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02-21-2016 03:44 PM

Lazy Ace

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stegl

I could be wrong but if the club is registered as a non profit society I don't think there can be restrictions such as that any more. It must be open to anyone . Yes there can be restrictions to type of aircraft flown due to safety commitments/reasons or sound requirements. Example: if in an area near to residential there could be size and or electric only restrictions.

There are private clubs with just a few friends as members. There are private clubs where your membership has to be approved by the land owner and can be revoked at any time by the same. Clubs with membership caps set by the club or landowner. Non profit does not equate to public access. Being a MAAC chartered club doesn't open the doors to just anyone who wants to join. Clubs can have wording in their rules to revoke membership for not adhering to club rules etc.

Dennis

02-21-2016 01:26 PM

stegl

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazy Ace

I guess my point was it’s a different story when a club has say 200 members and 50 tell 150 they can no longer be members. However if a club forms and the members vote on a cap isn’t that their right as long as it’s a democratic decision. I don’t know of any clubs in Canada that are not private. Being a MAAC member or modeler doesn’t guarantee admittance to any private club.

I would like to think if I moved to an area and decided I wanted to join the local club I would be welcomed with open arms. That doesn’t always happen like you said for various reasons, a cap, model specific field are few I can think of off hand. It’s a fact of life you can be bitter about it or you can make other arrangements. This may be why many fly on their own turf it’s the only realistic option they have unless they want to travel some distance to find a welcoming club. But its not the norm.

Dennis

Dennis

02-21-2016 01:16 PM

stegl

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ace12GA

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These people were all potential MAAC members, along with myself, but the clubs and the culture keep us away. It feels like MAAC and the clubs, are not interested in people that enjoy this aspect of the hobby. I have looked into joining MAAC several times, and keep getting turned off by it. Why?

- The wings program.
-- The perception of multirotors. This is driving me nuts, and I know its partially the media's fault, and largely the fault of idiots, but it is also the clubs fault. Of the 3 clubs in my area, multirotors are not welcome. MAAC sanctioned clubs are not welcoming in my experience. I am aware of non MAAC groups that are popping up all around.

I have kept thinking this has to change, that clubs will evolve, or new clubs will form, that embrace this type of flying.

Maybe ultimately I should found my own club along the lines of the Toronto electric club; frankly that may be a little beyond my level of commitment, and that is probably the real problem.

I guess, how would a MAAC supporter, promote MAAC to a pilot such as myself? I don't care about the magazine, just up front, in case that was your point. The liability insurance is not a big incentive for me either, for a number of reasons; mainly I already have personal liability insurance that would cover damages to property and person.

Agree with you that you may have points from your experience. BUT I have Some observations form your statements and I don't want this to sound negative but use it constructively.. I have deleted some of your comments just to shorten the quote read.

There have been some very good comments and suggestions from your experiences with others.
MAAC is there to support all forms of our hobbies be it rocketry to helies to gliders; BUT one of their main focus is on safety in the hobby/sport . You have to give then a chance to support what you perceive should be in a group effort of like minded flyers. Have you ever contacted the zone director
in your area ? Get involved, as MAAC is there for you but if you sit back and complain as a non member then your rants may fall on deaf ears.

As in a club , MAAC is partly tied into the insuring companies guidelines and has been improving over the years. You say that you are not interested in the magazine. Myself , I love it. Others don't... pass your copy to a non members ; they main then want to join or get involved. No one is forcing you to read it to follow what is happening in our sport and how MAAC is working with Transport Canada with regard to the negative happenings with "rogue" flyers that are creating issues in the sport. Have to admit that the sellers of this equipment have not done much toward the awareness of regulations out there.

You mention liability insurance. Have you ever read and when was the last time you read it ? have you specifically questioned your insurance agent to see if flying is specifically covered ? There could quite well be something in there that does not cover liability insurance.

If you say that you have helped " dozens" of people then that certainly would qualify to forming a club.

