FROM THE SECRETARY'S DESK

Since my last report the President and Vice President have met with the relevant officers in the Lands Dept to discuss the access road, amongst other things. A process is to be followed with Warringah Council, and the President has that in hand.

Two important matters were brought to the attention of the February meeting. The first was the fact that the National Parks wish to absorb our Permissive Occupancy leases into Garigal National Park. This was only brought to our notice when our Landlord, the Department of Lands, (a different section to the above!) sent us a Draft document for our comment.

The document is an Assessment of Crown Land at Belrose Cromer and Oxford Falls. The President, Colin Simpson, has had a discussion with an Officer of the National Parks. Colin’s opinion is that this could be of an advantage to the Club in the long term and informed the meeting that he would be again talking with that person before sending a Club reply to the Draft Document.

The second matter was a unanimous vote to CHANGE SCALE DAY DATE to 26 September, to avoid a clash with Shepparton

The meeting business was conducted briskly to allow the members to enjoy GRECH PRODUCTIONS video of the Reno Races 2003 and Bomber Field, Houston Texas, 2003.

 

PLEASE PLAY BY THE RULES!!

If you have read the February, 2004 MAS, issue #263, you would have noted the letter from the Federal Secretary of MAAA on the issue of visitors and insurance cover. He notes that with our Insurance policy "cover is extended to ‘Bona Fide’ Visitors. The definition of ‘Bona Fide’ being ‘genuine, without fraud’". The Federal Secretary states that a ‘Bona Fide’ visitor could turn up for a couple of days but if a person attends (ie flies) on more than two days then the definition is being stretched and is testing the limits of coverage.

He states that if a person is involved in a serious accident who has flown at the Club on more than two days, then the Insurance company could deny liability. If this were to occur other legal action could involve the Club and its Officers .

Instructors in particular should note that a visit also includes the case of when a person is under instruction. Particularly, the MAAA and WRCS, require the Visitor’s Book to be signed before any non-member uses the Club’s facility

The Club will take action to expel any member who assists a visitor to enter the field for the purposes of flying, knowing that the person has already flown on two previous days and is not a holder of a valid MAAA card. So don’t use your key, or ask another member, to bring in other family members/friends to fly on more than two days.

Being unfinancial also means you have no insurance. An accident by an unfinancial person means that they are not a member and consequently have no Insurance. This has been confirmed by the Federal Secretary of MAAA. If an accident occurs it will affect you, believe me. So if you see someone without a current year badge then challenge them. If you notice any one continually using the field without a current badge (make sure that it is an 03/04 date) then tell them to stop. Take as many details as possible, especially who they are and who they are with and inform a Committee member.

Remember our Club has to be policed by everyone. Do not assume that a person is a member until you have sighted their current badge which has to be displayed on the member’s cap/hat/shirt/blouse. Flaunting the Rules is dangerous and silly!

27Mhz PARK FLYERS.

The MAAA have approved the use of electric powered models on 27Mhz at MAAA club fields. Accordingly a frequency board has been fitted to the pound door.

Non members may approach the Club for help in getting their newly purchased park flyer in to the air.

YOU can assist BUT:

1. The model must be less than a half a Kilogram.

2. The power source must be less than 9volts.

3. A marked frequency key must be used.

4. Only MAAA approved Instructors can assist in FLYING of a visitors model for Insurance coverage to apply.

5. Other members can assist in setting up and giving advice but his/her Insurance will not cover any situation should that member permit or assist the visitor to fly.

6. A visitor can be covered by an approved Instructor's Insurance for any approved aircraft type, including the 27Mhz class, for 2 visits, before it is expected that the person would join the Club, or any club, whereby a valid MAAA card is issued to that person.

NOTE: There will be NO Insurance coverage for any accident if you assist in flying and are not a MAAA approved Instructor.

CARELESS FQ KEYS

Never was the point driven home more forcefully to one of our Juniors that you must THINK before putting your Fq key in the board and switching on the Transmitter than on Saturday 7 Feb. But more to the point, that you must have a seperate key for each frequency, not use the same key in two different slots.

With two Fq and only one key, he put the key in the slot, confused himself about which one he was using and proceeded to shoot down a new sports model which just fell out of the sky and demolished itself.

What about if that had been an expensive $2,000 or $5,000 or $10,000 model (and some Members do have them!!). How do you compensate for all the manhours on top of the actual physical damage?

Pound protocols must be observed to ensure incident free flying. Remember:

* one key per Frequency,

* Tx in pound on arrival at the field at all times and not removed without a key in the board,

* Maximum twenty minutes out of pound to back in and SWITCHED OFF!

It is often said that a system is only as good as the persons using it allow it to be. After singing the praises of the tracker last month, imagine the disappointment when David Pound dropped his plane in the bush and even though he had the you-beaut tracker he couldn't go looking for it!! The last person to use the Yagi receiver didn't turn it off after use and the battery was dead flat!!   David went on to use the more traditional way of poking about the bush for it and found his model. Something to be said for good directional and estimating skills.   The much anticipated new Club stock model is about to see the light of day, George Ward is building the first prototype of the "Plagiarist" soon. By the way, a "plagiarist" is someone who uses other people's ideas. Most appropriate name for a model which is developed and adopts the "better" ideas and design features of other models?

Much to the ire of many fixed wingers (or should that be "fixed whingers"), the Gerry Shed has a new lease of life on Sundays with the gathering of the helicopter boys. It is nice to see so many rotor freaks enjoying the benefits of their Club membership and ensures that WRCS remains an "all disciplines" Club.   Brian Porman complains that your Mag Editor, bless his cotton socks, cut a little too hard in his February article on ‘Gravity’. We cut the article to fit into the space on the page and we left out the meaning of the acronym MOND, which stands for MODIFIED NEWTONIAN DYNAMICS. We are sure you were waiting with baited breath for that explanation!   A great turn-out at the Feb meeting gave a temporary welcome home to Mike Minty who will be leaving again soon to return (maybe permanently) late in the year. The Grech Home Movies of their recent trip to the US were just great.