Flying Site Assistance - 2010/11
Greetings
Hello again, everyone.
Here in the Southeast, the second half of the flying season is in full swing. As we get past the scorching hot days of summer, fall brings renewed interest in flying. The cooler temperatures make a trip to the flying site much more enjoyable.
I hope you are enjoying your flying field this fall!
For some clubs, this fall brings uncertainty. Some are under the threat of losing their sites and others are already seeking new facilities. If your club is facing this problem, please contact me. I would like to see what AMA can do to help.
We have been able to assist several clubs in retaining their flying sites this year. I have many ongoing cases in which I am working with clubs. Give me a call or send me an e-mail if your club needs help.
Types of model flying sites
Virtually all model flying sites fall within three categories:
- Club-owned property
- Private-leased property
- Government/business-leased property
Clubs that own their sites, but find themselves being forced to move, can expect to sell the property for a profit and purchase another. Although the new site might be farther away and less convenient for the majority of the members, they at least have some measure of control over their situation and have more options available.
Leased sites are the most common type for AMA model clubs. A good example of privately owned, leased property would be farmland. There are many great model sites on agricultural land. The advantage is that the site is rural and sound is usually not an issue. The club only needs a small amount of land—three or four acres—to create a runway, pit, and parking areas. The rest of the farmland is over-fly area. The runway is usually grass, so the farmer can reclaim it if necessary. If the owner decides to terminate the lease, the club may lose some of the improvements it has made, but most can be moved to another site in the future.
Government- and business-owned leased sites have a few advantages over farmland. Usually clubs are not as limited in the number of improvements that can be made. Many sites have longer-term leases and clubs feel better about spending money to improve the site. Hard-surfaced runways and more permanent shade structures are the norm.
All three of these scenarios have pros and cons. Not even the club-owned sites have a guarantee that they will always be there.
How to improve your security
What can you do to feel more secure in your situation and set yourself up so that the community and county will be interested in your survival should the loss of your flying site become imminent?
As I stated in last month's column, one of the new focuses that the AMA Executive Council has placed on the Flying Site Assistance program is to be more proactive in helping clubs to keep the sites that they have.
One way to help retain a flying site is through the AMA Leader Club Program. This recognizes clubs for their accomplishments in working to improve facilities for their membership. Another vital part of the program is focused on improving the club's stature within the community.
AMA Leader Club Program levels
There are three levels of AMA Leader Clubs: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Once a club meets the minimum criteria, it can achieve one of the three levels based on the number of electives it accomplishes.
- Bronze-level clubs must meet all basic requirements plus three electives.
- Silver-level clubs must meet all basic requirements and six electives.
- Gold-level clubs must meet all of the basic requirements and all nine electives.
Several electives are directly tied to the club's outreach and education of its communities. As a club becomes active in its community, the community tends to see it as an asset, not a liability.
Electives that build community support
Elective #2 reads: "The club has implemented an AMA Adopt-A-School program or donates a Model Aviation magazine subscription to schools or libraries."
Clubs that are involved with children via school programs can create a great relationship with the school and school board. This can pay unimaginable dividends in the future. When you have support such as this, club members can feel much more secure about their future and their ability to keep their flying site.
Elective #4 states: "The club sponsors an annual public event, such as a mall show, flying show, or demonstration."
These types of events make the public aware of the club and what the members do. Often events such as this receive television, radio, or newspaper publicity. This can go a long way to increase membership and provide a positive picture of modeling to the public.
Another great elective is #7. It reads: "The club participates in charity programs or public fund-raising events."
Nearly every club with which I am in contact participates in some kind of charity fund-raiser during the year. These events are great fun for the membership, help raise awareness of a worthy cause, and really plug in with the community. The news media loves this stuff! It is easy to get coverage for events such as this and the local officials will take notice, especially if you invite them to attend the event.
Again, this shows everyone that modelers are not "users" who want everything given to them. I have always found modelers to be generous, especially when it comes to charity programs. Many clubs have donated huge amounts of toys and cash during events such as the Marine Corps Toys for Tots annual Christmas drive.
I hope you can see how important community involvement can be to a club. It paves the way for support from those who can provide it. If your club is not active in these areas, discuss it at a club meeting and see what happens.
What you can do now
Right now, you might feel pretty good about your flying site situation. That's great, but can it change? You bet! Are there threats out there to your club? You know it.
Discuss with your fellow members how your club can be more proactive in protecting your flying site. If you haven't thought about the AMA Leader Club Awards program, look into it. Your club may already be well on the way to Gold Leader Club status!
More information
You can find more information about the Leader Club Program by calling (800) 435-9262 or visiting the AMA Web site at www.modelaircraft.org. There you can find the details and download a document by clicking on the "AMA Documents" section of the Web site.
You can do it!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
