Volume 9 Issue 1 AMA #530 District 11 www.eugenerc.org 6 Pages January 2013 Club Mailing Address: Eugene RC Aeronauts, PO Box 26344, Eugene, OR. 97402 ERCA News and Information Next CLUB Meeting – Wednesday January 23, 7 P.M at EWEB. If you have a building project, bring it with you for "Show and Tell". At the November meeting - 18 members and guests attended. "Show and Tell" Nearly completed Corsair, for sale items from an estate sale. Discussion of 2013 events and the crosswind runway may be able to be started in August. AMA’s Leader Club award - See report from Secretary / Treasurer. Indoor Flying – due to the cool weather we have had good attendance at our Wednesday sessions. Micro flyers and Quadcopters scoot thru the calm, warm air of the Rec Center. See the indoor action at: http://www.eugenerc.org//EEF/EEFindex.htm REMINDER Winter Flying Rules - Attention All Pilots: During November, December, January, February Saturday, Sunday & Wednesday NO FLYING before 12:00 Noon. NO ARRIVING before 12:00 Noon. Meeting minutes are ONLINE at: http://eugenerc.org/meetings.html At The November Meeting Meeting begins. Corsair show and tell Anticipating a purchase? 2013 Meeting Dates - Time 7pm January 23 Wed - EWEB February 26 Tue - Roaring Rapids Pizza March 21 Thurs - EWEB April 22 Mon - EWEB May 29 Wed - EWEB June 25 Tue - Field July 23 Tue - Field August 27 Tue - Field September 23 Mon - EWEB October 22 Tues - Roaring Rapids Pizza November 25 Mon - EWEB December NO MEETING Winter Flying Rules Attention All Pilots: During November, December, January, February Saturday, Sunday & Wednesday NO FLYING before 12:00 Noon. NO ARRIVING before 12:00 Noon. President’s Report Now that the 2012 flying season is behind us I would like to thank everyone for his or her involvement at ERCA over the past year. While our membership level was down a bit this year we did have many successes. Our events this year were very much improved for those that participated as well as spectators. We had a higher number of spectators thanks to the signage at intersections as well as the exposure the club got with the media. The intro-pilots did a great job and completed a significant number of intro flights, which certainly raised an interest in our hobby and even generated some new members. There were work crews that helped with field maintenance and as always Doug McWha kept the runway in great shape. A special thanks to Jim Corbett for the construction of the charging tables, what a great improvement as electric flying is expanding. Al Barrington was successful in gaining status for our club with AMA. ERCA is now a GOLD LEADER CLUB; we are now in the top 15% of all clubs in the United States. Be certain to get your personal pin from Al. With 2013 here its time to head into that cave and work on those new Christmas gifts or just clean up and make ready the fleet for a super year of activities. Remember to check and inspect all the hardware, installations and batteries. Rechecking weight and balance isn’t a bad idea either. It will be a good year for us to enjoy our super hobby and be with friends and family. I am looking forward to serving ERCA as the president and am looking forward to having members get more involved in our club through participation in committee’s and improved attendance at our monthly meetings. I would like to get your input regarding what’s important to you, what would make the club more satisfying for you, changes you would like to see or committee’s you would like to volunteer for. Remember to fly safe and not alone. Mickey Vice President’s Report Wow its 2013! As I get older I am reminded that life is short and we have but just a sliver of time to enjoy life to the fullest. For me part of the enjoyment of life is flying. While I have always wanted to be a pilot and had a short stint learning to fly sailplanes in Arizona and a brief few minutes behind the stick of a Piper Cherokee I have not been able to pursue my dreams of flying full time due to being color blind. I even tried to cheat the flight physical when I joined the Army in 1990 but there is no cheating colored yarn! I learned later in life that RC Airplanes can be a great substitute and quite exciting. That being said I can’t wait for this weather to clear up and get in the skies! A week or so ago your President and I met to discuss what 2013 could be for our club. We have some great goals and will outline those at this week’s meeting. As with anything though we cannot be successful without your support and help! We are desperately in need of people to step up and lead or volunteer to be a part of one or a couple groups we will be forming this week. We absolutely have the best club in the Willamette Valley and possibly all of Oregon. We also have a great airfield that has some huge potential. One of the goals I will touch on is field improvements. If we want to continue to attract new members and have the same or higher caliber events this year we need to have a field that we can say is the best in all of Oregon. When you the members (and your guests) and visitors come to our field I want them to feel comfortable and say wow this field is amazing! * Tables need to be worked on and weatherized. * The club house needs a thorough cleaning, paint and inside we need to hang some real boards for notices etc… * We also need to think about how we can improve our port-a-john. Last year when we had the public come out and enjoy the festivities many (mostly females) were disgusted by that part of our field. * We need a new sign to greet people as they enter the great Carl Henson field. * We need to consider a better place to store the various stuff next to the lawn mower shed. * Some fields paint the runway to look like a real runway which I think would be cool. Maybe this would be done for our events if a permanent solution cannot be found. * A fire pit has been discussed which would be great for the cold chilly days. * A flag pole has been discussed as well which could display our great Nation’s flag along with a Eugene RC Aeronauts flag below it. * Continue talks about the additional North/South runway * Bleachers! * Expansion of the charging table I’m sure I missed something so at the meeting tomorrow please let me know what you think we can do to improve our field. As groups form please join one! If everyone helps out it will make it that much easier for everyone. If you are unable to donate your time maybe you have a connection to some of the supplies we will need for the improvements. Please come and talk with Mickey and or myself and let us know how you can help. More to come at Januarys meeting as this is just a glimpse into our goals for this year. Mike Winklepleck AMA’s Leader Club award It’s official. ERCA has been given the gold level of the AMA’s Leader Club award. Photo of the framed certificate, the gold (brass) plate, and the photo of the pin to be issued to each 2012 ERCA member. The criteria we had to meet to get the award are as follows: Required Activity 1. ERCA #530 has been a Chartered club with AMA for more than five years. 