Comments/Discussion

I won’t renew my membership.

The reason being, I find the ‘fun bubble’ flying not appealing.

That’s not a saying I just picked up. I’ve applied it for years when the pilots simply fly around the sky without having a goal or challenge or anyone guiding a program of aerobatic of basic flying skills to follow.

I appreciate the work you put in but there is so much that is missing, in my opinion.

MEETINGS – Basically, for a member to raise a point or put forward an idea, there is no scheduled meeting to do this.

There is so much more to the hobby that could be introduced but you have no way to present ideas that can be discussed and voted on. Competitions for example. These don’t have to be extravagant to bring an element of flying skills to the group, thus providing another level of challenge and satisfaction.

Previously, one popular competition I invented and ran, was for powered and non-powered gliders. We only had up to 6 participants with a monthly session over 6 months with points awarded and the winner each year got the perpetual trophy which I made myself.

There is a myriad of little challenges to choose from to make each visit to the strip memorable.

All that aside, I look forward to seeing you all from time to time in the future.

Bill: I have often wondered about this, but not being a competitive person have not been inclined to pursue the issue. Each to his own. As to the want of opportunity to raise a point or put forward an idea, it has always been accepted that Sunday mornings provides adequate opportunity to do just that. Back in the dark ages when the club was newly formed, formal meetings with the election of officers, voting and the recording of minutes was the norm.  Given that the membership is geographically scattered and that formal meetings necessitated additional extra travel, the idea was dropped. Nothing was achieved that could not be dealt with on Sunday mornings.

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Comment addressed to the President of Model Flying New Zealand

I sent the following to the administrator in response to an email which he addressed to the secretary of our club, RPMAC: (Important! An update on Admin / club issues for the year ahead) but conclude that I should more properly have addressed the letter to you.

I have been involved in model aeroplanes in New Zealand for many years and started two clubs, Kerikeri in the 80’s and the Richard Pearce Model Aeroplane Club some 30 years ago. I flew my first model aeroplane in England in 1947.

Whilst I have appreciated the work of the New Zealand Model Aeronautical Association and the provision of third-party insurance, the quarterly magazine and the collation of membership I sense that the organisation is becoming overzealous and bureaucratic. Taking on an almost authoritarian military aspect.

Building and flying model aeroplanes might be classified as a recreation, hobby, and sometimes a sport, all with a high social element. In my experience the activity has always been conducted in a laissez-faire environment. In other words, with minimal control, rules and regulations. Membership and levels of competence are diverse and to attempt to place everyone into the same tight niche will serve only to turn away potential members.

That is not to say that participants here are unaware of the legal requirements surrounding the activity, but such rules as exist are applied using common sense in their application. Members are not pressured to conform to arbitrary and bureaucratic strictures simply to adhere to the requirements of a distant and unseen authority. Our club flies over a private farm paddock.

One notes the frequent use of the word “Safety”. Once again, common sense comes to bear and in my many years with the hobby I have yet to witness an incident in which anyone was seriously injured or even threatened.

Safety appears to be an element of bureaucratic control that is theoretically mitigated by the application of a “Wings Badge” regime and more rules and regulations. That is not to say that incidents do not occur, but such will not be prevented by more controls. The incidents are invariably unforeseen accidents which might be properly ascribed to carelessness – applicable even to wings badge holders.

The biggest risk to model aeroplane flyers is not flying models but rather driving to the flying site. Almost every day one reads or hears of car crashes that kill or injure drivers and passengers. Risks at the flying site are minuscule compared to dangers to be met on the road. In this context the proposed rules, regulations and assessments represent an exercise in futility.

One area that escapes scrutiny by MFNZ and the CAA is the availability of off-the-shelf radio-controlled models that are increasingly available to anyone – not forgetting quadcopters. These models tend to be flown from back gardens, public parks or school playing fields, even golf courses, with no control or supervision whatsoever.

One such public park in the centre of Timaru in a residential and commercial area has been so used for many years without serious incident. This is not condoned but it is a fact. These off-the-shelf flyers have never heard of MFNZ or the CAA.

The recent appearance of two 12-year-olds at the RPMAC flying site with off-the-shelf foam models and seeking advice exemplifies this trend. One had taught himself to fly at a golf course, the second, a girl, had yet to launch her model.

You are probably unaware of the disquiet spreading among the membership at the perceived trend to a more rigid bureaucratic management. I shall not be renewing my membership this year and I know several others who are considering their position. If the intention is to take the fun out of this hobby – then good luck.

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