Close this window to go Back to the Belleville R/C Flyers site

		Belleville R/C Flyers Constitution & Bylaws
		spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text spacer text

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I – NAME

Section 1 The name of this organization shall be the Belleville R/C Flyers, hereafter referred to as the "Club".

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES

Section 1 This is an incorporated, non-profit organization established to promote radio controlled model aviation as a sport. Through group endeavor, it will obtain safe and effective flying sites for the members.

Section 2 The purpose of the Club is to stimulate an interest in model aviation and exchange information and ideas to improve the state of the art. It will serve as the focal point for radio controlled model aviation activities in the St Clair County area and as a point of contact with the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

ARTICLE III – FISCAL YEAR

Section 1 The fiscal year shall extend from 1 January to 31 December.

ARTICLE IV – BY-LAWS AND FLYING REGULATIONS AND/OR RULES

Section 1 By-Laws deemed necessary by the Club members to insure the safety and welfare of the members and their guests while flying model aircraft at the Club flying site. They shall be adopted and have the force and effect as if published as part of the constitution, providing that all such proposals adopted by the Club membership are consistent with the Academy of Model Aeronautics and this Constitution.

ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 Individuals desiring membership in this Club shall fill out a Club Membership Application and return it to the Club Treasurer, who will present it to the Club Membership for consideration at the next regular scheduled meeting. (As amended 10-90)

Section 2 The Club will vote on an individual desiring membership by secret ballot or show of hands, not in his presence. If the majority approves, the individual shall be accepted. The Club President shall inform the individual of his acceptance or rejection of membership.

Section 3 All members of the Club must be AMA members.

Section 4 Newly accepted members not belonging to the AMA will pay their AMA dues along with Club initiation and flying field fees. The individual will fill out the AMA application and the Club Secretary will forward the application to the AMA.

Section 5 All members in this Club shall have the proper FCC license for the type of radio transmitter with which they intend to control their model aircraft.

Section 6 Upon written request, membership is automatically extended to the club member’s dependents under 18 years of age, provided each dependent is properly licensed with the AMA. Dependent member’s dues shall be one-half the amount of general membership dues. When a dependent member becomes 18 years of age, he will then pay general membership dues; not being charged initiation and flying field dues.

Section 7 Dependent members under 18 years of age will not be charged an initiation fee or a flying field fee.

Section 8 Dependent membership shall terminate at the end of the Fiscal Year in which the dependent member becomes 18 years of age.

ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS

Section 1 The officers for the Club shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Safety Officer and Field Marshall. (Field Marshall added 1-82)

Section 2 The term of office for Club Officers shall be for 1 year.

Section 3 Elections will be by secret ballot under normal parliamentary procedures.

Section 4 Elections will be held during the business meeting of November.

Section 5 Newly elected officers will take office at the January business meeting.

Section 6 All Club Officers can succeed themselves in Office. (As amended 10-90)

ARTICLE VII – DUTIES

Section 1 Duties of the President shall be

To preside at all meetings of the Club
To keep order and decorum at all times
To rule on any questions before the Club as outlined in Robert’s Rules of Order
To appoint any person or committees not otherwise ordered by the Club members
To call special meetings as necessary
To vote only when one vote is necessary to break a tie
To personally represent the Club on matters of business and public relations
Section 2 Duties of the Vice-President shall be:

To assist the President in the discharge of his duties
Preside at meetings when the President is absent
Arrange and conduct social activities for the Club
Section 3 Duties of the Secretary shall be:

To keep a record of the meetings of the Club in a minute book provided for that purpose
To send out notices of regular or special meetings or flying sessions to each member
To maintain Club membership records
To handle all Club correspondence
Section 4 Duties of the Treasurer shall be:

To receive all monies due the Club and keep records of expenditures and collection of Club monies
To report on the financial status of the Club at each business meeting
To handle all correspondence relating to monies and business transactions of the Club

Section 5 Duties of the Safety Officer shall be:

To promote the safety and welfare of the members and guests of the Club while flying model aircraft at the Club flying site
To promote the AMA SAFETY CODE as guidance for flying model aircraft at the Club flying site.
To ENFORCE the Club Model Aircraft Flying Rules and provide guidance when a safety problem becomes evident at the Club flying site
To assist the Contest Director at Club contests and promote safe flying of model aircraft at the Club flying site at all times

ARTICLE VIII – QUORUMS AND MEETINGS

Section 1 A quorum for general membership meetings shall be at least 10 members present, including 2 Club officers. (As amended 9-80)

Section 2 Business transactions will be decided by a simple majority vote of the members present.

Section 3 The regular meetings of the Club shall be held on the first Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM.

Section 4 The President may call a special meeting at any time by written or telephone contact with the membership.

Section 5 All procedural matters in connection with regular Club meetings not otherwise provided for herein, shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE IX – VOTING

Section 1 Club members only shall be allowed to vote on any matter requiring a vote and they shall be entitled to only one such vote.

Section 2 There shall be NO PROXY voting.

Section 3 Voting by mail shall be permitted for changes in the Constitution or by-laws.

ARTICLE X – FINANCIAL

Section 1 Club dues shall be an amount decided by the general membership. It shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present at a regular meeting to change this amount. Dependent member’s dues shall be the amount set forth in Article V, Section 7. Proposed changes must be published in the preceding edition of the Club Newsletter or posted in the local hobby shop in the event of no available newsletter. (As amended 10-90)

Section 2 Initiation fee is five dollars for general membership.

