RC Clubs and Punishing RC Modelers
Вставка
- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Just sharing some thoughts on supporting the hobby. Please watch the entire video before commenting.
I 100% understand the need to generate dues to run a radio-controlled airplane club. There are many ways to do this, such as dues, fun flys, raffles, contests, and donations. But to me, fines and punishing RC modelers do not feel like the right way to grow the hobby.
This is my humble opinion; I know a few people will disagree. And that's okay.
Rock ON!
AMA covers alot of rc activity. Our county park only allows electric rc due to noise and under 15 lbs. My club for 7 years was the largest in the USA. How did we get so big... we are only 40 bucks a year....we prorated and don't punish....we allow drones....rc cars and boats...we are a 501c3. We give STEM scholarships and Donate to the community and other clubs. So that mind set when ur nice, is amazing how many people and companies will donate there time and money. Every feild and club has different challenges, but it amazing when we have funflies and feed everyone for free 100 to 250 people...but I receive more money in donations and raffle then the costs.
Now we’re talking! Great Club and Great Leadership! Rock On!!
Flying since 1976. AMA Member since 1980. A lot has changed in the past 48 years. Clubs are a mixed bag. Some good and some bad. Always a key group who make things happen. Not very many young flyers coming into the club. Lots of old retired folks that are set in their ways. I don't let people bother me and do most of my flying after 5 pm when the field is empty. This works out great for me!
One of the two flying clubs I belong to here in the UK has moved it's membership period to run from June to May - I think this is a super change as when do you get new members, in the summer months, and they immediatly see a return for their membership rather than havng to wait out the wet and windy winter months. On top of that they offer a good discount if you join after half the membership period is over. No penalties.
My cub renews in May as well. And we hold an event right before that so people are able to pay in person at the event
Great info, thanks for sharing.
That’s a really good idea, I shall nick that for our agm later this year,
I'm in Canada our club is great.
Join it when you want fly have fun.
If any club hounded me to join and charged me a fine , they would never see me again.
Checking in from Alaska, we have a small club here of about 20 members. Our dues are $20 a year. I feel lucky if I ever see any one at the field to fly with. I fly almost every day when the road in is free of ice and snow.
Thanks!
We have a fairly large group of RC flyers in our area, everybody in our group has abandoned the AMA and their membership dues because they really haven't done anything to benefit/protect our hobby from being assaulted by the FAA, Our group has a really nice field which was given to the group for us to use by the city. We maintain and do upkeep on the land so there is no cost to the city for its use. no membership/club dues, several guys take turns mowing the field once a week so during a normal season each person only has to do it 3-4 times a year, best part is that we also have enjoyed an influx of new people/younger kids getting into the hobby. Several years ago we lost our original field due to a overzealous landowner who bought the property adjacent to the field and said that our hobby was "scaring" their horses, mind you that the horses were nowhere near the field and were about a 1/2 mile away and the planes were not even flying over their property, This was an AMA field and they didn't even bother to help us save the field from being closed down. all it takes is 1 person to ruin it for everyone else.
Being retired I just don't have much money to be paying out that kind of money it's it's bad enough that you know I have to pay $100 a year plus the $75 for AMA you know it's it's tight living on a social security
Our (UK) club has this written into the charter, we don’t enforce it, it’s stupid. I’ve also been pushing for half cost for members joining after July and scrapping of committee meetings that the charter demands happens every six weeks, we only tend to have a meeting as and when but it’s so frustrating sometimes.
Being on the committee is so frustrating sometimes, you try and ask a serious question about safeguarding in the committee forum and nobody responds, but you dare crack a joke about needing a 4x4 to get to the flight strip because of the never ending rain and it’s all hands on deck to make you walk the plank for daring 5o crack a joke.
Lots of clubs need serious updating.
serious updating and less serious mood :) In ours sometimes it´s to less serious xD
I agree that initiation and late membership renewal fines are not good especially if annual club dues are over $100. That said, your club may have serious need for money to cover operating costs and unwilling to increase club membership dues. Our club has one of the few remaining local venues open to IC as well as electric power and has plenty of members, no need to attract new members. Our club is required by Park Commission to have "all hands" scheduled fire prevention and safety briefing meetings so it is necessary for new and renewing members to renew and pay on time and attend meetings when scheduled.
Great video, love the AMA and the work they have done for us!
Thanks!
