Robby

My Feedback: (18)

With the recent threads on visiting other fields.. I was wondering what some of your clubs or facilities require of a visitor to be allowed to FLY at that facility.. Be specific as possible and give location.. Also if it is a private field or a public field..
We can't always know someone at a local field when in another area so asking or being invited as a guest is not always possible..
If your field does not allow visitors would you mind saying why that is so..
Last year I went to six different sites thru out the country and was only refused at one..
Robby

DSJBEAN

My Feedback: (1)

Our fiedl is located on state game lands property therefore it is a public field, however, there is a gate at the end of the road. If you are not a member and the gate is locked you are required to go to the park office and show you AMA card and a game commisshioner will unlock the gate for you. If there are people at the field all you are required to do is show you current AMA card and fiollow the rules.

We are located in Bavington PA wehich is about 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh.

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

We require two things.
AMA Card
Member present.

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

SCCMAS Tomcats, Morgan Hill, California:

1) Visitors must provide proof of AMA insurance.

2) They must also fly as a guest of a member, just to make sure that they have someone who has talked them through the club rules such as no-fly zones and frequency control.

3) Last but not least, there is a limit as to how many times you may fly as a guest. In practice the limit is not enforced as a hard limit - its just there because we have had a number of people who figure they can save a few bucks by never joining even though they fly there regularly.

Gordon

Robby

My Feedback: (18)

This is the part I am curious about...
Gordon, If I were to show up at Morgan Hill, *I* do not know anyone there.. So how would I be "a guest of a member" when I know not anyone there... ???
Geistware, same to you.. Not knowing any of the members, whats a person to do.. And which field are you flying at..

Robby

C_Watkins

My Feedback: (10)

We had visitors at our club's meeting last night. A father/daughter combo.
Granted, they're thinking of joining up, but one of our members fired up
his antique Quick Fly .60 and they both got some buddy box time before leaving.
They did have their AMA cards.
We recently had a "County Appreciation Day" and there were over 60 buddybox sessions
That was a special "open house" event, however.

Most of the clubs I've been to have a "no more than 3-visit rule" or similar.
They always require AMA cards, and some require an instructor standing by
you on the flight line, at least until it's determined that you're "safe".

Best bet, if you're a traveller, would be to seek out clubs where you'll be,
and find those that allow visitors. Find out the specifics straight from an officer.
Every club is different.

As one of the newest members of PCMA ...
I'll say that I don't know the specific rule at our club... or if there even *IS* one.

Let me know if you'll ever be in the area.
I think I can handle the "club member present" part, if I'm not working at the time


Chris

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

No problem - just ask. You don't have to know the member in advance, you just need to find someone who will take responsibility for showing you how we operate. If you turn up some day when I'm there, I'll be happy to have you fly as my guest even though I have no idea who you are.

Since we have 400 members, you should have no problems finding several who would gladly sign-up to have you as their guest.

The whole "guest" idea is simply a way of trying to make sure that we minimize the chance of any problems that might arise because of you being used to flying in a different club. e.g. maybe your usual club has different frequency control procedures, etc. - so we simply have you "buddy-up" with someone who can help.

Gordon

Roby

At the club I'm a member of we're pretty low key ,
about 35 members.

If someone happens to be in the area ,heard about us and wants to fly, go right ahead as long as you are an active
AMA member .

Of course , if the same people happen to be in the area every
single weekend and several times during the week , That will
draw some attention .

If your ever in the Southern New Hampshire area look me up


Roby

RSands

The local Port Authority own's the property, and we've got a land management contract with them. It's technically open to the public, but we're responsible for grounds maintenance and liabilities.

A member has to be present, and you must have an AMA card. Follow the posted rules, and if you haven't flown before, a trainer will take you up on a buddy box. If you're passing through and want to fly, or are a guest of a member, enjoy! If you're just trying to get out of paying dues, you'll be asked to join the club or leave.

Taildrager-inactive

My Feedback: (11)

At our club field. a guest can fly by putting his or her AMA card on the Freq pin they are going to use, and observe the clubs no fly zones, and procedure take off and landing. 3 times at the field we ask they buy a park district card, as the field belongs to them, a measly $15

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

We welcome guests at our field, we keep them behind a spectator fence. If someone has a buddy cord and radio when they are there, we try to give them some "stick" time. We picked up three new members this year from just people passing by. If you make it too restrictive to come and watch, I think it is self defeating even have a club. Everybody loves to show off their stuff, I know I do!!

