Support Your Local Club

[Nightflyer]

I wonder how many on this site like me started out model flying at first on their own but found their interest really take off once they joined a club?

I know that both my dad and myself had that. The thing is we all take a lot for granted being in a club. You know all the usual, flying site, tuition if you need it, competitions, access to club tools or equipment, help and advice, etc. The list can go on. The social side can be very important and not just down the patch or the monthly club meeting, but talks, competitions, travel to shows and so on.

Yet it strikes me that few clubs seem to advertise their presence either locally to their community or to the wider modelling world even. Why is that? In this time when model shops are fewer and farther between - when they used to be a good source for recruitment. Why do clubs fail to attract members like they used to when there are more opportunities for people to take up model flying and fail and give up without the support and guidance club can provide?

If we do not do more we could see numbers and model choice and manufacturers decline.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Section on here you can promote your club through.

[MattyB]

Posted by Nightflyer on 01/08/2017 22:00:06:

...Yet it strikes me that few clubs seem to advertise their presence either locally to their community or to the wider modelling world even. Why is that? In this time when model shops are fewer and farther between - when they used to be a good source for recruitment. Why do clubs fail to attract members like they used to when there are more opportunities for people to take up model flying and fail and give up without the support and guidance club can provide?

If we do not do more we could see numbers and model choice and manufacturers decline.

Clubs failing to attract new, younger members is nothing to do with a lack of advertising. It's external factors, most obviously the reduction of free time amongst the working population, the impact of the internet on our buying habits and the way we spend our time, and the huge number of compelling, exciting alternative activities that did not exist in the heyday of modelling. Even today there is a pretty large amount of knowledge and skill needed to be successful in modelling compared to other alternative activities like gaming which can more easily be done around the commitments of "real life".

Fundamentally it's not a matter of the hobby dying - in most ways the "build and fly" fixed wing hobby my Dad and I participated in as kids has gone already. In the next ten years it's going to evolve even more rapidly into something very different as tech continues to advance, regulation bites and the demographics of participants change. Is that good or bad? I'm honestly not sure, but I am certain it can't be stopped by calls of "support your LMS" or "everyone should try building in balsa from kits or plans".

[bouncebounce crunch]

Well i have contemplated this for many months.

Advertising in aeromodelling magazines and websites is only reaching the converted, a better advertising strategy and catch cry is needed, that is for sure.

Never ever noticed an aeromodelling magazine in a doctors waiting room all gossip mags with a few premium hob snobbery glossies too. that is an opportunity in itself.

ever asked science and technology faculties at high schools if they have a class that could be involved?

what about raffles with model and lessons

need to make people aware of the benefits of joining a club and what aeromodelling is about. I mean more than being an model flyer too.

Parent and child learning together is still as relevant and powerful today, tis happening in other sports and hobbies even lawn bowls. because they advertise and get around the community

need to get out into the wider community is the first step.

join the club and recieve a free transmitter to get you started.

I just think we are not seeing the opportunities that are out there and keep blaming everything else from internet to drones and cafe latte green house gasses.

bbc

[Glyn44]

All good points. On the other hand there are two clubs in my area with closed memberships, as they can't deal with any more flyers at the moment. So all is not lost.

[ChrisB]

There are several issues. Firstly clubs don't always want to make their presence known to the local populous due to the risk of crime or he risk of upsetting locals and authorities.
The other issue is that many local newcomers only last a year or two at the most. In our club of 90 we see, perhaps 5 or 6 local raw novices join each year, most want to play with toy foamies and when they realise that learning to fly isn't going to be as easy as it appears they never rejoin in year 2 or 3. I'm the contact for our club and always give people advice, trial flights and links to websites etc ans I even offer to help them at home on occasions but many dont persue it. I think many people want to own and fly perhaps one or two models, cheap and cheerful without commitment alongside other activities, almost as a bucket list.
Horses and water....

[Capt Kremen]

Our club attends and static displays at the local summer fete, this event naturally attracts all walks and ages.

Little interest is shown by 'Joe Public' even with a PC flight simulator that might grab the attention of the 'PC Joystick Generation!'

With the odd exceptions, our club is an embodiment of 'Last of the Summer Wine' and the few new members that are recruited have more in common with Compo & Clegg.

Matty B's post sums the evolving situation well, much as we may find that disheartening.

Now where's my tube of balsa cement, Ever-Ready single edge blade and tin of 'Joy' dope ... the smell of yesterdays!

[ChrisB]

It seems we're all in the same boat. Plough on regardless

[Nightflyer]

I think there are many perfectly valid arguments and individual clubs circumstances can vary too from being oversubscribed to barely being feasible groups. I am in an area where my club in the 90's and early 00's became a victim of its own success in that members were seen at various events and we were able to tutor newcomers that membership grew to a point we had doubled in size and had to restrict membership applications.