I'm right there with you. The only thing we do with our dues is if your a new member and you join towards the end of the year is your next year is free. I encourage people to pay early but some of our guys don't come fly till may. Mike c
I love this hobby, but I just don't have the cash to get into a club. Plus, where I live their so far away, so I go out to an abandoned airstrip. A friend and I do all the upkeep ourselves and it does get tedious at times but it's worth the time of travel to the club and the saving of money.
Never even heard of this. With our club you can even pay per month if you can't afford that month just dont fly for that month. Works perfectly well.
My club sends out renewal in December, we don’t get our new membership cards until sometime around February. I live in New Hampshire so we can’t even get on the field until April at the earliest. I think a bigger issue would be someone who doesn’t renew but is using the clubs facilities. While most people would not do that maliciously someone might see how long they can get away with it.
My club is small, and we don’t have issues with being crowded or waiting for a space on the flight line, but I can absolutely see how larger clubs have an “exclusive” group that tries to discourage other people from using the facilities to the extent they wish so that the masses can support the elite.
Why on earth would you penalize someone who wants to be part of what you love/support. I don't really have a club anywhere near me that I can be part of. So....with Remote ID...AND no option to make my own field...you can guess how often I fly (not very).
I agree 100%!! Thanks for spreading ideas worth sharing.
You are so welcome!
I’m in Canada. I don’t personally know of any clubs that will penalize you. But my club has a set fee. If your over 65 years old you pay 65% of the club set fee. Plus if you sign up for the club after Aug 1st you only pay half. We are more interested in getting people to join instead of forcing a fine!
Well said 'stick together ' keywords
All hobbies are expensive dues exc. Membership is the cheapest of it all
Ive been flying for over 15 years and checked out our local club one time, was told by one person something was ok to do then 30 seconds later getting yelled at by some red faced guy and decided i had enough of that.
My club in Dallas prorated me when joining in March, no initiation fee, no having to attend a meeting. 15 minutes away, nice bunch of people. Consider myself lucky when hearing stories such as this. Another club further away has a $100.00 initiation fee ... uhhhh nope! Why do clubs not charge for the year IE join in March, expires in March, kinda like a registration? This would feel a lot more fair to people in my opinion.
You wrote: "Why do clubs not charge for the year IE join in March, expires in March, kinda like a registration? This would feel a lot more fair to people in my opinion." I think you are spot on right!
Last club I joined was not new user friendly, I bought a house with six acres and fly at home.
AMA magazine is worthless and the insurance is a scam, I won’t support AMA either.
I joined a club last year and haven’t even gone to the field.
There is a club that you have to pay initiation fee of $100.00 and the 100.00 year fee. I would like to join that one because it is a lot closer to me. The one that I am a member of is a hour drive to get to
That's never crossed the mines of any one in the clubs I've been a member or officer of. Fines or punishment??
Really? Clubs do that?? Their broken.🤔 we just post with every email if a member is up to date with their dues.
We have also let them slide if the member for any reason is having problems, like health issues, lost their job, or any other reason to not be able to pay or participate in flying. Then they can they are welcome back with open arms.
I don't support a fine for being late paying membership fees. My club does not. Most clubs here (in Australia) have an additional one-off joining fee so I guess if you leave for a few years you would have to pay this again.
However, I do understand the extra effort the club committee has to go through chasing late memberships and registering them with the national body (at least in Australia). Doing this in dribs and drabs can be considerably more effort for them. Is this aspect behind the idea of a fine?
Personally, I think reminders to the membership of the efforts of the committee goes to to reregister a member is more effective than a fine.
Hi Dag! I did not know that about the US. Here in Germany you affiliate to a club and you stay until you die or cancel your membership. And if your surviving dependents don´t do nothing probably you could still be paying after your death. But jokes beside, being fined would make me angry too and it´s the opposite for what I´m being part of a club. Normally it should be a big junk of friends or nice people and maybe a couple you don´t like so much. Understanding the US-System I would be OK re.entering the club later in the year and paying the fees I haven´t paid although I may not have "used" the club in the meantime. Here the entry fees are quite high, like four times the yearly fee. And the yearly fee is around 80$, nothing terrible for what we get :D
Best regards from south east Bavaria, Germany
Francisco
Thanks for the post, I love hearing how the rest of the world does it. Rock ON!
