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The
Prez Sez
Hi
Folks!
A very Happy and
Prosperous New Year to all, as well as my thanks to each of you for your
support and concern. We are looking forward to another great year
and lots of great Southern Arizona flying days.
I
would ask that you attend as many of the Club meetings as you can; I
need your input in order to determine Club and City of Sierra Vista
priorities for us at Bollin Field.
As I mentioned last month,
our new webmaster (Dave Fields) has our new website www.mmrccinc.com
up, operational and ready for use now.
One additional item,
please don't forget your 2006 Club renewal to Tom Fenn as soon as you can.
That way we can provide accurate Club membership to AMA.
For
some ideas of some projects that we could be doing, in The November
National Newsletter Program Director Jay Mealy writes about Leader Clubs:
AMA Club Leader Program
by Jay Mealy, Program Director
Many
years ago, as I was preparing to depart for my first year of college, a
longtime friend and advisor told me, “It is easier to get into college
than it is to stay in college.” That statement proved to be true, and
has stuck with me since. Staying power proves useful in many endeavors,
but where it truly hits home for me is in reference to flying sites. It is
easier to get a flying site than it is to keep a flying site.
I know some of you out there are saying, “You don’t know what we went
through to get our site.” That is true, but through my experience, I do
know there are clubs that have worked diligently for long periods of time
to acquire a flying site, and that they have done a fine job maintaining
their site over time. I also know that there have been instances where a
club gives its all to acquire a site only to have it taken away in a very
short period of time.
There are many reasons why a club might lose its flying site. Some losses
are inevitable; however, some clubs must take responsibility for their
loss. Many times clubs can unknowingly be their own worst enemy. So, how
can AMA make your club more aware of what it takes to maintain the use of
a flying site? The answer is the Leader Club Program.
AMA established the program in 1992 in
order to recognize clubs that successfully maintained their sites and
continued positive relationships with neighbors and community.
Participation
is quite simple. There are five requirements:
- Club must be an
AMA Chartered club for a minimum of five years.
- Club has
developed and posted Safety and Operational Rules at its flying site.
- Club has filed a
copy of Safety and Operational Rules at AMA Headquarters.
- Flying field has
separate areas for fliers and spectators, clearly marked as such. The
AMA Safety Code is posted and visible at the club field.
- The program
recognizes clubs at three different levels Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
These levels are determined by the number of electives the club
chooses to document (there are nine total).
The
five requirements plus three electives qualifies the club for Bronze
status; the requirements plus six electives qualifies the club for Silver
status; and the requirements plus all nine electives qualifies the club
for Gold status.
These criteria were based on what AMA knew to be good operating
procedures. Whether it is the administration of activities at the flying
site or activities created to enhance the club’s position in the
community, all of the Club Leader goals are characteristics of successful
clubs.
Participation in the Leader Club Program has been a great source of pride
for all clubs enrolled. A number of our Leader Clubs are approaching their
10th year of continuous association with the program—quite an
accomplishment to say the least.
More importantly, the program is proving that the goals set forth are
important and effective ways to maintain a flying site and be a successful
club.
Even if your club is not currently interested in becoming and AMA Leader
Club, go to the AMA Web site and make a copy of document # 708 (it can be
found at www.modelaircraft.org/acrobat.asp).
Review
the document at your next club meeting, and even if the club does not want
to participate officially it may want to utilize some of the goals listed.
It could go a long way toward helping your club maintain its flying site
when you realize it is easier to get a flying site than it is to keep a
flying site.
Until
next time, fly safe and often.
Bill.
Special
How
about everyone at the field on January 1, 2006 to fly and start the new
year off right??
Club Meeting
The
next meeting of the MMRCC is scheduled for January 5, 2006 at 7:00 P.M.
The meeting will be held at the Northrop Grumman facility. Personnel are
required to sign-in and sign out for security purposes.
See
you at the meeting……………….Will
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