[cf100]

Do we need an additional membership class in MAAC to support the 35 or so MAAC guys flying FAI events from free flight to r/c.

We've read many post where MAAc members say they support this, so an opportunity for all that want and the "it's only a cup of coffee a day" guys to have their support recognized. All money over the standard MAAC membership would go to support FAI MAAC.

What should the membership fee be? $100 per year, $200
an small Tim's coffee would be 365 x $1.49 = round it to $500 a year.

We could call it MAAC Gold class membership, members would get a pair of MAAC gold wing decals and patch.
The gold class membership would be voluntary.


A recommendation for the next Zone meeting?

[davidmc36]

Isn't that basically what the "Donation" boxes that you can choose to add money to are for? Team Travel Fund, Competition Fund. No fancy wings or patch but is that not a way to funnel money directly.

[cf100]

The donation boxes do not seem to be the avenue, I`ll have to check the report in the MAAC mag but I think only a thousand or so dollars is donated, that would only amount to about a cup of coffee a day from a couple of guys, from what I`ve been reading on RCCanada some guys want to give a lot more and have more recognition for their support.

I like the sound of it, a GOLD MAAC membership!

[Applehoney]

You - and others - keep plugging the '35 who fly FAI' whereas that is merely the number of licenses purchased in one season. There are many many more who fly and practice FAI classes across the categories who did not make the bi-annual teams for their interest but whom keep trying to further their skills and expertise in the search for development, performance, and excellence

[MikeCam]

Originally Posted by Applehoney

You - and others - keep plugging the '35 who fly FAI' whereas that is merely the number of licenses purchased in one season. There are many many more who fly and practice FAI classes across the categories who did not make the bi-annual teams for their interest but whom keep trying to further their skills and expertise in the search for development, performance, and excellence

Oh, how many more, maybe even double, so 70 members, oh the humanity!!!

Not that I wouldn't want to take YOUR word for it but how about you prove it!!!

[Patch]

I'm curious as to how many members check the donation box to back up their mouth? I've checked the donation box before to add additional funds to something I believe in.

[Applehoney]

> how about you prove it!!!

How about you realise that nobody can come up with a firm number unless that person is intimately connected and familiar with ALL FAI categories for which Canada sends teams to World Championships, whether various classes of radio control, control line or indoor and outdoor freeflight.

Perhaps take the number of licences sold over a two year period (all W/C are held bi-annually so some classes one year, the others the next) and then realise that such represent the peak of the pyramid i.e. just those who won their team places that year, from the numbers of FAI-oriented flyers who also did their best to qualify for same. Overall, there are more than those with dismissive outlooks might care to accept.

[Morison]

I think one of the problems here is a navel gazing attitude that is missing the very point of belonging to a larger group. One of the reasons MAAC exists at all is to support and foster growth in the hobby. I doubt anyone would seriously suggest that 'world championship' level competition doesn't do that. (Granted, not all teams traveling to world champs are competitive at that level, but they do bring back knowledge and experience.)

The funny thing is Winnipeg has had a number of people attend world championships of one sort or another and the lessons learned have been shared within the community, probably to a point of being assumed to be 'common knowledge' rather than something learned on the road to the Worlds.

Another way to look at it is if your kids play organized hockey (and I believe if you play rec hockey) some of your funds go to support national hockey teams - even teams that include NHL players. You can even compare it to civic taxes. I don't - and won't - have kids yet school taxes come out of my pocket.

This is the way societies work... if everyone got back what they put in, there wouldn't be much point to it all!

[cf100]

Originally Posted by Morison

Another way to look at it is if your kids play organized hockey (and I believe if you play rec hockey) some of your funds go to support national hockey teams - even teams that include NHL players. You can even compare it to civic taxes. I don't - and won't - have kids yet school taxes come out of my pocket.

I play in a old timers beer hockey league, none of my money goes to goes to Hockey Canada so one can make all the mutations and computations in the world to favour their point of view, though when I fly toy airplanes some of my money goes to my peers who are also flying toy airplanes, go figure.

Many times stated on RCCanada by many posts is that paying more to support FAI is not a problem for some so the MAAC GOLD membership would allow Maac members to support those going for the FAI gold and in the same time allow recognition of those supporting the drive for Gold.

Plus being a Gold MAAC member has a nice ring to it and the Gold MAAC wings decal on the windshield or flight box would be so noticeable at the flying field.

[MikeCam]

Originally Posted by Morison

One of the reasons MAAC exists at all is to support and foster growth in the hobby.

Show me how FAI has fostered growth in the hobby when FAI itself has been in decline.

Parkflyers are the biggest newcomers to this hobby and MAAC has done nothing to try to bring some of them into the fold. Sorry but FAI is not money well spent for fostering growth both in MAAC and our hobby in general.

With the advent of parkflyers and ARF's MAAC should be seeing a resurgence in Members but we are not because some hold on to the old beliefs that the FAI will Foster that growth. That ship has sailed, time for MAAC to get with the times and see that FAI is in decline and that foamys and ARF's are the future.