, by the way.

RE: Club Rules
 

I belong to three clubs and the prices are:
Club one first year $55 and $30 a year after that.
Club two first year $65 and $40 a year after that.
Club three $100 per year period but you get $25 back if you put in 8 hours of work at the field during the year (I don't believe anyone keeps track of the hours and if you show up for spring cleanup and pickup up a stick or two during the year you've done your part)

RE: Club Rules
 

Our dues are $40 per year (Jan-Dec). New members who join after July 31, or August 31(?), do not have to pay any dues until January 1.
Our club is in Greenville Texas

RE: Club Rules
 

Wow, that would cause an uproar at our club.

Usually the 1/4 plane guys use a spotter to protect their own planes from the little guys.... but this is their responsibility.

I sometimes land my planes if the air gets too "busy" then prep it to take off again as soon as everyone is down.
Everyone seems to take off and land around the same time... which is always followed by a lag.

RE: Club Rules
 

IMO, that is not just arrogant, its also plain ignorant and elitist! [:-]

Why should somebody have the right to ground somebody else just because of the size of their plane? What about the guy who likes to fly 1/2A like I do? Would I have to come down if somebody with a .19 or .40 size plane wants to fly? If I was in that club, I’d be making a motion to rescind that rule ASAP, or look for a friendlier club. In my club I’ll fly my 1/2A while another guy flies his $15,000 IMAC plane, and we have no problems at all. It’s not uncommon that I’ll have a student up on their trainer while others practice IMAC, F3A pattern, pylon racing or what ever. Nobody should have the right to force another person down and stop flying just because they fly a larger, more expensive airplane.

If they go by wingspan, put a 3-meter power glider up and tell the ¼ scale guys to come down –you have a larger, slower plane and theirs may be a hazard to your plane. :D

Hogflyer

RE: Club Rules
 

Yeah, I remember the last time I was flying laps at 170+ and some fool took off with his trainer. He flew it right into the path of the pylon racer, and there wasn't enough left of either airplane or radio system. If he had just waited two minutes, both of us would have been a lot happier.

RE: Club Rules
 

So who do you think was to blame?

And/or what should have been done?

If you say the guy flying the trainer, was your field reserved for a race or laps at the time?

Were you in the pattern at the time?

Was he?

RE: Club Rules
 

Out of respect for others I dont take off when there are expensive planes in the air. This has more to do with me being new and my lack of expierence flying with others then it does me feeling my plane isnt good enough to fly at the same time as thiers. Our club has very nice members though and the guys that fly giant scale will give the same respect right back and wait till my trainer is saftly parked back in the pits before they go back up. I am sure they are just as relieved to not have to worry about me crashing them as I am so its a win win :). I still feel very uncomfortable flying when others are in the air, my own plane is enough to look after at this point. If I flew at a more crowded field I would have to get over it sooner but my field isnt usualy very busy and there is only a couple people to take turns with most nights so its not a problem. I remember from sking/snowboarding it was always the expierenced persons responsiblity to watch out for the new guys. I assume rc planes is the same but I just dont want to go home feeling like crap for crashing someones 5k+ plane when all I had to do was wait 5-10 minute to get my turn.

If i already have my trainer in the air and someone does take off and start flying at the same time I will keep flying till I would of landed normaly. I figure they understood the risks of going up when a new guy was in the air and it is now thier responsibilty to stay out of my way :)