KENT RADIO AEROMODELERS, INC.
Minutes of the February 6, 2012 Meeting
Called to order at 7:00pm by President Nikolei Zinsli
Members present: 24
Guest present: Corey Fingleton applying for membership
Review of the Minutes of the December meeting
Motion to approve by: Danny Osborn
Seconded by: Ed Buck
Vote: Carries
Financial Report: Sufficient funds exist to carry out our plan for the summer. For detail, club members can see the financial position of the club on the web site. A big thank you goes to Lifetime member Elwyn Wellfare for donating the proceeds from his sales at the swap shop to the club ($63.50).
Current paid membership is 58. Emails and letters have been sent to those members from last year that have not yet sent in their renewals or communicated their intentions not to renew for the coming year.
Motion to accept by: Mark Schmaltz
Seconded by: Danny Osborn
Vote: Carried
New Members voted into the club: John Sanford and Corey Fingleton
OLD BUSINESS:
Club officers elected at the December meeting who took office on January 1, 2012 are as follows:
President Nik Zinsli
Vice-President Dave Pierce
Assistant Vice-President George Orphan
Secretary-Treasurer (2 year term) Dan McLaren
Lead Field Safety Officer Ed Bradley
Field Maintenance Officer Ed Fowler
Social Director Mark Schmaltz
Web Master Nik Zinsli
Club dues remain $75 for 2012 can be given to Dan McLaren at any time you see me or mailed to:
1058 San Lucia SE
East Grand Rapids, Mi. 49506
Also noted is the fact that AMA dues are submitted directly to the AMA. According to the AMA web site there are still a number of members who have not renewed their AMA Membership.
Dan McLaren reported out on discussion with Mr. Oesch concerning changing of the barn locks at our expense and supply keys to them as required and then keep distribution to a minimum within the club. This will reduce the worry of Mrs. Oesch (who runs the day care in Carolyn’s old house) about who is coming and going to the barn.
Dave Pierce reported out that the Pin Box broken hasp was fabricated by Jim Heist and installed by Danny Osborn. Securing the pin box against the weather is no longer a problem. Thanks for the effort gentlemen!
Dan McLaren reported out on meeting with Fred Oesch to:
• Extend the existing lease “as is” for one year.
• Request the earth moving equipment is moved from the NE corner of the field by spring.
• Follow up on the possibility of getting electricity to the shelter area – put on hold for 2012.
George Orphan reported out that October 28 is the date of the 2012 Swap Meet. This date is reserved with the K of C – deposit already made.
Mark Schmaltz reported out that September 8 is the confirmed date for the Vet’s Fly In. Mark also stated the TAG day will be May 23; Memorial Fly In will be June 16; Club picnic will be July 21. Lee Lubbers and Lee Frederickson stated they will not be organizing a “Big Bird” fly in this year.
Dave Pierce reported out on a planning meeting for the 2012 Swap Shop. Dave was able to get a number of questions answered so he feels much more comfortable with the job he has undertaken this year.
George Orphan reported he still has to write a formal thank you note to the two hobby shops that helped us have a successful Swap Shop this year.
NEW BUSINESS:
Danny Osborn reported out that the New Year’s Day Fly In was a wash and wind out!
Nik Zinsli reported out on the survey of club members he did at the end of the year. Only ten members responded to the questionnaire and generally were satisfied with how the club is functioning. The most mentioned area for improvements was the field. Efforts to let the general public know who and where we are is deemed important to the gaining of new members for the club and AMA. Our newest member gave a presentation and demo to the kids at the new West Michigan Aviation Academy Charter school at the airport and thinks they would be ideal candidates to become interested in the hobby. He was encouraged to keep in contact and we would assist him in anything that he may need to get the connection going. There was no support for a mall show for many reasons – from the mall not being supportive, to only little kids really get excited and their parents are not going to drive them twenty miles to fly to not many members want to spend a Saturday in the mall…
There were four “Show and Tells” at the meeting:
Danny Osborn displayed this year’s raffle plane, a Hangar 9 P-47, which was again donated by Hobby World.
Dave Pierce displayed a 40-size Sig Sealane kit he is just finishing – needs motor and electronics.
Corey Fingleton (newest club member) showed off a GP Super Sportster biplane that was given to him by a neighbor that he stripped and recovered.
Jim Grant also showed off his latest creation, a Somethin’ Extra.
Correspondence:
Letter from Joan Frowein informing us of husband Ken passing. (We also lost Bill Hamm and Deno Sellas during 2011)
Thunderbirds Swap Meet 2012 – was 2/18/12
TheRCSwap.com – free advertising of items for sale and club events.
RCFlightDeck – calendar module from RC Pilot Magazine
Dan McLaren discussed a number of points about the AMA Club Charter renewal process that basically acknowledges all club members:
• Be AMA members
• Not fly within three miles of any preexisting flying site without a frequency-management agreement
• That a copy of the club bylaws are on file with AMA and members agree to abide by the same
• The club has an open membership regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
Nik Zinsli noted that a skating club he is familiar with has a fund raiser which involves eating at specific restaurants which contribute some portion of the tab to the club. Nik asked for permission to explore the activity as a possible “non dues revenue generator”. Nik was given the go ahead to explore this activity and report back next month.
Lee Frederickson asked if there were new rules in place for Associate Memberships. Dan McLaren responded that all new members, regardless of type, are expected to fill out and sign a “New Club Member Application”. The last lines of the application before the signature read “I agree to abide by all KRAM Bylaws and field rules and meet with the Club Safety Officer within the 1st month of membership.” ALL members are expected to abide by the AMA safety rules and all club rules.
Lee then pressed the point that the club Safety Rule C was not clear related to what flight stations were and where one needed to stand in relation to the station. After considerable discussion Dan Osborn made a motion which was seconded by Mark Schmaltz that rule C be revised to make it crystal clear that the intent is to fly while on/at a flight station stone. (Roger Ausema also suggested the placement of the flight stations along the flight line be identified – how far back from the safety fence, how far apart, how far from the taxi way.) This motion carried overwhelmingly. The Secretary was charged to bring a proposed revision to the March meeting.
Lee Lubbers opened a discussion that the club rules should be reviewed in light of the changing technology. Lee Frederickson pointed out that indoor flying allows much closer proximity to the aircraft and no limit to the number of planes in the air with 2.4Mz systems. It was pointed out to Lee that there is room within our existing Safety Rule C for such demonstrations (“An exception to this rule is made for group or exhibition flying where all members of the group or team may stand together in order to communicate and coordinate flight maneuvers.”) There was very little support to review the rules due to technology changes since the overwhelming majority of members present felt the advent of 2.4Mz has done away with interference but not safety issues. Five in the air is still considered the safe everyday pattern. Likewise, our parent organization AMA has not changed their perspective on safety. What can be done indoors with a micro light foamy should not be done outside with a 3 to 50 pound model.
50/50 was won by Dave Kingma ($15 to club)
Next meeting: March 6, 2012 at 7:00pm at Kellogsville High School
Motion to adjourn: 8:45 pm
Motion by: Allen Simpson
Seconded by: Everyone
Respectively submitted,
Dan McLaren
KRAM Secretary / Treasurer
February 13, 2012
