[NSRCA-discussion] NSRCA Dues Increase

[Randall Bearden]

On 12/24/06 9:16 PM, "Wayne" <Whinkle1024 at msn.com> wrote:

> Don't worry Paul it wasn't announced in the KF either!
> 
> So you didn't miss anything.
> 
> I understand the need for increased dues. I also understand the need for the
> NSRCA to give us something in return for our support. Today I don't see much
> going on to PROMOTE pattern. While I wish to support pattern and promote it
> I will take my $40 and spend it on attendance at an event rather than the
> NSRCA.
> 
> Sorry but poor management of more of our funds are not going to get it done.
> 2 years ago when folks asked questions of Derek and Lamar the bank account
> was sitting on a surplus of about $12,000 or so. If I remember the numbers
> correctly. I'm going to go find the old KF that had this number in it. Rusty
> Dose tells us last month that we are down over $15,000 is dues and
> advertising revenue. Looks to me like this has been a sinking ship for some
> time. The very fact that I received a renewal notice with the $40 price tag
> on it a full week before we heard about it from the board is another sign of
> mismanagement. A 30% increase in dues just because there has not been a
> increase in many years is not the solution to our problems. Where is the 30%
> increase going to help support precision aerobatics.
> 
> I think that with all products and services in the market place today the
> NSRCA needs to show some value to the modelers out there. If this happens
> then membership will grow. Revenue will increase. And Pattern flying will
> prosper. I feel that I and other vote with our pocket books. The reason
> advertising dollars are down, the reason dues dollars are down is due
> directly to the product supplied.
> 
> Perhaps the NSRCA leadership is listening but instead we talk about what a
> great job has been done and how far we have come. I'm not into bashing the
> guy that just left but Derek we have seen nothing about how to get us out of
> this pickle we are in. Therefore I elect not to renew at this time. I think
> there are better places to spend our money to support Precision Aerobatics.
> 
> 
> 
> Wayne
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Brine" <pbrine at uoguelph.ca>
> To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> Sent: Sunday, December 24, 2006 3:19 PM
> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] NSRCA Dues Increase
> 
> 
>> It also wasn't announced to the membership until Dec 22nd via Lamar's
>> email.
>> Remember not everyone (ie myself ) is in a position to download and read
>> the
>> k-factor on-line.
>> 
>> Applying the increase to those who renewed before then is like you signing
>> on the line to buy a car and being told a week later by the dealer that
>> the
>> price went up a $1000.
>> 
>> Paul
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Martin X. Moleski, SJ <moleski at canisius.edu>
>> To: NSRCA Mailing List <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, December 24, 2006 1:07 PM
>> Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] NSRCA Dues Increase
>> 
>> 
>>> Anthony Abdullah wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Silly quesion:
>>> 
>>>> After a long pattern lay off for grad school and such I am returning in
>>>> full force. Part of that included renewing my NSRCA membership. When I
>>>> downloaded and printed the form from the NSRCA website the dues was
>>>> listed as $30.00 and that is how much the check was written for (just
>>>> two days ago). Do I need to send an additional check for $10.00 or is
>>>> the price increse effective Jan 1?
>>> 
>>> There was a missed communication between Lamar and myself early in
>>> December, so I didn't hear about the change in dues until two or
>>> three days ago.
>>> 
>>> The law is probably on your side, if you want to take the time
>>> to take it to court.
>>> 
>>> It would be a huge kindness to simply send along another $10 check.
>>> 
>>> I believe the forms have all been updated.
>>> 
>>> I'm hoping to work on the Paypal front end over this vacation.
>>> It hasn't been satisfactory for a couple of years ... my bad.
>>> 
>>> Marty
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
>>> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
>>> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>> 
>> 
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>> 
> 
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I want to lend support to Wayne's assessment of what is going on with
Pattern.  Since I started in the early 90's I have seen pattern lose ground
to IMAC and other areas of interest.  I can remember going to contests with
50 + participants and three lines running all day Saturday and Sunday.  We
had raffles with radios and kits and we still made money.

I think we have allowed our sport to shrink into a nationwide good old boys
club mentality.  We are viewed as elitist and even snobby.  We have failed
to interest significant numbers of new members as well as put up barriers to
entry into the competition with high cost of entry, the very same problem
IMAC is facing. 

I must applaud Mike Hester's donation to three planes to promote our sport
to District three Sportsman. His example is a clear commitment to growing
our sport.   I fully support an increase in dues if we see a difference in
how we advertise, promote, and represent our sport.

I would like to see clubs set aside a weekend for pattern clinics and
contests.  The NSRCA district leadership should be there to mentor new CDs
and help new contest sites have good contests and make money for their
clubs.

I would like to see kit manufactures introduce reasonable cost kits that fly
well and are competitive in the Sportsman and Intermediate levels.  There
are a few out there but there could be more.  I think we could grow with
competitive setups if we can keep the equipment costs in the $1200.00
neighborhood.

We need to improve the perception of pattern fliers from the elitist and
snobbery to those committed to mentoring new fliers and teaching them to be
successful.  Frank Kelly in Las Vegas did this for me and I feel that I
should do it to the new sportsman as well.  It would be a powerful statement
if every Masters or FAI pilot mentored a new sportsman pilot each year to
grow our sport.

These are only my ideas and I am sure there will be the barrage of excuses
of why we can't however, unless we get past the excuses and move on to
commitment and actions to grow, pattern will consume itself and will wither
and die on the vine.

Randy Bearden