As to your statement about many clubs restricting certain types of flying machines; that is usually due to conflicts of types of flying ; ie hovering machines in front of the pilots stations vs aircraft flying circuits across/ in front of pilot stations. Form your own club of whatever you want to fly. Every club is a democratic club with elected executive and can set whatever
the majority wants. It can also set whatever rules or safety regulations it wants ; even more restrictive than MAAC safety rules but never less ,as this is tied into the insurance companies rules. A jet club I belong to and fly with restricts all aircraft to faster flying jets only. Would be very difficult to try and dodge hovering heli or quads out front when doing a hundred plus mph.

In most cases there are reasons why a club adopts certain restrictions ; If you don't like it form your own club and set your own rules...... Your MAAC zone director is there to help but can't if you don't ask. Get involved.

02-21-2016 10:21 AM

Jimmy P

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

Hey Max , your club field is almost identical to my private field, nice place it looks like.

02-21-2016 09:47 AM

Lazy Ace

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

I have flown at many clubs both in Canada and the USA and I can honestly say there was one time only that I was told that I was not welcome to fly. The members themselves made me welcome but they said I would have to ask the owner of the field for permission to fly. I was told first off that it was giant scale only at the club. I said I understood but I had left my larger models at home as I was on vacation with the family. I hung around shooting the breeze and taking pictures of the models of the guys who made me welcome but I never bothered to stop even when I passed by many times with my larger stuff.

I have stopped at specialty clubs like glider or electric only and most times they have been forced to adopt this type of flying in deference to the neighbors. Usually after introducing myself and showing my MAAC (with a copy of the reciprocal agreement if in the US) a polite explanation of why they are an electric or glider only club follows with a friendly but firm notice that internal combustion models or jets are not allowed. I always have a few gliders and several electrics and once they realise this they are tripping over themselves to make you welcome.

Heck I’ve dropped in unannounced and unaware that an event was taking place only to have the wife and I invited to sit and enjoy a steak dinner at one of our fair Northern Ontario clubs. The wife and I insisted on paying our fair share as this was their fund raiser for the year.

I attempt to fly everything except jets and I have found that every MAAC club and AMA club I have visited the members made every effort to make me, my wife and family welcome. I can’t say enough about the people I’ve met in my travels. In fact as I consider retirement a pickup, truck camper and trailer are in the cards and I intend on continuing visiting more clubs on both sides the border.

If you don’t find yourself getting along with a group or club perhaps you may be the problem.

Dennis

02-21-2016 06:32 AM

OLD PRAIRIE RED NECK

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

I'm with you Dave 100%! Variety is the spice of life, I don't care if someone comes out to fly rockets or even kites as long as there is respect for others shown.

But some kids never do learn to play with others and no sandbox is big enough to share.

02-21-2016 04:52 AM

mwavesdave

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

I really don't get attitude of trying to exclude one form or another. I'm pretty sure we've got every range of flying contraptions possible at our field. The jets flash up, it's airshow time, the rest of us take a break, grab a coffee and snack, and watch. We've got some serious airspace, which allows us to have small electrics in an area away from the runway, helo's in another, gliders up, etc. Seems we're seldom in a huge rush to fly, and I've seen foggy mornings where we all sat around the pit area, telling stories, in short, ever so dysfunctional that we may be, we're a family, and we respect one another. It's all about fun. I think we do as much socializing as we do flying, and that's perfectly fine with us.

02-20-2016 09:18 PM

Max

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windfree

Those who agree with the club format would be glad to join ,those who don't wouldn't ..

That is a good thing. Would save those people the grief of being in a club that welcomes all forms of RC flying. And there's nothing wrong with that. To each his own.

On the flip side, it would be appealing to those that do more than one form of flying and don't want to have to drive to 3 different clubs just to fly 3 different types of flying machines -ie Glider club, airplane club and heli club.

02-20-2016 09:11 PM

Windfree

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

Those who agree with the club format would be glad to join ,those who don't wouldn't . I don't see a problem .I like the flight station / flight area layout . Cheers , Barry .

02-20-2016 08:53 PM

Max

Re: Rant on MAAC and Clubs.

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