[NSRCA-discussion] SinkingshipSyndrome?Pleasereview'NSRCAMembers'
Earl Haury
ejhaury at comcast.net
Wed Aug 22 13:32:54 AKDT 2007
Tony
Folks require value in belonging to any association. Some have captive audiences - belong or don't play. As you've noted - these are diminishing. The AMA has enjoyed a somewhat captive audience as a result of its charter club and insurance programs. The technology of ARF's, E-flight, foamies, spread spectrum radios, etc. allows many more folks to give model aviation a try. It's hard for most of them to see the value in AMA membership, especially when it comes at a cost often 10% or more of their investment. The captive audience is slipping away! Hmm - ask most flyers what AMA is and they will likely respond - insurance. This is sad - certainly in this day and age insurance is necessary, but many perceive that the AMA uses the "insurance angle" to "require" membership so as to fly at club sites. Lots of folks now forego this and simply fly from school yards / parks / etc. and likely have less success at flying, all while missing the wonderful comradery available in organized model aviation. It's really tough when a young family shows up at a flying site, bright eyed youngster in tow with a new ARF, and is sent away with an AMA application requiring more spending before they can enjoy model aviation. It would be a lot more beneficial to all if some sort of "trial membership" was somehow included in the purchase of the beginners equipment in the first place.
The AMA needs to do a better job of providing value, both real and perceived, to modelers and prospective modelers. Several programs are currently in place to do this, yet they aren't well known outside the core of the organization. Advertising in venues that folks with slight modeling interest might see is one way - presenting this info in Model Aviation is only preaching to the choir. There has been discussion of a scaled fee for membership, basis what is flown. There are good arguments for and against this. However, consider that bringing newbies into the fold for some nominal fee while while they explore their new foamy could provide valuable benefits (including growth) to the organization. The AMA has an opportunity to move forward technically with a new Technical Director. Very good work has been done coordinating our needs with the FCC, FAA, EPA and other government and industry interests. More could be done providing means for technological advancements to modeling - a wind tunnel for model use at Muncie is one thought (Don Lowe made a pitch for this years ago). More could be done to decouple the cost of international competition from the general membership, yet there was more effort spent finding ways this couldn't be done (through foundation grants) than ways to make it happen when it was explored a few years ago.
Sure - the AMA needs to keep its fiscal house in order. But - the AMA needs to not lose focus of the value membership brings, while trying to be more of a business. The AMA insurance program is a good value - but the AMA is probably too close to being an insurance company in the view of many. The AMA can and will grow by proactively operating in the manner described in the Mission Statement, however it might do well to include "ensure these activities provide real value" and work to demonstrate that to not only current, but prospective members. There are opportunities for the new and energetic VP's like yourself on the EC to make the AMA a better value - do that and membership will take care of itself.
Certainly the NSRCA benefits from a strong AMA. Ensuring that beginners are exposed to our pattern niche doesn't happen if the newbie crashes on a school yard.
Earl
----- Original Message -----
From: Tony
To: 'NSRCA Mailing List'
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 11:11 AM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion]SinkingshipSyndrome?Pleasereview'NSRCAMembers'
Earl makes some good points, but you need to also realize that this same syndrome is occurring with many other sports/pastimes as well. The idea of belonging to an organization does not that the draw that it once did. AMA has similar issues, but so does other sports/hobbies. The fact that more people fly R/C now than ever before, yet AMA is loosing about 2% per year is a sobering fact. Competition events, as well as non-competition event sanctions have been in a decline over the past several years.
All of this points to a change in how we as Americans are looking at our free time and how we can best spend it. This change affects Pattern as well.
Another aspect is that what is offered to the membership does not have the same impact as what it used to have. Here again, AMA is feeling this same problem as well. Publications are going away, toward online subscriptions and the ever-popular discussion boards. Lets face it, if you have a question, you don't go back through issues of K-Factor to find them, you put it out to the discussion list! That way you get today's info. Sure, the K-Factor still has value and I enjoy reading it still. But the future is in on-line real-time discussions and information.
There will always be competition flying. We need to do all the things that have been suggested by this list! Primers are effective and bring in people. Having a pattern intro-day at you club helps. You will never bring in large numbers, but the one-at-a-time approach does work.
Then again, ask yourself, what would happen if next year all the pattern contests you went to had 100 entries? How about 300 at the NATS?
