What's the recipe for growing club membership?

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Rich2 on 18/12/2016 13:44:03:

 

1. Little restriction on flying times

2. Nice flying site

3. Not too strict on noise

4. Allow flying alone - I think this is a big issue for a lot of country fliers

5. Allow flying without A cert, just check flying ability, and there are clubs that work in this way

6. No restriction to number of fliers

I realise this is a personal list and if you're located in a very rural part of the country, this wishlist may work well for selecting a club but the reality is that continued availability of (2) often depends on reasonable controls of (1) (3) and (6)

(4) depends on local factors - I can understand that some clubs have the need to impose restrictions if their sites are shared with the public - again, protection of (2) is the aim. In terms of reducing the impact of a serious injury or illness incident, flying with company is always preferable but a well trained and disciplined approach can minimise risk, so I will agree that a blanket restriction is difficult to justify for competent adults.

(5) Thorny old subject, but if a club has ready availability of examiners, is there really any difference between demonstrating your ability in a club check, or running through an A test? Any flyer competent to operate alone should have no problem flying the basic requirements of taking off, flying accurate turns in both directions and landing with and without power which are all that are actually tested. The questions only reflect knowledge needed in order to fly without supervision. It beggars belief that any experienced pilots can be so set against the idea of taking the A test if a club requires it on grounds of "principles" - what justification other than the fear of another and possibly "less able" pilot assessing them as not at A standard can there be? Just the easy transferability of the "qualification" when visiting other clubs must make it worth taking advantage of the free test.

In terms of attracting newcomers, I see (5) as an irrelevance. Experience shows that they see the A test as a logical and well defined standard to aim at and as much part of the learning process as learning to land or coming off the buddy lead. Any dissent always seems to come from "old hands" looking to move clubs or come in from the cold as self-taught flyers - and I'm afraid that some (but most definitely not all) of them have picked up bad habits or have other failings due to unfamiliarity with a club environment.

Edited By Martin Harris on 18/12/2016 14:57:55

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Our field being located where it is, means we don't have the pressures some clubs have to live with Martin, we are lucky. Other clubs are not so lucky with location and rules are set accordingly, i wasn't having a dig at others.

John

[Rich too]

Whilst I accept that it is a personal list Martin, I would assume that other non-club fliers feel the same. If you just want to turn up and fly, a few items on that list are an issue.

And don't forget, I've tried clubs three times!

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I didn't think you were, John! However, I'm sure there are clubs whose rules are over the top - or enforced over-zealously for their own sake - and they may well put people off. I'd like to think that most of us use our rules wisely in order to enhance the enjoyment of our clubs rather than some sort of control exercise...

[Braddock, VC]

Many folks don't want to know clubs, clubs = restriction.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

...or opportunities!

[MattyB]

Posted by Percy Verance on 18/12/2016 13:38:07:

...You also have to remember Matty, that some clubs are just not able to support the full spectrum of model flying. Turbines or noisy petrol engines for example, couldn't be flown at some smaller rural strips near villages, as ours is. And it's not unreasonable to state that helicopters and fixed wing, flown simultaneously, can bring about issues.

Of course not all sites can support all types of models. What I really meant by "...welcoming to the full spectrum of RC flying" was not arbitrarily banning perfectly suitable but new disciplines for the site such as FPV or multirotors "because that's not what we do round here, sonny". Had my local power club done that we would have dwindled to only a handful of active fliers in the past few years, but by embracing the new we have actually grown slightly.

Ps - There is nothing to stop heli's flying happily alongside fixed wing in the circuit as long as good communication is in place and the heli flier(s) have sufficient ability to fly at some distance from themselves, I have done this plenty of times. The issue comes if one or both groups don't want to communicate with each other and there is insufficient space to have separate areas; in that situation timed slots is the best answer. Either way it is better to cooperate to share the site than ban either group IMO, especially when in future we are unlikely to be numerous enough to be able to run single discipline clubs in most cases.

Edited By MattyB on 18/12/2016 16:29:54

[Phil 9]

Posted by Braddock, VC on 18/12/2016 16:00:33:

Many folks don't want to know clubs, clubs = restriction.

not for me. A club offers a safe place to fly. I prefer ic so a club field is ideal for me. But even with electric try and find a flying site if you live in a town. You can easily find yourself restricted to quiet times and even then there is the constant threat of some idiot deliberately trying to ruin your enjoyment or model

[Phil 9]

One thing that many club sites do lack are toilet facilities. Not normally a problem for men but makes it far less suitable for families or female members.