Roll the clock forward 10 years and it is a core of about 30 or so, which while a few more are welcome - especially juniors, we must consider the future of our hobby/sport. While these we have internet shopping to help our hobby needs there is a danger that the hobby becomes insular and lacks visibility and credibility within the community which then becomes more of an issue when dealing with governance of our sport/hobby at national or local authority level.

My son loves the pc gaming world but he has found a whole new level of challenges with undertaking model flying that he does not get on a pc. He is one I hope of the next generation of modellers that will carry model flying onwards through this century for the most part.

[ChrisB]

Model flying is also a victim of its own nature in that most are well out of towns away from public transport which isn't feasible for carrying models anyway and with the child protection issue many clubs require a parent or nominated guardian, who may not be interested themselves, so those without a car...under 18s, are stumped. It's mad that a 17 yr old on leave from the forces can drive themselves, their children and wife, for example, to the field but would have to be accompanied by a guardian because they are under 18....but thats a whole other matter...off topic as sone people say..

[Denis Watkins]

Throughout my life, under the heading of "interests" on my CV,

Since a teenager, I have included the statement "Radio Controlled Aeromodeller"

Apart from our "venues and club activities"

I have never met another ? ? ?

You would think randomly that you would bump into another modeller in passing; nope, not done

We are a breed in a specialist hobby

[Nigel R]

"On the other hand there are two clubs in my area with closed memberships, as they can't deal with any more flyers at the moment. "

Same here.

Mind you I'm not sure what my club think of me, I fly during lunchtimes and rarely see another soul. They probably think I've given up already!

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[ChrisB]

It's a fair point you make Denis, but there again in the scheme of things there are only, at most 40000 of us around at any one time. There again there are former modellers, many of whom move into full size flying. I suspect its down to lack of mass media popularity. When Strictly Come Dancing returned to our screens after many years away after Come Dancing was on; dancing clubs thrived and were over subscribed. Similarly with sailing and cycling following various Olympics. It would be amazing to get that level of positive publicity but it could also prove a hostage to fortune. Take full size airshows, they attract hundreds of thousands but ask many people if they would like to live near an airfield of one sort or another and the answer is more than likely to be no.

Edited By ChrisB on 02/08/2017 19:09:06

[PETER BRUCE - Eastchurch Gap]

We have just finished our free public event (Bartons Point Flying Spectacular) to promote our club to our local population - we try to cater for the family and this is the toffee drop plane I fly for the children. Sweets with a ribbon on all get a prize over the two days of the event - all free and we spend around £170 on sweets and prizes alone for just this event. We manage to generate a lot of goodwill for the club but generally you don't get many new members for the effort but the clubs public profile is lifted no end. I think you will find if people are interested - be they young or old - they will find your club. I will post this video but it's from my iPad so I don't know how to embed it so sorry about that. Regards Peter

https://youtu.be/BPRBUu3Ewhs

[PETER BRUCE - Eastchurch Gap]

See if this works...

O dear it won't.

Edited By PETER BRUCE - Eastchurch Gap on 02/08/2017 22:28:07

Edited By PETER BRUCE - Eastchurch Gap on 02/08/2017 22:28:53

Edited By PETER BRUCE - Eastchurch Gap on 02/08/2017 22:29:34

[Nightflyer]

It was interesting to see Denis' comment about not meeting another aeromodeller through his work. I have to admit that for myself I have one guy working for me who shares the same interest and who joined the club I belong to through me, and I know of one other who used to fly in the same firm. I worked for one company where four of my colleagues also flew and in fact the company had its own model flying club within the sports & social club (and we had a use of company land for flying from, and turned an area of the premises into a model workshop (I miss that luxury), and worked for another firm in my home area who had at least three guys who all belonged to the same flying club.

I thin k one other comment that was pertinent was about access to local sites, and there I think is potentially one aspect - especially for attracting younger modellers. When I started flying control line as a boy I had permission to use my school fields, as did my secondary school model flying club. When people see these activities it can spark an interest, and other than public displays at known model shows or venues, those of a more local nature to communities are far more limited.

With what Peter Bruce commented about Eastchurch Gap. I think that is very true in many cases, but the positive PR such things can generate can be a significant benefit to clubs and the hobby.

I used to be in both the Hastings and also 1066 MFC's some years ago, and dealing with the local authorities could be a challenge. But it is surprising when you start to do things that promote tourism, and attract visitors to the area, etc how barriers can be overcome and the hobby seen as a positive for the community. There will always be the ne'er say wells in society but their voices get less attention when people see good intentions.

