Joining a Club, how hard can it be?

[SkippyUK]

I'll 2nd that proposal - we don't have to go pro-rata but a reduction 6 months thru the year would be most welcome I'm sure.

Skippy

[Dave Miller]

Posted by SkippyUK on 15/11/2013 16:12:30:

I'll 2nd that proposal - we don't have to go pro-rata but a reduction 6 months thru the year would be most welcome I'm sure.

Skippy

In my experience most clubs do just that. Also most will let you attend as a guest for a month so it's no big deal to wait a while.

[kc]

Clubs keep to the BMFA year- 1Jan to 31 Dec because they have to have 100 percent BMFA membership and it's just easier for the secretary.
Go along & ask if you can get a couple of guest flights before joining next year but you will need BMFA membership. Make sure you apply to join early because many clubs fill up quickly to their limit in the new year.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I think that dramatic reductions later in the year could be seen as being unfair to existing members. Those of us who fly week in week out throughout the year already enjoy a subsidy from the fair weather flyers who pay their dues each December/January (most clubs align their year with the BMFA for simplified admin) and may not turn up until May or June. Should they just wait until then before deciding to re-join and pay a reduced fee?

I think the result would be many members not getting around to re-joining at all - maybe next season...?

There aren't many people whose thoughts turn to starting flying in the late autumn (although if they do they may get plenty of opportunity for instruction during the generally quieter days) and I suspect that many clubs will accommodate experienced flyers looking for a new club under visitor rules in the event that they enquire late in the year.

[John Privett]

Posted by Martin Harris on 15/11/2013 17:26:14:

There aren't many people whose thoughts turn to starting flying in the late autumn

My club is in the fortunate position of only having to charge £10 a year (+ BMFA) for membership. So at that level there should be less tendency for people to be put off joining late in the year on the grounds of cost.

We have just under 250 members, 23 of whom are new this year. They joined as follows;

5 in January

2 in February

6 in March

2 in April

4 in May

4 in August.

In previous years we've sometimes had one or two joining in September or October, but in the 8 years of the club's history only 7 people have ever joined in November, the most recent of those being 3 years ago. I think that backs-up Martin's thoughts.

[bouncebounce crunch]

Just pondering how hard it is to join a club and sometimes it can be very difficult.

A Little difficult to join would be

Ku Klux Klan if you have olive skin.

Mickey Mouse club if you are middle aged

The Beefsteak club

The ejection Tie Club

The Order of the Garter

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I think Martin has a very valid point. I am both the treasurer and membership secretary for my club (I must have done some terrible things in an earlier life ). We have 63 members and our membership fee this year was £66 - that includes £32 for BMFA. I think that's quite good value for what is on offer - 7 days a week flying off a nice 80x40m level grass strip in a big flying field, plus once a month indoor flying 7 months of the year, a monthly club meeting and an annual dinner which is free for members.

We do this by running a pretty tight ship financially - there is not a lot of slack in the finances. If we offered a reduced fee for joining part way through the year we would have to extend that offer to everyone. About half of our members are "fair weather flyers" often emerging from their winter hibernation in June. If they were to claim a 50% discount that would effectively cut the club's income by 25%. As I've said there isn't any slack in the system, so the only way we could still offer members the same facilities would be to up everyone's fees by 25%-30%. So there wouldn't really be much gain for the late starters and actually things would be a lot worse for the year-round flyers that are the mainstay of the club. Not a recipe for success I suspect!

BEB

[SkippyUK]

I must admit I was thinking more of NEW members and not existing members and didn't consider existing members taking advantage.
The clubs I've joined both have joining fees and have rules about having to re-join if membership lapses more than x months.
Can I withdraw my 2nding :-P

[Prop Nut]

This thread makes me realise how lucky I was when joining my club. Having decided to take up the hobby, but knowing little about it, I asked my LMS for advice (this was a little before the internet). They told me where the local club field was and I went the next Sunday morning. About ten blokes were there, some chatting, some fiddling with their aircraft, and several flying. I don't find meeting new people daunting but, even if I did it wouldn't have mattered, as they all warmly welcomed me. I said I was interested in joining and was immediately invited to try a trainer that was already airborne. Someone gave me the Secretary's 'phone number and a five minute call to him that evening completed my 'application' and I was in. The club is informally but efficiently run, and members observe the spirit as well as the letter of the few rules we have. Some clubs clearly make it a lot harder for new members.

[John Privett]

Posted by Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 16/11/2013 00:37:02:

I am both the treasurer and membership secretary for my club (I must have done some terrible things in an earlier life ). We have 63 members...

I must have done some really dreadful things then. I'm also treasurer and handle all membership applications/renewals for my club. But for 4 times as many members!

[Oops]

Posted by John F on 14/11/2013 08:30:56:

It is a shame that club admins don’t update their website or contact details.

What you could do, to absolutely guarantee that a member of the club contacts you, is to drive to their flying site and start flying.

You’ll quickly meet some of their members and also get a low down of their rules there and then!

Hi John

I've just been given a small Quad as a Christmas present. It's my first RC aircraft capable of going outside and I've been casting around for a club to join, and I've looked at a few websites. A couple of websites have download pages, but there's nothing about flying or fun on them, just the Rules, The Committee and The Constitution. I think as you say it would be a great idea rather than going to the monthly committee meeting for an Interview, to just pitch up with the Quad (some clubs I can see are aeroplane oriented btw), the runway eg would make an ideal place to bounce around for a bit. Certainly break the ice.

Marc