Section 3 Flying field (site) fee is ten dollars. Each non-dependent member will pay this fee on a one-time basis.

Section 4 General and dependent members will pay their own AMA license fee.

Section 5 Dues will be paid on an annual or semi-annual schedule. Schedule will correspond with the fiscal year as outlined in Article III, Section 1.

Section 6 Membership in the Club shall be terminated if dues are not paid within thirty days of the due date as set forth in Article X, Section 5.

ARTICLE XI – AMENDMENTS

Section 1 This Constitution and/or by-laws may only be amended by a simple majority vote of not less than one-half of all Club members. (Amended 10-90, add) Sections 3, 5 and 6 of the by-laws as pertains to Flying Rules, Ground Rules and Courtesy Rules may be changed by a simple majority vote of members present at a regular meeting. Proposed changes must be published in the preceding edition of the Club Newsletter or posted in the local hobby shop in the event of no available Newsletter.

Section 2 Members must be advised in writing of the proposed amendment and/or change to be considered, one meeting prior to the consideration of change in the Constitution or by-laws.

Section 3 All members of the Club will be given a copy of this Constitution and by-laws.

 

 

 

BYLAWS

Section 1 - Club Minutes

The Club Secretary will be responsible for providing all members with a copy of the Club minutes of each meeting, when instructed to do so by the Club President.

 

Section 2 - Interim Use

Individuals desiring to join the Club may use the Club flying site in a guest capacity until the next regularly scheduled meeting. The individual must however, possess a valid AMA Model Airplane Sporting License.

No alcoholic beverages are permitted on the Flying Field.

 

Section 3 - Flying Rules

- No transmitter shall be turned on unless you have a frequency marker in the correct slot of the frequency control board. Markers will be current AMA card AND current BRCF card, either originals or copies. Pilots operating radio equipment on the same frequency should inform each other as to when they are going to fly. - - - Don’t rely solely on the control board.
- All transmitters must have appropriately numbered tags and red "aircraft only frequency" ribbons attached when in operation.
- A flightline will be established while flying model aircraft at the club flying site. The established flight line will run parallel to the active runway.
- Pilots will taxi their model aircraft out from the established flight line to the active runway for takeoff. Pilots WILL NOT take off their model aircraft from the flight line.
- Aircraft in the landing pattern have the RIGHT-OF-WAY over aircraft taking off or taxiing.
- Landings will be made down the center of the active runway. Landing approaches will be made as close as possible to be parallel to an extension of the runway center line. A pilot who has an emergency and must land his model aircraft other than down the center of the runway may take exception to this rule.
- All pilots and instructors should stand ON or VERY NEAR one of the five rectangular concrete blocks, (pilot stations) while flying during routine day to day flying sessions. Where pilots stand during contests is at the discretion of the Contest Director.
- Pilots will CALL OUT any maneuver they intend to execute over the runway. Example: low pass, stall turn, touch & go, etc.
- Aircraft landing with a dead engine will be removed as quickly as possible from the runway. Pilots will recover their model aircraft from the runway and walk along the side of the field when returning to the flight line. Clear the active runway as quickly as possible
- THE AMA SAFETY CODE WILL BE OBSERVED BY ALL MEMBERS AND GUESTS WHILE FLYING THEIR MODEL AIRCRAFT AT THE CLUB FLYING FIELD

.

Section 4 - AMA Safety Code <--- Click for a .PDF version of the 2006 AMA Safety Code

 

Section 5 - Flying Field Ground Rules

- Only members of the Belleville R/C Flyers and their guests who hold a valid Academy of Model Aeronautics license will be permitted to fly their model aircraft at the club flying site. Member/sponsor must be present with their guest.
- For routine day to day flying, all pit areas will be established along the Pit Line.
- For contest operations, all pit areas will be established between the Pit Line and the fence.
- No pit areas will be established in front of the pilot stations at any time.
- Transmitter antennas will be collapsed when not in use.
- All spectators will stay within the designated observation area, between the fence and pit area.
- Children will not be permitted to play on the flying field or in the ditches adjacent to the ends of the flying field.
- Pets will not be allowed on the flying field.
- When a model aircraft goes down in the crop area, only a minimum number of personnel will search and recover. Walk around the edge of the field where possible. - Use care when walking through the crop area to preclude damage.
- Trash will be put in the trash container at the field. If no trash container is available, club members will take the trash with them.
- Members will be held responsible for the conduct of their guests while at the flying site.
- Immediately notify the Club President and Safety Officer if an accident of serious nature occurs at the flying site.
- NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE PERMITTED ON THE FLYING FIELD.

 

Section 6 - Courtesy Suggestions

- Place a marker on the frequency control board even if you are the only flyer at the field or the only flyer using that frequency. See Flying Rule #1. Someone may show up to use that frequency while you are flying and shoot you down. It’s your fault.
- Remove your marker from the frequency control board after each flight. It is rude to make another flyer "find you" to get you to remove your marker.
- Do not tie up a particular frequency for more than 15 to 20 minutes, especially if there are several people waiting for it. This includes "ground" and "air" time.
- Do your engine checking, adjusting, running in, etc at home or somewhere besides the field if at all possible.
- Do not rev-up the engine so the prop wash will blow in another pilot’s area.
- Give a helping hand to other flyers whenever possible.
- Call "All Clear" for other flyers when they are landing.
- Extend every courtesy to new and or beginner flyers.
- Brief your guests on ground and flying rules.
- Help clean up the area, (flying site).
- All engines larger than 1/2A (.049/.051 cubic inch) should have an EFFECTIVE muffler installed.