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01-17-2013 11:58 AM

wilf

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

What plane?
Wilf

01-17-2013 08:05 AM

Max

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilf

jezz I just hadda watch that a few times!

Me too! and half the time I wasn't even looking for the plane

01-15-2013 08:37 PM

wilf

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

jezz I just hadda watch that a few times!

01-15-2013 01:36 PM

Rellic

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

Quote:

Originally Posted by moo

I agree, but when I asked a couple of years ago I was promptly ignored.
Teens have the most disposable income, just ask Apple. MAAC should be trying to harness that.

I too agree, keeping in mind that WE the members are MAAC so this program has to come from US the members.
Teens are also the biggest risk takers so it will take more than just the approval of MAAC if WE are to develop this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQbQ_Mw3FdQ

With the Apple capabilities and over the counter instant flying toys one leads to another.

Brian T.

01-15-2013 01:20 PM

moo

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmc36

Exactly, that's why I have come to agree that MAAC should pursue some sort of ParkFlyer program/membership/control over sites.

I agree, but when I asked a couple of years ago I was promptly ignored.
Teens have the most disposable income, just ask Apple. MAAC should be trying to harness that.

01-14-2013 08:03 PM

DarthAnal

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

My experience in securing flying fields is that the school boards and parks and recreation want to deal with local groups, with a national body providing support. Therefore, the local clubs need to be the ones providing the "leg work" in finding the fields, putting together the proposal, and meeting with the responsibile administrators to negotiate the rental. The park and recreation and school boards can be asked which facilites are available, but you still have to put in a proposal for a specific field in the end.

I've also seen the "unused" soccer fields and baseball diamonds. If you ask the parks and recreation and the school boards, you'll see that the local soccer associations have made bulk bookings for the fields for the entire season, regardless of a field being used at a particular time.

So, you probably have to get the soccer association renting the property on-side as well (sub-lease).

Not saying that it's impossible, but takes determination, flexibility and persistence.

01-14-2013 07:21 PM

grejen

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

I've always considered RC to be one of the least expensive hobbies/pastimes. Like anything you can spend as much as you want but what else can you get into for under $200. Running?

I think if MAAC were to become the defacto 'club' for covering/verifying/policing park flyers that would cost more than it does now. I for one would definitely like to see MAAC working more with municipalities for access to parks (for appropriate models) and less with FAA for contests or CRTC for frequencies. It's been mentioned that "Fields/Frequencies/Insurance" is the traditional focus for MAAC. These days for most people that fly toy airplanes Fields=Parks and Frequencies is a non issue.
i.e I'd sure give up 72Mhz for assured/insured use of a local soccer pitch.

01-12-2013 03:02 PM

Arceenut

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

Quote:

Originally Posted by pittsflyer111b

I agree that uncontrolled sites are a potential problem. That being said, getting started in this hobby can be a very pricey endeavor. Take for example a newbie that is just looking to try out the idea of flying a remote control airplane. $80 for MAAC, $200 or more for a club membership (my club is $200 + $250 initiation), cost of the plane, gas to get to a club that is often an hour away, etc and it gets rather expensive to 'try it out'.

Take that same guy and sell him a park flyer, he goes to local park. Probably crashes it and decides it's not for him. Or he really likes it and then moves onto a club. Either way, his initial investment is not that high so he's more likely to try it.

Maybe what we need are clubs that are devoted to park flying that can secure a site at a large school yard or similar. Then promote these through the hobby shops.

My point on the accident rates is more or less proven by the last post. David posted 4 accidents that happened all over the world. The quote from the AMA president says 3 deaths by model aircraft in 20 years. The point I was trying to get across, was that these forums are rife with fear mongering about dying by model airplane, and the odds seem to me to be very very low considering how many people are flying out there and how many flights are completed safely. The first accident listed above, should never have happened! Flying powered models within the confines of a stadium should never have been approved.

Anyway, I for one think that the park flyer phenomenon is a good thing overall. It opens this hobby up to more people. I think that some of the responsibility lies with the hobby shops being informed on the local bylaws and passing that info to new purchasers. It doesn't take a lot of effort to point out that there are clubs available and what the rules are regarding flying in the city. Rather than just taking the newbies money and wishing them luck, inform them.

Bob

I agree with most of the above except for the initial paragraph re cost of getting started. I am sure if anyone wanted to "try it out" the initial cost could be next to nothing. I would think that any club would welcome anyone to come and see "what it is all about". At our club if anyone contacts us one is given the directions to our field, and helped to see what goes on. I have often taken a new visitor, put him/her on a buddy box and given them a hands on try at the controls. Besides have you ever priced out what it would cost to "try out" a ski trip, golf round, or any other participating type of hobby? You cant get to watch a football game without a considerable expenditure for ONE game.

01-11-2013 11:47 PM

Kargon

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmc36

That sounds like a good proactive approach. You must be using the gyms during times when there is nothing else going on and they are likely happy to "rent" the space to you. I know I often drive by large soccer pitches that are empty. There must be times that you could find them unoccupied and maybe there could be a deal made to flip a bit of "rent" to the schools to use them during those times.

If there were an "official" plan in place about how it would be done maybe they would be willing to set something up.

I bet things like soccer pitches would be great places to do skis in the winter.

The gyms are available in 2 hour slots, 6pm to 8pm and 8:15pm to 10:15pm to any group on a first come first serve basis. The double gyms that we rent are always booked, the single gyms are empty most of the time.

I think that if you went to a school and talked to the principal (they have final say as to who uses the school) they won't have a problem with you using their out-door facilities, maybe just pay the insurance. Make sure you go in with an outline of what you do and offer a demonstration. YOU have to start the dialog with the people, they don't know that you are out there.

Karl

01-11-2013 09:47 PM

davidmc36

Re: RCC Challenge for Change

[QUOTE=Kargon;1304986....The cost is $80 for up to 50 people for the entire school year....[/QUOTE]

I think that is the kind of thing that a lot of people are looking for. If you split that up between even ten or twenty people it is a lot less than a regular MAAC membership.

Insurance to organized groups.....that's a great setup. There must be other good options too to get some organization and regulation injected.

Sorry for saying those bad words ( organization and regulation ) but how else can we go about things like this. There has to be some sort of accountability, No?

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