Tony Stillman, President
Radio South, Inc.
139 Altama Connector, Box 322
Brunswick, GA 31525
1-800-962-7802
tony at radiosouthrc.com
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From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Earl Haury
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 11:47 AM
To: NSRCA Mailing List
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion]SinkingshipSyndrome?Pleasereview'NSRCAMembers'
Jim
You make several good points. It would be interesting to look for correlations between pattern activity nationally (# contests / participation) and NSRCA membership. I suspect this might show pattern is healthier than NSRCA membership indicates - at least basis my observations of pattern participation / new competitors in my area (D6). If that's the case - then there's likely a correlation between NSRCA membership and some NSRCA activity. Dues increases might be the first thing to check, but not the only. The advent of online information likely has had an impact on the thirst for the K-Factor, for example. Like you say - the NSRCA provides the Nats and the K-Factor, and I would add this forum, that provide obvious value. (The website is a very strong and useful tool that is likely underutilized by the membership.) But have the dues necessary to support the organization reached a point where many feel the value doesn't meet the cost?
So - I'm suggesting that we better understand the issues affecting the "problem". Has membership dropped each time the dues raise? Has membership fluctuated with the size / reliability of the K-Factor?
Has membership tracked with pattern activity? There are probably others - some of which may not be easy to examine. Anyone passionate enough about this to dig through the data and better define cause and effect?
Earl
----- Original Message -----
From: Woodward, Jim
To: NSRCA Mailing List
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 10:16 AM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] SinkingshipSyndrome?Pleasereview'NSRCAMembers'
Hi Del,
I look at it like this - nobody researches organizational leadership, determines which are good or bad, then starts a sport or hobby because the orchestrating organization is to their liking. If someone wanted to bowl they would not intuitively look to the Professional Bowlers Association, then go to the local alley and take a lesson. If a newcomer to pattern has a negative opinion of the NSRCA then it is 99.9% certain that a current or former NSRCA member put that thought in their head. I also do not believe that people "quit" or drop out of pattern because of the NSRCA. The NSRCA does not build your planes, tune your motor, pack your ice-chest, or get your pattern-buddy motivated to go to the next contest with you - that is all "people" stuff and we are the people. However the NSRCA does facilitate a huge number of things that unite our sport across the country - all of which are totally unknown to newcomers probably and are not a big deal to them. Like the NSRCA or not - who cares??? The real deal should be whether or not you enjoy flying your pattern plane in competitions - and if so go and compete.
I happen to think that if you just think about growing pattern, then NSRCA growth will follow to a large percentage. You (read as you, I, and others) grow the sport by being around the other R/C guys in your area and getting to know them one on one. Interest in our part of the sport will be there or it won't. If it is, then try to cultivate it. We can't drag people into this, but we can offer insight, help, and the "rewards" of flying precision aerobatics. There is also a percentage of current pilots that will cross-over from IMAC or Jets if they are interested, but need a nudge in this direction. Its hard for current R/C'ers to make the jump if they have never flown a pattern plane or at least seen some pattern videos. Thank goodness for the D4 website which is now posting some of the 2007 Nationals flight videos - THANK YOU D4! I have enjoyed watching them.
If we want the sport to grow as well as the NSRCA then we need to get out and shake some hands and loan airplanes or buddy cord up. I support the NSRCA 100% but the NSRCA does not give me anything that I truly enjoy from the hobby (accept for the Nationals and K-Factor) - this is provided by the friends I've made and my own pursuit of a perfect sequence.
Thanks,
Jim w.
From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of twtaylor
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 11:16 AM
To: 'NSRCA Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Sinking shipSyndrome?Pleasereview'NSRCAMembers'
So we agree there's a problem. How do we fix it? Lets throw some idea's out there.
Pattern primers are/have been successful in the past maybe we need more?
Personally my club will not allow me to have any type contest at our field much less a Pattern contest. When I brought it up I was soundly beat around the head and shoulders about the where we fly our patterns and the club felt it would upset the neighbors. IMHO my club is a bunch of Sunday fliers that don't want to put forth the effort. We do have some new blood coming in that might change the way our club operates. It will take a major change in club officers to do it. Only problem is we have a self imposed 400' ceiling.