[Stuphedd]

Our club is very tiny but 30% of its membership came from watching us fly from the road and walking in and asking questions and having a go on a buddy lead , most "visitors" we dont see again , but a few come again and again and eventually join , which is good because you know them and they know you ,

That was before all the trees grew up and now no one can see us from the road !!

Sonow there only one chap who comes nown and again and says its the best free air show he knows !

I did go recently to another club nearby and found that they keep the entry gate locked at all time , and with no parking nearby which would allow me to walk and meet the members , I just went home !!

So access may be a problem ??at some clubs

cheers

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Tim C]

Am I lucky or not? My club is 120 Plus and has grown year on year, it offers

An enthusiastic chairman, minimal rules, 1 x private PAYG Flying field, 1 x Winter only Flying field, 2 public parks with flying rights, access to 1/2 dozen or more Slope site, private access to a large lake for water flying and if your not electric there is access to a patch for IC (not run buy our club).

The club has meetings once a month in a private room in a pub, with regular speakers demos etc, meets once a month mid week in the afternoons for coffee etc in the winter, runs indoor flying twice a month in the winter.

Organises regular slope days out , glider comps, fun flys and scale days and construction and finish comps.

All this for £15 quid a year.

Membership seems to grow steadily each year, average age is well over 55!, being in a retirement areas no doubt helps with a ready addition of new people in the area, to counter the unfortunate affects of old age on some of the existing members. Some members don't even fly! just enjoying the social side, there are younger members and they are just a welcome, but realistically its set up for the over 55's

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Don Fry]

Percy,

I don't get any understanding as to why you blame a eggwhisk operator, who I find to be noisy abusers of machinery, to be the blame of a fixed wing noisy petrolhead, my brother, as to why the petrolhead chose to rekit the machine in the pits rather than the dead area we are thought to fly in. Has he not learnt to crash safely?

 

Matty

Of course fixed wing can co-exist with helis if it's well organised and executed, but I have seen instances of a free for all situation where an engine in an i.c. model went sick in mid flight. The fixed wing pilot couldn't hear his sick engine, and although he shouted several warnings once he'd ascertained what was wrong, these were not heard and he narrowly avoided crashing in the pit area.........

As one who has returned to this game on a number of occasions, I can't always say the welcome has been 100 %. I was once In a club when the A test became de rigour. My instructor was hooting to his mate, that his Wot4, over engined, badly built, had clapped wings, and made the most wonderful noise on hitting the iron roof of the farmers barn, out of flying area. So as a returnee, who could crash safely, was be instructed by one who could not. I was silent, he was BFMA accredited.

I am not in a particularly cynical frame of mind, but we do not to my view particularly welcome newcomers. Patronise perhaps, allow the newbie to the inner circle given time perhaps.

I am nowadays based in France, today was indoors, with improved aperitifs apparently, and three lads poked heads round gym door. Waved in, briefed, introduced, given a can of Coke, test flights with drones, they were drone flyers, given a go on a fixed wing. Poor souls, the lads were my presidents natural prey. My whippets look at hares like that. We have a mixed age group in our 32 members.

[Rich too]

Percy, you are missing the whole point of the original post, the question was how to attract more members.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Posted by Percy Verance on 18/12/2016 17:10:17:

If a club has junior members, then a toilet is pretty much necessary for obvious reasons Phil. I imagine it's the very reason some clubs opt not to have a juniors policy in place.

You are correct regarding a club setting being a *safe* place in which to operate.

And as you've pointed out, for some the word "club" means restrictions and endless rules. Of course we know that's not the case in the vast majority of clubs. The rules which are in place are there to ensure a degree of uniformity and safety, along with standards which are acceptable to the members. All fine and dandy to most of us of course, but too much for some. In my view, those folk might be better going off and doing their own thing anyway........