Wyohi

My Feedback: (1)

In Laramie Wyo. you need a ama card. prefer you bring your own airplane but club has a trainer . All guests are welcome bring your dog & take him for a walk by the river. Deer & antelpoe, fox ,coyotes are usually seen along the river. Be sure & close the gate so the horses won't get out Usual ama rules & frequency control if 3 or more flyers are there. If you are in town for a week or so you can get a key to the gate & fly all you want. If you decide to stay dues are $24.00 per year. You can fly alone if no one is around its up to you. There are days I fly most of the morning & only company I have is my dog.

Steve-o-RCU

club here in S. Florida (dont want to mention their name, but the initials are AMPS) wants $100.- / year club dues to join their club.

Yea- yea, they own the land, taxes, cutting the grass, whatever.


copied from their webpage:

Junior - Up to 18 Years of age - $1.00 per year
Adult - 19 Years and older - $100.00 per year
Associate - Three month Trial Period - $30.00
Non-Resident - Non-voting member living in an area other than
Dade, Broward, Monroe or Palm Beach County - $25.00 per year.


Associate Memberships last for three months. This gives you a chance to see if you're going to like the club and gives us a chance to get to know you. After your three month trial period, if you decide you want to join, you may ask to be voted into the club. Annual dues are prorated for the remainder of the year in which you are voted in

15. A guest is limited to three (3) flying sessions, and the sponsor must be a member in good standing. The member must always be present at the field when the guest is flying.


Yes, they enforce ALL their rules.

kinda takes the fun out of it.

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

Steve-o,
You may be correct but I bet they never loose their field!

Steve-o-RCU

And how would they lose the field? by not having enough money to pay the taxes? Foreclosure? They're gonna take away the farm, Ma??

I dont think so. There is a county park within twenty minutes drive that is FREE weedays and cost an astronomical $1.- entrance on the weekends. And ya know what? Since it is a county park, there is no club dictating what, when,where, etc, etc........

I dunno, but $100.- per year to fly? What are you kidding me?

Make me pay $30 for the associate member to come and fly for a weekend?

Any visitors to South Florida can come to the county park and find comraderie and FUN for almost free.

When you visit another flying site, it is a shame when the resident club starts charging money......is that what this hobby is about???

I dont want my Brothers (my AMA bros) to go back to their homes and say what a bunch of cheapskates (i had a pair when i was small) those guys in Florida (insert your state name here) are.


Any way, enough ranting for one day.


Steve-o

Swerving all over the sky

tdwise

Our club encourages frequent flier non-members to join for the meager $25 a year ($12.50 if after July) in order to help maintain the field's amenities as well as to help support the club's management. Most are compliant and very rarely hear any complaints. We 'are' a public park but our club is the custodian for the field whereby we are responsible for enforcing the [posted] safety rules outlined by both the County and the AMA. New visitors usually attract the attention of the members since they want to be sure the new person knows the field rules, understands the frequency management and no-fly zones.

As far as public or private membership dues are concerned, I've been to the public park that Steve-O has referred to "Markham Park" several times and felt that their discipline is adequate but nonetheless they can only do so much. I fully respect the clubs that charge $75-$100 to join since you usually get what you pay for: Nice field to fly from, quiet, safe, orderly and not crowded as well as the quality of models seems better at private fields vs. public fields.

Ted

TTARK

My club in Northern Virginia welcomes guests. They must have a current AMA card and MAY be asked to do a check out flight for safety reasons. Recently a neighboring club that flies on a military base lost their filed due to tightening restrictions, we voted to allow them to fly at our field for the remainder of the year. Because we are located close to DC we have a lot of trasient flyers who are only here for a few months. We offer them a temporary memembership for about $5.00 that is good for three months.


Terry

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

Hmmm.... so given that I fly every weekend, lemme see.... 52 x $1 (or should that be $52 x $2 if I fly Sat and Sun?), plus 52 x 40 minutes' worth of gas (probably $4 for my van) is somewhere around $250 to $300. Yup, that's a bargain compared to paying $100 to fly at the local club.

I'm a member of three clubs. One of them costs $100 per year, and I'd gladly pay more for it. Every now and then we get one or two of our 400 members *****ing about the fee, and when we do, its usually the ones who are spending $1000 per year on cigarettes, $250 per year on the McDonalds breakfasts they buy on the way to the flying club, $1500+ per year on washing their car etc., and yet somehow they do not comprehend their hypocrisy. Go figure. They want to have the paved access road we installed so that the bumpy dirt road it replaced doesn't cause their fieldbox to fall over and crush their plane, but of course they want "someone else" to pay the $35,000 (+ maintenance) that that road cost the club... etc.