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From: nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] On Behalf Of Del K. Rykert
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 10:56 AM
To: NSRCA Mailing List
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Sinking ship Syndrome?Pleasereview'NSRCAMembers'
I suspect is mostly because of lack of support or don't have the resources/time or health to commit to office. What I haven't seen is a change in the numbers no matter how positive the attitudes are of the officers and leaders. A few years ago when I tried to bring up the perception of a known problem in my mind I was told to be quiet as we are making changes and things will improve. That was years ago.. How many more years will it take? I still see a continuing decline with some insisting it is only a local thing thinking as their area/district is growing so therefore no problem. If I don't see a change to the positive I have to assume the efforts on everyone's part hasn't truly addressed the issues. I fully realize all about "assuming". So if the true goal is to draw new blood and grow the ranks then the efforts have to be shifted to focus the few resources the organization does have to focus more efforts to draw the new blood. If the advertisers were truly onboard they would be there year after year.. Not need further enticements to return to placing an ad.
None of my comments are meant to infer all the efforts of all parties hasn't been commendable in their efforts to address the problem. The results are what I still feel need to be addressed. Survey the potential wannabes. If no wannabe exist then we are left with what we have.
Del
----- Original Message -----
From: Steven Maxwell
To: NSRCA Mailing List
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 8:40 AM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Sinking ship Syndrome? Pleasereview'NSRCAMembers'
Have to agree with John and Mike on this, this adminstation has only been in office a few months and nothing happens over night.
The other thing I always see is people with ideas but never see there name on a ballet if people are really want to make a difference and they have all the better ways why do we see unopposed ballets.
Steve Maxwell
mike mueller <mups1953 at yahoo.com> wrote:
Very well stated JLK. I have been in pattern for a very longtime and I can tell you that the leaders we have right now are taking us in a positive direction. I have a lot of faith in them. It will take some patience but I think there are a lot of positive things in place.
This forum is an open discussion of ideas and thoughts some are agreeable some are not. Either way its it important that everyone be heard. If there's a new concept that has merit then in time the group will adopt it.
The biggest problem that I see with our sport is the lack of younger people getting in. We need new blood ASAP. Mike
John Konneker <jlkonn at hotmail.com> wrote:
If I may.
As a lot of you know I am the ad manager for the K-Factor.
It is my goal to bring enough advertisers on board to make the K-Factor self
supporting.
I believe that goal is achievable.
I just prepared the invoicing for the July issue and total billings, month
to month, are increasing.
We have a great bunch of advertisers already that have been very supportive
of the NSRCA.
Please support them whenever you can.
I contact potential advertisers all the time.
If you have any you'd like to suggest please let me know.
If you have personal contact with any and think you can get them interested,
by all means talk to them.
Ron Davies is doing a great job as treasurer and reports on the NSRCA
finances every month in his K-Factor column.
Through these reports you can see it's not just members dues that generate
the operating income of the NSRCA.
As an aside I flew the Nats this year.
Derek invited me to the NSRCA board meeting held on Tuesday night.
I had been out of RC since the late '80s and only started pattern again last
year.
I can't tell you how impressed I was with the officers.
Everyone, without exception, has the advancement of pattern in their hearts.
Everyone, without exception, was positive in their attitude.
There were no hidden agendas.
No "us" vs "them".
>From Derek on down we have a great bunch!
JLK
>From: "Del K. Rykert"
>Reply-To: NSRCA Mailing List
>To: "NSRCA Mailing List"
>Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Sinking ship Syndrome? Please
>review'NSRCAMembers'
>Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:51:54 -0400
>
>I truly hear you message loud and clear John. Do you have any further
>suggestions, as many don't want to look at some of the changes that have
>been proposed? I know it has been discussed on the list to degree of
>making some just deleting post without even reading them. Either they don't
>care or don't want to hear it. Hate to be so sinister to assume they want
>to see the NSRCA fail. I hope.
>
> Del
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: John Gayer
> To: NSRCA Mailing List
> Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 8:51 PM
> Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Please review 'NSRCAMembers'
>
>
> The attached Chart is based on numbers on the NSRCA website and the
>treasurer's report in the latest K-Factor. If the membership continues to
>reject any thoughts or proposals that might help, I see this downward slide
> continuing. We are currently on the verge of being unable to afford
>producing the K-Factor which is about the only reason to stay on.
>
> I tried to post this several days ago with an inline chart but the size
>was 4K oversize for the list parameters. It's been awaiting approval of the
>moderator.
>
> John Gayer
> NSRCA 632
>
>
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