Helicopter Flyers and Heli Field

[Walter Johnson]

   In the most recent club newsletter there is paragraph describing the behavior of some heli flyers as not being OK. This needs to be clarified as to what issues the club as a whole is having with the flyers and anything else that is not OK. I've been down this road before and this can not be left to fester and grow worse. I consider myself an all around flyer and partake in several different types of rc flying. I do tend to fly more helicopter than anything else at present but this has nothing to do with trying to be non social with the fixed wing side of the field. I was under the impression that it was the clubs idea to have a second field to seperate the helis from the planes. I'm sure this was voted upon by the membership and was accepted by all as a great solution to having to different types of flying that really dont work well on the same field. I really to appreaciate being able to fly my helis on a seperate field as I'm sure the fixed wing guys do also. If there is really a problem with us heli flyers please send out an email to the membership and lets get together and fix the problem ASAP. There was an issue about cars driving on the hay on the heli side when I inquired about this I was told it was one of the non club member pylon racers that caused the damage if this is true please clear this up in a future newsletter. Sorry for venting like this usually I'm the quiet one but this really hits home been flying helis since 1983 would hate to see another lost flying spot due to a misunderstanding. Walter 

[Ed Deming]

Walt, I was a bit surprised by the note, as well, but I've spoken with Fred, and think he was just trying to get some discussion going and prompt a bit more interaction. The not driving on the hay (quite a stretch, since that one car-width path around the sink-hole that had developed in the normal path from the rains) seemed a bit odd, but with the hole filled, we're back to the straight & narrow path. There was no other way to get to our side, and that one car wide strip of grass wasn't really harvestable hay, anyways.

I am a heli-only guy, but very much enjoy the company and interaction with the plane side and frequently wander over to watch and chat, and thoroughly enjoy it when the plane guys come over to the heli field to see what we're up to, as well. Could we heli-guys be more social? Sure. Could we pitch in more with field maintenance? Definitely. Are we trying to be anti-social and isolationist? I don't think so, but it makes sense to keep trying to maintain the club unity with a bit more interaction. Our club is pretty unique with having two fields, and I think, has a really good relationship between the heli and plane guys, partly from not having the competition for air time that other clubs do without a second field. That's something for the club to be proud of and to keep going.

[fmeyerrc]

Walter:  The comments I made in the news letter were not and are not intended to describe any bad behavior, in fact what I was trying to suggest is for the heli guys to get more involved with the overall club, its planning, its events, its maintenance, officer positions and whatever else come to mine.  Frankly, what sparked my comments was at the last sanctioned memorial event, a couple of heli guys went to the heli field and did not check in.  As you know  this is not acceptable to the AMA or me as the CD of this event.  I had to go back to the heli field to correct this so my inspiration was to make some comments with the hope that all members flying helis or fixed wing would take your example and become more involved with the workings of the club & its support.  I would also like to see more heli guys in the club and continue to improve the heli field.  This can best happen with more involvement by the heli guys throughout the club.

Regarding the comment in the minutes, our field Marshall was informed by complaints from our landlord, about the ruts and widening of the path to the heli field.  We all are well aware of the cause of the ruts that caused the Landlord to take notice and our Field Marshall quickly fixed the problem & removed the issue, & incidentally, it would have been great of the heli guys instigated fixing the road problem.