It's quite a simple problem to deal with though - if $100 per year to join our club is too much for you - fine - find another club that is more to your liking.

Gordon

P.S. We later found that one of the few who complained about our club's $100 membership fee gladly handed over $20,000 to join his local country club, even though he spent more time at the flying field than the country club !

Steve-o-RCU

You must be a club president or vice president, right? Coming from you it all sounds so logical.
So, I am actually saving money when i join a club for $100.- !!!!!!!!

I actually dont pay the $1.- x 52 or $2.- x 52 or whatever. Know why?
Because on the weekends, all the really GOOD pilots come out to fly (amateur hour). So i fly during the week when all the club presidents or vice presidents are hard at work.
This is a county park. It's FREE <-------I love this word !!
The $100.- club is the same distance from mi casa.

Tell you what, i'll save you money.......

My Cub is only $200.- a year to join! You can cancel your other three club memberships, saving...... $150+....plus all the gas to fly at three different fields?.....geeze.....maybe I should charge more????

You get a beautiful patch, t-shirt, hat, safety rulebook, membership card, heck, I'll even throw in a gallon of fuel and a couple of spare props.

I'll even smooth out all those bumps in the road that irritate you.

But thanks for all your constructive input there Gordie.....I was just trying to enlighten people who are coming to South Florida. I think more clubs should take the attitude of TTARK's club. Kudos.

This thread is about transient pilots who want to fly as a guest at others' fields, right? Guess we shot off an a rant. Sorry.

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

Originally posted by Steve-o
You must be a club president or vice president, right?

Nope. Not that that should make a difference anyway, unless you for some reason have an axe to grind with club officers in general.

So, I am actually saving money when i join a club for $100.- !!!!!!!!
<snip>
on the weekends, all the really GOOD pilots come out to fly (amateur hour). So i fly during the week


Given that you seem to be suggesting that you are not a good enough pilot to fly at weekends (huh? ... what a strange concept), then in your case, I guess not - so you should probably stay at your free field. That way both you and the people who are willing to pay $100 membership for the other club are ALL happy... for various reasons.

Tell you what, i'll save you money.......

My Cub is only $200.- a year to join!


Sorry - I don't join "Cub"s ... thanks a lot for the offer though.

I'm done with this topic - so feel free to post whatever you wish as "the last word".

Have a nice day,

Gordon

T28pilot

My Feedback: (2)

I think this needs to be addressed with the AMA....

If we are members of the AMA I believe we should have access to any AMA Sanctioned AirField!!!

I run into this at the Great Planes/Horrizon Hobbies Field here in Champaign Illinois.....i was on my way Home from Ohio and stopped in....had my "Great Planes" spacewalker With a JR Radio in the Vehicle and wanted to do a little flying....before i made the last 35 minute trip home....

But much to my displeasure ...the members were RUDE and said i had to be a member to FLY....or be a Guest of a member there....I can't wait till one of them comes to our field for any reason...pay back is a ****.....

Remember that!

TOYMAKER

My Feedback: (6)

REQUIREMENTS:

1. AMA Membership
2. airworthy r/c aircraft, chopper,glider, (if it flies and its r/c bring it) our field is NOT jet friendly(400' grass strip)
3. Good attitude,friendly
4. Must be a member present at the field.

see us at:

http://www.flash.net/~cplonien/

We have a small membership (18) and there is plenty of sky time available.

AKMac

My Feedback: (1)

At our field, it's open to anyone who wants to come. You don't have to belong to the AMA, a club, or have a card to get in. It's pretty much just self regulated and free (the way it should be.)

Starpoint

My Feedback: (5)

I guess you get what you pay for. My club fee is $200.00 per year. I have use of a nice cement runway, large covered area for working on my plane or to sit and relax, I have use of a clean!!! Port o let, the grass is cut each week, and most of all I have several flight intructors to help me as iI am getting started. By the way I could of joined a field for $25.00 located the same distance from my house. It's on a old garbage dump site and if you miss the runway get your waders to get your plane. if it rains you need 4x4 to get there and back. Need I say more.....

fop26

Hey guys:, im looking for someone that is a member of the club in Fort Pierce Florida or they may call it the Port St. Lucy Club, they fly off of Midway Rd. although, i believe they were getting a new fieldi,am going to be down there this Feb for a few weeks again and want to fly this year instead of just watching and would like to aply for a membership, if any of you guys can help with an application, i would appreciate it. Thanks: Bill