@@dagtheaviator here in Germany many aspects if not all are very ruled. But not everything is being controlled thanks God :)
I have never heard of a club penalizing people like that. I’m blown away by that. I could understand some of the super high end clubs. Thankfully my current club has a single annual fee of $35 and that’s it. Probably one of the most fun I have ever had with a club.
No club , no AMA, noooo remote id. To many rules and to much money . I enjoy my local parking lots ,parks etc.its just how I personally feel. To each his own though.
Some clubs are terrible and some are good for their community and some are good for OUR community.
The AMA screwed us with this FAA infringement.
Some clubs are country clubs for old men and Karen’s to have their way with their little power trips.
Some clubs are laid back, hang outs as they should be.
Common sense rules are followed and that’s all that’s needed.
I got fed up with clubs and built my own field.
working on it.
Me too
@@sophiejaysstuff4026 My strip is all dirt and measures 425'X 50'.
And $100 for remote ID. And money to register to the FAA. And a test. Ridiculous.
Well said!!!
I like all of your videos
Smith Lake Flyers is the most screwed up club I’ve ever seen. Like you, I go and use the field occasionally and could careless about the club.
My club. Pentlizes and charges guest flyers
They are not pro-rating. You still pay the full price for less time. Now they want to tack on even more money for less time? No. Just no, man.
Its funny how you think clubs shouldn't fine modelers late fees because they need to support the hobby and help modelers stick together yet you support the ama that has its system where if a modeler doesn't have ama, They don't get to have the right to fly. You're ok with that? The AMA is a much bigger obstacle to this hobby along with this remote id bs. (Oh great, they issue a magazine now and then. Yippie. They do so much for the hobby after all.) The AMA has instilled fear into club members. The number 1 most common question to any newcomer to a field is "Do you have ama?" Followed by "You have to have ama to join." "You can fly only if you have ama" If the newcomer says "no" ooohh booooy! He'll be deemed the antichrist of the hobby and be told "its people like you that bring down the hobby". I've seen people that have been club members for years, made friendships and then be outcasted because they forgot to renew their ama. You call that supporting the modelers and the hobby?
You can fly without the AMA. Just fly on your own land, or fly with many groups that get together at parks that allow RC planes. Or fly with the many people who follow flighttest. Many of them don't join the AMA. I know many people who have not joined the AMA who fly just fine. But there is a liability issue if you’re going to fly at a AMA field. In many ways, at least to me, the AMA is no different than getting a fishing license. People have to have fishing licenses to fish in many places. I’m not saying I agree 100% with what the AMA has done, but I do see what they’ve done working with the government so that we have the right to fly. Rights even people who don’t join the AMA have. And I know a small group who flies behind a school (with permission) who don't belong to the AMA. They fly there a lot. Thanks and have a great day.
AMA is the insurance you need to be in a club. Just like you have to have car insurance, or home owner insurance.
It's because AMA is the club's insurance. If they have non-AMA flyers and someone has an accident it puts the whole club at financial risk.
Boy this is a selfish view in my humble opinion. Many clubs pay rent, maintain equipment, and have recurring bills during the year. They need to have a solid view of their planned income for the year. By charging a late fee it encourages members to pay early so that a solid financial plan can be put in place for the year. What’s so mysterious about that? I’ve been at clubs that have a 20% loss of membership in a year due to job moves. The club needed to plan for that. If you don’t like the fee move on.
I’m not sure if you watched the whole video but I covered everything you talked about in your post here. So I’m not sure what your intent is here except maybe complaining.
Wow, you clearly didn't watch the whole video. DAG states he understands the needs for dues. He covers the needs for membership. You might want to read a few of the comments here. I have belong to over 10 clubs in the last 30 years, none of them penalized people who joined late.
also anyone who cant afford 100$ per year fee i dont understand how they are even flying rc airplanes in the first place as all of them cost to much when they crash and they always crash, 100 bucks for an entire year of using an rc air field is not that much money , i spend more than 100$ at red lobster and thats not even a super good food place, my issue is i hate people though so ..club fees are not for me, i'd pay extra if i could just never speak to anyone in my club lol (also i'm on SSI disability too so i get what people are saying, i have to "save up" for a month or two, but luckily there is a lot of new very cheap planes like from rage RC, 100$ gets you a RTF plane, it's crazy) i dislike most clubs, the rules, the members, and the management of the club usually consists of very old guys who dont understand how the world works now, they only want more old guys to join.