2. ERCA is open to all members and is not limited to a certain number. 3. ERCA has posted safety and operational rules at our flying site and on our web site - www.eugenerc.org 4. ERCA has filed a copy of the safety and operational rules at AMA HQ. 5. ERCA has a separate area for fliers and spectators indicated by signs, seating and protective fencing. 6. The AMA safety code is posted and visible along with the safety and operational rules. Leader Club Electives 1. ERCA has implemented and enforces a frequency control plan that allows for all RC channels including 2.4 GHz using a frequency pin checkout process and radio impound for transmitters not in use. 2. ERCA members donate Model Aviation magazines to schools, Boy Scouts, Civil Air Patrol, and the general public during events. 3. ERCA conducts a review of the AMA safety code at least once a year and discusses it and operational rules with the membership during each monthly meeting. 4. ERCA sponsors many events during the year beginning with the Memorial Day Fun Fly, Big Bird Fun Fly July, August Fun Fly, and Labor Day Fun Fly. ERCA also participates in shows for the Eugene Air Museum, Boy Scout Jamboree, Schools, and Retirement / Senior Centers. 5. ERCA has available sound level measuring equipment to monitor field activity for compliance with the 90db at 9 feet requirement. 6. ERCA has an information brochure we hand out to the public during events, shows, demos and hobby shops. 7. ERCA participates in the annual fund raiser, American Cancer Society Relay for Life and donates to the Food for Lane County program. 8. ERCA has a formal lease for the land where the flying site is located and enjoys a great relationship with the land owner and surrounding neighbors. 9. ERCA maintains a group of dedicated members who make themselves available as flying instructors for new or prospective members. They use the AMA Introductory Pilot program and follow the students through solo flight and provide support following. During events, the instructors take the public for Intro Flights using a "buddy Box" or on a computer RC flight simulator. Congratulations to all who made this award possible. AL Barrington Sec/Treas, ERCA Treasurers Report ERCA ended 2012 with $6,050.68 in the bank and 84 members. As of this report, only half of the 2012 membership has renewed both their AMA and ERCA memberships. Members are reminded to avoid the late fee or reinstatement fee by renewing by the February meeting (Feb 26th). I will contact those not renewed after the January meeting to make sure of your status and intentions. That is a lot of work so please help me out. Our current bank balance is $5,250.68. We are feeling the hit of all the usual annual bills such as the field lease, AMA Charter, Insurance, etc, which will rapidly eat away at our reserve. We welcome member input for ideas on fund raisers. The club can not fly on dues alone. The ERCA 2012 annual Income and Expense report shows that we had $9,039.00 in income for the year and our expenses totaled $9,039.97. We went 97 cents into the red for 2012. Such is life in the non-profit world. The detailed report will be available at the meeting or on request. All members are encouraged to read or re-read the Constitution and By Laws page of the web site or contact me for a copy to be familiar with its contents and be aware of changes. We welcome your input to help make improvements. If you have not received your AMA Gold Leader award pin, see me at the meeting or please contact me. I am trying to catch each 2012 member possible to congratulate you in person and present you your pin. Those I am not able to reach in person will receive theirs by snail mail. We greatly appreciate the contributions of all members who step up and take part in club operations. Your generous contributions of your resources to support ERCA are critical to its success. Please consider serving on a committee or volunteering when help is needed for events or work parties. Thank you in advance. Happy Landings. AL Barrington Sec / Treas, ERCA 2013 ERCA Club Contacts - President: Mickey Cohen - 541-953-9902 - mcaviation@comcast.net Vice President: Mike Winklepleck - 541-968-0504 - heidisman1@gmail.com Sec/Treasurer: Al Barrington - 541-935-4960 - albarrington@msn.com Safety Officer: Roger Dahl - 541-579-5959 - roger@artistry-in-motion.com Groundskeeper: Doug McWha - 541-741-3326 - flyduke@comcast.net Newsletter Editor: Jim Corbett - 541-344-5022 - james.corbett@comcast.net --- That's All Folks -- Newsletter Editor 1618 Gilham Rd. Eugene, OR. 97401 January 2013 «FirstLast» «Street» «CityStZip» ____________________________ Renewing Current Member ____________________________ INVOICE FOR 2013 MEMBERSHIP - EUGENE RC AERONAUTS Please fill in the following information and send back with your Dues Remittance Name __________________________________________ under age 17_____ 2013 AMA Membership No._______________________________ I certify that I have paid my 2013 AMA Dues. Initial _________ Check yourAMA Status http://www.modelaircraft.org/MembershipQuery.aspx Member Address ________________________________________________________________ Member Phone No. __________________________ Cell: __________________________ Member Email Address ___________________________________________________________ Newsletter Via: _____ Email ___ Regular Mail ___ Do not need to receive newsletter Please enclose your check for $ 60.00 as a current member renewing for 2013 and Mail to: Eugene RC Aeronauts, PO Box 26344, Eugene, Or. 97402. Or bring this INVOICE and $60.00 to the Meeting. Next CLUB Meeting – Wednesday January 23, 7 P.M at EWEB Newsletter ONLINE at: http://eugenerc.org/NL/CURRENTNEWSLETTER.pdf December 2009 2 January 2013 5