[bouncebounce crunch]

Being negative gets negative results so does giving up.

just standing there watching everything die around us is just a cop out. what is it that club members expect or More so Enjoy is the question. Club politics is not one.

A sixty or 80 year old saying kids are just not interested in this hobby is absolute rubbish, being introduced to the hobby is the barrier. I pads and video games are the same as Atari and pinballs in the 19 seventies and eighties. An ipad costs more than a model and club membership combined today so cost is not too much for many.

I Reiterate this from my earlier post that the opportunities are there, we are too busy to recognise them and blame everything else. If we want our clubs and hobby to grow then we must make it happen not expect macro trends to do it for us.

bbc

[bouncebounce crunch]

Oh just as an example this is about my aeromodelling club in our local news this Wednesday which is still current news here in Australia.

The Cessnock Advertiser.com.au

[Cuban8]

We haven't had a decent TV programme about modelling in general for years AFAIA, let alone flying models, that would give our hobby (thereby clubs and BMFA, LMA etc) some positive exposure.  I find this surprising, because if producers of specialist TV programmes, particularly on cable/satellite etc can make something of junk collecting/archeology/tree house building/build your own kit car or boat etc (to say nothing of baking cakes and dancing!) then I have thought the trials and tribulations of aeromodelling in all of its various guises could be a good basis for something worthwhile. I wonder if the BMFA's PRO has any contact with anyone in the media or whether such an idea would be any good anyway?

Do modern kids programmes still do interesting snippets on engineering subjects such as we used to get on 'Blue Peter' in its heyday in the 60s? I still remember Chris Trace's model railway layout that used to appear from time to time on the show, and being captivated by its detail and size. Really showing my age now. I did see a couple of fairly recent programmes about drones and drone racing, but they were very boring and wouldn't keep a youngster's interest for very long. ( I'm not knocking drones or drone racing per se, you understand)

The big down side is the risk of the 'big boys and their toys' syndrome which sadly made itself apparent in 'Model Mania' and 'Super Models'. Doesn't mean you can't have fun and inject a bit of humour now and again - perhaps something along the lines of Mark Evans's excellent 'Plane/Chopper is Born' would work, albeit on a more modest scale (no pun intended).

 

 

 

Edited By Cuban8 on 04/08/2017 08:45:12

[Glyn44]

ChrisB's post may have the answer. Model flyng accepted as an Olympic sport!

Well if chess is getting in, why not.

[Cuban8]

The 2017 World Air Games has just finished (yes, I missed it too!) and I don't think aero modelling is included. Seem to recall it was in the past but might be mistaken.

 

Just looked at the FAI's website and they say that in terms of participants, Aeromodelling is the largest of all airsports with an estimated one million participants world wide. Funny then that only parachuting, glider aerobatics and para motors took part in this year's games. True there are FAI aeromodelling events throughout the year but these mostly go unnoticed even amongst our own.

Had to have a giggle at where the FF champs are being held this year in Romania............you'll have to Google it

 

Edited By Cuban8 on 04/08/2017 10:12:41

[Engine Doctor]

As said in an earlier post most clubs are some distance from towns etc with little or no transport links. Think back and we as children would tie a model on our back and cycle miles to a flying area or a pond to run our ic model boats. Nowadays youngsters aren't  interested or allowed by their parents to do such things, so if mum or dad don't drive them to a site they just don't bother. Society has changed and its not friendly to our hobby. As for advertising I put our club in local free magazines to promote our hobby and encourage new members . Our club also attends any local fetes if asked so that we can spread the word. A lot of effort for little or no interest ! I really don't know the answer but if we can get our youngster and their parents interested in getting out in the open air instead of sitting in front of the telly we might just might stand a chance. Local authorities don't help either with blanket bans on model flying in most parks locally ,but usually introduced by someone flying irresponsibly !

[Andy48]

Posted by bouncebounce crunch on 02/08/2017 00:26:07:

ever asked science and technology faculties at high schools if they have a class that could be involved?

Don't need to ask, the answer is very straightforward. Schools are bound by GCSE Exam syllabus and by the National Curriculum that has been in force for nearly 30 years. There is little or nothing in either subject that relates to model flying.

[Andy48]

Posted by bouncebounce crunch on 04/08/2017 05:50:17:

A sixty or 80 year old saying kids are just not interested in this hobby is absolute rubbish, being introduced to the hobby is the barrier. I pads and video games are the same as Atari and pinballs in the 19 seventies and eighties.

So I'm not allowed to say that most kids are simply not interested because of my age!

The reality here in the UK is that society has changed, parents work harder and longer just to pay the mortgage, children's games have changed from the making to the more passive games where everything is ready for them.

If our club is anything to go by, numbers are stable, but the new members joining are invariably over 50. We have less than 4% junior members.