Matty

Of course fixed wing can co-exist with helis if it's well organised and executed, but I have seen instances of a free for all situation where an engine in an i.c. model went sick in mid flight. The fixed wing pilot couldn't hear his sick engine, and although he shouted several warnings once he'd ascertained what was wrong, these were not heard and he narrowly avoided crashing in the pit area.........

Rich

I'm wondering who'd know if you chose to fly alone? And if a club member saw you, then you could argue you were not alone..............

Edited By Percy Verance on 18/12/2016 17:30:15

If your driving up to the field n you see a model flying, then when you arrive there's only one there...odds are he/she was flying alone, or a drone which ever you prefer

[ChrisB]

Its always been a challenge to attract and retain members.

In the last few years our club has had about 10-15 new members each year. Some are people moving to the area, some are novices wanting to take up flying and others are from other clubs that have gone through changes.

One thing I have noticed in the last 2 or 3 years is that people join our club stay for one or two years and then we never see them again. We've got some rules and a constitution but we don't breath down peoples necks like the old days.

We can fly 7 days a week 9-dusk

Encourage an 'A' but as long as you are competent and safe thats all that matters

Monthly flying events in the summer

BBQ's, xmas quiz and buffet, firework night etc

I think we're a friendly bunch but nonetheless many of the recent novice members with their ARTF models, particularly the likes of the Apprentice, join a club, not because they want to fly as part of a club and be part of a club but to fly at a safe and established site when they want.

Some people appear uneasy with others at the field, I'm not sure why, perhaps its fear of being mocked.

Certainly the advent of easy to fly, out of the box ARTF models has resulted in new members who "just want somewhere to fly when I want"

I think this is because they haven't invested time and energy in the hobby and if they don't like it they can give it up whereas in the old days you felt obliged to stick with it, having spent several months balsa bashing.

No easy answer unfortunately.

[onetenor]

I can't afford fee and models

[Phil 9]

Posted by onetenor on 18/12/2016 23:33:13:

I can't afford fee and models

​

complete poppycock.

[Glyn44]

Re Chris B comment

I felt something similar when a newbie. I hated to fly when there was a full patch. The guys would be sitting in a row of chairs watching. I unnerved me. Especially if flying something new. It felt like a critical examination to me. If I saw the caw park was full I often turned around and went home. Silly I know, but that's how it was.

[ChrisB]

Posted by Phil 9 on 19/12/2016 00:13:31:

Posted by onetenor on 18/12/2016 23:33:13:

I can't afford fee and models

​

complete poppycock.

We put our subs up by £5 a couple of years ago. Now, £5 per year equates to just under 42p per MONTH.

Most were happy but a couple muttered a bit, then went to the bar to buy their 3rd pint of the evening and stood outside having a fag......I rest my case!!

[Denis Watkins]

Read Chris Bs comments carefully, they are right on the button. Club flying offers far more than not being a member.

And Glynn44, absolutely right, but newbies should fly their own flight, nothing too extravagant, and concentrate on smooth maneuvers and good downwind leg approaches to align landing way way out. It is difficult to forget the row of chairs, but most of the time they are not watching you in particular.

Edited By Denis Watkins on 19/12/2016 09:19:01

[MattyB]

Posted by Percy Verance on 18/12/2016 17:10:17:

Matty

Of course fixed wing can co-exist with helis if it's well organised and executed, but I have seen instances of a free for all situation where an engine in an i.c. model went sick in mid flight. The fixed wing pilot couldn't hear his sick engine, and although he shouted several warnings once he'd ascertained what was wrong, these were not heard and he narrowly avoided crashing in the pit area.........

Hmmm... Well by that logic surely only one model at a time should be flown, given any model could block out the noise of any other? The fact one is a heli and another is fixed wing is irrelevant. I also fail to see how the heli pilot could be blamed had the fixed wing pilot ended up in the pit area; if flying in a safe manner there is no situation where any model should get anywhere near there, irrelevant of whether an engine cut occurs or not.

Anyway, as I stated in my original post as long as both groups are talking and it has been thought through there is no issue with helis, multis and fixed wing operating together, it just needs an open collaborative attitude to be shown by the various parties. If that is not the case and tribalism has broken out then by all means segregate to ensure safe operations, but if possible it is far better to heal the wounds between the groups to allow them to operate safely together. After all that segregation/tribalism is one of the prime reasons many cite for not wanting to be a member of clubs.